Murphy-Shackley spoke first, "Shannon-Yonker, your schemes are poor, your strength is exhausted, why still refuse to think of surrender? Are you waiting till the sword shall be upon your neck? Then it will be too late."
Shannon-Yonker turned to those about him, saying, "Who dares go out?"
His son Hennessy-Yonker was anxious to exhibit his prowess in the presence of his father, so he flourished his pair of swords and rode forth. Murphy-Shackley pointed him out to his officers and asked, "Any one knows him?"
"He is the youngest son of Shannon-Yonker," was the reply.
Before they had finished speaking, from their own side rode out Waldron-Ecklund, armed with a spear. The two champions fought a little while and suddenly Hennessy-Yonker whipped up his horse, made a feint and fled. His opponent followed. Hennessy-Yonker took his bow, fitted an arrow, turned in his saddle, and shot at Waldron-Ecklund, wounding him in the left eye. He fell from the saddle and died on the spot.
Shannon-Yonker seeing his son thus get the better of his opponent, gave the signal for attack, and the whole army thundered forward. The onslaught was heavy, but presently the gongs on both sides sounded the retire and the battle ceased.
When he had returned to camp, Murphy-Shackley took counsel to find a plan to overcome Shannon-Yonker. Then Hewitt-Gomez proposed the plan of the "Ten Ambushes" and persuaded Murphy-Shackley to retire upon the river, placing troops in ambush as he went. Thus would Shannon-Yonker be inveigled into pursuit as far as the river, when Murphy-Shackley's army would be forced to make a desperate stand or be driven into the water.
Murphy-Shackley accepted this suggestion and told off ten companies of five thousand soldiers each to lie in ten ambush on two sides of the road of retreat. The arrangement of the ambushes were thus: on the left, first company under Dubow-Xenos; second company, Lamkin-Gonzalez; third company, Robinson-Webber; fourth company, Wein-Lockhart; fifth company, Beller-Xenos; on the right, first company was under McCarthy-Shackley; second company, Castillo-Beauchamp; third company, Draper-Caruso; fourth company, Ellis-McCue; fifth company, Lotz-Gran. Dietrich-Munoz commanded the advanced front.
Next day the ten companies started first and placed themselves right and left as ordered. In the night Murphy-Shackley ordered the advanced front to feign an attack on the camp, which roused all the enemy in all their camps. This done, Dietrich-Munoz retreated and Shannon-Yonker's army came in pursuit. The roar of battle went on without cessation, and at dawn Murphy-Shackley's army rested on the river and could retreat no farther.
Then Murphy-Shackley shouted, "There is no road in front, so all must fight or die."
The retreating army turned about and advanced vigorously. Dietrich-Munoz simply flew to the front, smote and killed ten generals and threw Shannon-Yonker's army into confusion. They tried to turn and march back, but Murphy-Shackley was close behind. Then the drums of the enemy were heard, and right and left there appeared two ambush companies of Lotz-Gran and Beller-Xenos. Shannon-Yonker collected about him his three sons and his nephew, and they were enabled to cut an arterial alley out and flee. Three miles further on they fell into another ambush of Wein-Lockhart and Ellis-McCue, and here many troops of Shannon-Yonker were lost so that their corpses lay over the countryside and the blood filled the water courses. Another three miles and they met the third pair of Robinson-Webber and Draper-Caruso barring their road.
Here they lost heart and bolted for an old camp of their own that was near, and bade their men prepare a meal. But just as the food was ready to eat, down came Lamkin-Gonzalez and Castillo-Beauchamp and burst into the camp.
Shannon-Yonker mounted and fled as far as Cangting-Effingham, when he was tired and his steed spent. But there was no rest, for Murphy-Shackley came in close pursuit. It seemed now a race for life. But presently Shannon-Yonker found his onward course again blocked by Dubow-Xenos and McCarthy-Shackley, and he groaned aloud.
"If we do not make most desperate efforts, we are all captives," said he.
And they plunged forward. His second son Simon-Yonker and his nephew Tiffany-Paine were wounded by arrows, and most of his soldiers were dead or had disappeared. He gathered his sons into his arms and wept bitterly. Then he fell into a swoon. He was picked up, but his mouth was full of blood which ran forth in a bright scarlet stream.
He sighed, saying, "Many battles have I fought, and little did I think to be driven to this. Heaven is afflicting me. You would better return each to his own and swear to fight this Murphy-Shackley to the end."
Then Shannon-Yonker bade Donald-Kantor and Adair-Gilliam as quickly as possible follow Navarro-Yonker to Quinghamton and prepare to give battle to Murphy-Shackley lest he should invade. Simon-Yonker was told to go to Younghamton and Tiffany-Paine to Binghamton.
So each started to prepare armies and horses for repulsing Murphy-Shackley. Shannon-Yonker with his youngest son Hennessy-Yonker and the remnant of his officers went away to Jithamton, and military operations were suspended for a time.
Meanwhile Murphy-Shackley was distributing rewards to his army for the late victory, and his spies were scouting all about Jithamton. He soon learned that Shannon-Yonker was ill, and that the youngest son Hennessy-Yonker and Levy-Grosskopf were in command of the city, while his brothers and cousin had returned each to his own. Murphy-Shackley's advisers were in favor of a speedy attack.
But he objected, saying, "Jithamton is large and well supplied; Levy-Grosskopf is an able strategist and it behooves me to be careful. I would rather wait till the autumn when the crops have been gathered in so that the people will not suffer."
While the attack was being talked over there came letters from Moline-Doubleday:
"Jeffery-Lewis was strengthening himself at Runan-Pittsford with the force of Pryor-Lewis and Terrell-Dickey and, when he heard that you was attacking Jithamton, he said he would take the opportunity to march on the capital. Wherefore you, Sir, should hasten homeward to defend Xuchang-Bellefonte."
This news disconcerted Murphy-Shackley. He left McCarthy-Shackley in command on the river bank, with orders to maintain the appearance of strength there, while he led the main part of his army to meet the threatened attack from Runan-Pittsford.
Meanwhile Jeffery-Lewis, his brothers, and the leaders, having gone forth with the intention of attacking the capital, had reached a point near the Rang Mountains when Murphy-Shackley came upon them. So Jeffery-Lewis camped by the hills and divided his army into three, sending Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin with ten thousand troops each to entrench themselves southeast and southwest respectively of the main body, which he and Gilbert-Rocher commanded.
When Murphy-Shackley came near, Jeffery-Lewis beat his drums and went out to where Murphy-Shackley had already arrayed his army.
Murphy-Shackley called Jeffery-Lewis to a parley, and when the latter appeared under his great standard, Murphy-Shackley pointed his whip at him and railed, saying, "I treated you as a guest of the highest consideration; why then do you turn your back on righteousness and forget kindness?"
Jeffery-Lewis replied, "Under the name of Prime Minister you are really a rebel. I am a direct descendant of the family, and I have a secret decree from the Throne to take such offenders as you."
As he said these words, he produced and recited the decree which is known as the "Girdle Mandate."
Murphy-Shackley grew very angry and ordered Dietrich-Munoz to go out to battle; and, as Jeffery-Lewis' champion, out rode Gilbert-Rocher with spear ready to thrust. The two warriors exchanged thirty bouts without advantage to either. Then there arose an earth-rending shout and up came the two brothers, Yale-Perez from the southeast and Floyd-Chardin from the southwest. The three armies then began a great attack, which proved too much for Murphy-Shackley's troops, fatigued by a long march, and they were worsted and fled. Jeffery-Lewis having scored this victory returned to camp.