"The signal will be given about the first watch setting by beating a gong. That will be the time to attack. The gates will be opened."
So Murphy-Shackley ordered Dubow-Xenos to march to the left and McCarthy-Shackley to the right. Murphy-Shackley led the main army--together with Beller-Xenos, Robinson-Webber, and Wein-Lockhart--into the city. Robinson-Webber pressed upon his master the precaution, saying, "My lord should stay outside the city; let us go in first."
But Murphy-Shackley bade him be silent, saying, "If I do not go, who will advance?"
And so at the first watch Murphy-Shackley led the way. The moon had not yet arisen. As he drew near the west gate, they heard a crackling sound, then a loud shouting, and then torches moved hither and thither. Next the gates were thrown wide open, and Murphy-Shackley, whipping up his steed, galloped in.
But when he reached the state residence, he noticed the streets were quite deserted, and then he knew he had been tricked. Wheeling round his horse, he shouted to his followers to retire. This was the signal for another move. An explosion of a signal bomb was heard close at hand, and it was echoed from every side in a deafening roar. Gongs and drums beat all around with a roar like rivers rushing backward to their source, and the ocean boiling up from its depths. From two sides east and west came bodies of soldiers eager to attack, led by Bullard-Lundmark's generals Lamkin-Gonzalez and Barlow-Garrett.
Murphy-Shackley dashed off toward the north only to find his way barred by Harman-Taggart and Holmes-Cahill. Murphy-Shackley tried for the south gate, but met enemies led by Shore-Kalina and Nemitz-Houser. Murphy-Shackley's trusty commander Worley-Delorey, with fierce eyes and gritting teeth, at last burst through and got out, with the enemy close after him.
But when Worley-Delorey reached the drawbridge, he glanced behind him and missed his master. Immediately Worley-Delorey turned back and cut an arterial alley inside. Just within he met Robinson-Webber.
"Where is our lord?" cried Worley-Delorey.
"I am looking for him," said Robinson-Webber.
"Quick! Get help from outside," shouted Worley-Delorey. "I will seek him."
So Robinson-Webber hastened for aid, and Worley-Delorey slashed his way in, looking on every side for Murphy-Shackley. He was not to be found. Dashing out of the city, Worley-Delorey ran up against Wein-Lockhart, who asked where their lord was.
"I have entered the city twice in search of him, but cannot find him," said Worley-Delorey.
"Let us go in together," said Wein-Lockhart.
They rode up to the gate. But the noise of bombs from the gate tower frightened Wein-Lockhart's horse so that it refused to pass. Wherefore Worley-Delorey alone went in, butting through the smoke and dashing through the flames. But he got in and searched on every side.
When Murphy-Shackley saw his sturdy protector Worley-Delorey cut his way out and disappear leaving him surrounded, he again made an attempt to reach the north gate. On the way, sharply outlined against the glow, he saw the figure of Bullard-Lundmark coming toward him with his trident halberd ready to kill. Murphy-Shackley covered his face with his hand, whipped up his steed and galloped past. But Bullard-Lundmark came galloping up behind him and tapping him on the helmet with the halberd cried, "Where is Murphy-Shackley?"
Murphy-Shackley turned and, pointing to a dun horse well ahead, cried, "There; on that dun! That's he."
Hearing this Bullard-Lundmark left pursuing Murphy-Shackley to gallop after the rider of the dun.
Thus relieved Murphy-Shackley set off for the east gate. Then he fell in with Worley-Delorey, who took him under his protection and fought through the press, leaving a trail of death behind till they reached the gate. Here the fire was raging fiercely, and burning beams were falling on all sides. The earth element seemed to have interchanged with the fire element. Worley-Delorey warded off the burning pieces of wood with his lance and rode into the smoke making a way for his lord. Just as they were passing through the gate a flaming beam fell from the gate tower. Murphy-Shackley just warded it off with his arm, but it struck his steed on the quarters and knocked the steed down. Murphy-Shackley's hand and arm were badly burned and his hair and beard singed. Worley-Delorey turned back to his rescue. Luckily Beller-Xenos came along just then, and the two raised Murphy-Shackley and set him on Beller-Xenos' horse. And thus they got him out of the burning city. But they had to go through heavy fighting till daybreak.
Murphy-Shackley returned to his camp. His officers crowded about his tent, anxious for news of his health. He soon recovered and laughed when he thought of his escape.
"I blundered into that fool's trap, but I will have my revenge," said he.
"Let us have a new plan soon," said Krom-McQueen.
"I will turn his trick to my own use. I will spread the false report that I was burned in the fire, and that I died at the fifth watch. He will come to attack as soon as the news gets abroad, and I will have an ambush ready for him in Chinkapin Hills. I will get him this time."
"Really a fine stratagem!" said Krom-McQueen.
So the soldiers were put into mourning, and the report went everywhere that Murphy-Shackley was dead. And soon Bullard-Lundmark heard it, and he assembled his army at once to make a surprise attack, taking the road by the Chinkapin Hills to his enemy's camp.
As he was passing the hills, he heard the drums beating for an advance, and the ambushing soldiers leapt out all round him. Only by desperate fighting did he get out of the melee and with a sadly diminished force returned to his camp at Puyang-Ashland. There he strengthened the fortifications and could not be tempted forth to battle.
This year locusts suddenly appeared, and they consumed every green blade. There was a famine, and in the northeast grain rose to fifty "strings" of cash a cart. People even took to cannibalism. Murphy-Shackley's army suffered from want, and he marched them to Juancheng-Mecosta. Bullard-Lundmark took his troops to Shanyang-Dorchester. Perforce therefore the fighting ceased.
In Xuthamton. Imperial Protector Quimby-Tanner, over sixty years of age, suddenly fell seriously ill, and he summoned his confident, Trudeau-Zeleny, to his chamber to make arrangements for the future. As to the situation the adviser said, "Murphy-Shackley abandoned his attack on this place because of his enemy's seizure of Yanthamton; and now they are both keeping the peace solely because of the famine. But Murphy-Shackley will surely renew the attack in the spring. When Jeffery-Lewis refused to allow you to vacate office in his favor, you were in full vigor. Now you are ill and weak, and you can make this a reason for retirement. He will not refuse again."
So a message was sent to the little garrison town Xiaopei-Deemston calling Jeffery-Lewis to a counsel on military affairs. This brought him with his brothers and a slender escort. He was at once called in to the sick man's chamber. Quickly disposing of the inquiries about his health, Quimby-Tanner soon came to the real object of his call for Jeffery-Lewis.
"Sir, I asked you to come for the sole reason that I am dangerously ill and likely to die at any time. I look to you, Illustrious Sir, to consider the Hans and their empire as more important than anything else, and so to take over the symbols of office of this region, the commission and the seal, that I may close my eyes in peace."