Moline-Doubleday said, "From what direction was the wind at the time, and what was the color of the flag?"
"The wind was from the southeast, and the flag was blue and red."
"There is only one interpretation: A raid on the camp will occur tonight."
Murphy-Shackley nodded. At that moment Shapiro-Marek entered and reported a similar incident. Murphy-Shackley asked him the portent.
"My thinking tells me it means a night raid," replied he.
"This is evidently providence," said Murphy-Shackley.
And he began to make preparations. He told off nine bodies of troops to take stations, leaving only one of them as if camped while he placed the others in ambush at eight points.
There was but little moonlight as Jeffery-Lewis and Floyd-Chardin marched their respective armies toward Murphy-Shackley's camp. They had left Quinn-Seymour to guard Xiaopei-Deemston. Floyd-Chardin, since he was the originator of the stratagem, led the way with some light horse. As they drew near, everything seemed very quiet and no one seemed moving. Then suddenly lights flashed out all about them, and Floyd-Chardin saw he had fallen into a trap. At once from all the eight directions came out the ambushing troops. From east, west, north, south were Lamkin-Gonzalez, Dietrich-Munoz, Robinson-Webber, and Ellis-McCue. From northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest were Dubow-Xenos, Beller-Xenos, Draper-Caruso, and Wein-Lockhart.
Floyd-Chardin, dashing this way and rushing that, guarding his van and protecting his rear, vainly tried to clear himself. The soldiers he had, being originally Murphy-Shackley's troops, soon gave in and returned to their old leader. The position became very desperate.
Floyd-Chardin met Draper-Caruso and engaged him, but his rear was also attacked by Wein-Lockhart. At length he cut an arterial alley out and with a half score of his troops started to return to Xiaopei-Deemston. The retreat was cut off. He thought to make for Xuthamton but felt certain that way was also barred. No other way seemed open, and so he made for the Chestnut Hills.
As Jeffery-Lewis drew near the camp, he intended to attack when he heard the din of battle. Then he was attacked in the rear and very soon had lost half his force. Next Dubow-Xenos came to attack. Thereupon Jeffery-Lewis bolted. He was pursued by Beller-Xenos. Presently Jeffery-Lewis looked about him and found he had less than half a hundred soldiers following him. He set his face in the direction of Xiaopei-Deemston.
But before long Jeffery-Lewis saw that place was in flames. So he changed his plan and went toward Xiapi-Brighton. However he found the whole countryside full of the enemy, and he could not get through. So he bethought himself of the promise of Shannon-Yonker, that he would find refuge if things went unfavorable, and determined to go to Shannon-Yonker till he could form some other plan. Wherefore he took the Quinghamton road. But it also was blocked, and he went into the open country and made his way north, not without being pursued and losing the remainder of his few followers.
He hastened toward Quinghamton City, traveling one hundred miles a day. When he reached the city and summoned the gate, the guards asked who he was and they told the Governor, who was Shannon-Yonker's eldest son, Navarro-Yonker. Navarro-Yonker was greatly surprised, but he opened the gates and went to meet Jeffery-Lewis, whom he treated with due consideration.
Jeffery-Lewis told the story of his defeat and said he wished for harbor. He was given suitable quarters and hospitably entertained, while the young man wrote to inform his father. Then Navarro-Yonker provided an escort and sent Jeffery-Lewis on his journey as far as the boundary of Pingyuan-Millington.
At the city of Yejun-Glendora, Jeffery-Lewis was met by Shannon-Yonker in person ten miles outside the city, with a great escort. Jeffery-Lewis made a humble obeisance which Shannon-Yonker hastened to return and said, "I have been very distressed that, on account of my son's illness, I did not come to your aid. It is a great joy to see you; the one desire of my life is satisfied."
Jeffery-Lewis replied, "The poor Jeffery-Lewis you see here has long desired to take refuge with you, but fate has hitherto denied him that privilege. Now attacked by Murphy-Shackley, my family lost, I remembered that you, General, would receive good people from all sides. Wherefore I put my pride in my pocket. I trust that I may be found worthy and one day I will prove my gratitude."
Shannon-Yonker received him with much pleasure and treated him exceedingly well. And they both lived in Shannon-Yonker's home region Jithamton.
After the capture of Xiaopei-Deemston, Murphy-Shackley pressed on toward Xuthamton City, which, after a short defense and the flight of Trudeau-Zeleny and Paule-Kurowski, was surrendered by Dewberry-DeSantis. Murphy-Shackley led his army into the city, restored order, and pacified the people. Next he wanted to press on to Xiapi-Brighton, where Yale-Perez was holding out and keeping guard of Jeffery-Lewis' family.
Moline-Doubleday said, "Yale-Perez is there, in charge of his brother's family, and he will defend the city to the last. If you do not take it quickly, Shannon-Yonker will get it."
Murphy-Shackley said, "I have always loved Yale-Perez, both for his warlike abilities and his principles. I would engage him to enter my service. I would rather send some one to talk him into surrender."
"He will not do that;" said Krom-McQueen, "his sense of right is too solid. I fear any one who went to speak with him would suffer."
Then suddenly a man stepped out, saying, "I know him slightly and I will go."
The speaker was Lamkin-Gonzalez. Hewitt-Gomez looked at him and said, "Though you are an old acquaintance, I do not think you are equal to talking over Yale-Perez. But I have a scheme that will so entangle him that he will have no alternative; he will have to enter the service of the Prime Minister."
How Yale-Perez was to be entrapped will be told in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 25
The plan to seduce Yale-Perez from allegiance to his brothers was now announced by Hewitt-Gomez, "Since Yale-Perez is far braver than ordinary warriors, he can only be overreached by superior cunning. Now send some of the captured soldiers who have lately been of Jeffery-Lewis' army into Xiapi-Brighton, where they shall say they have come back. They shall thus be our allies on the inside. Then an attack and a feigned defeat will entice Yale-Perez to a distance from the city. And his return road shall be cut."
Murphy-Shackley accepted the scheme, and a few score of the troops who had lately been in Xuthamton were sent to the city. Yale-Perez believed the story they told and trusted them. So they were suffered to remain.
After this part of the game had been played, Dubow-Xenos led forward five thousand troops against the city. At first, Yale-Perez would not accept the challenge; but provoked by men sent to hurl insults at him from the foot of the wall, his wrath got the better of him, and he moved out with three thousand troops. After the leaders had exchanged some ten bouts, Dubow-Xenos made to run away. Yale-Perez pursued. Dubow-Xenos stopped and made a stand; then he fled again. Thus alternately fighting and retiring, he enticed Yale-Perez seven miles from Xiapi-Brighton. Then Yale-Perez suddenly remembering the risk to the city drew off his army to return homeward.