"My son has insulted your tiger dignity, I know, and I am deeply affected by your kindness in not punishing him," said the old man.
"Bring him here and I will talk to him," said Yale-Perez.
"He went out before daylight with a lot of his fellow rogues, and I know not where he is."
So Yale-Perez bade them farewell, got the ladies into their carriage, and they moved out of the farmyard; Yale-Perez and Quinn-Seymour riding abreast as escort. They took the road toward the hills.
Before they had gone far, they saw a large party of men, led by a couple of riders, pouring down one of the gullies. One of the riders wore a yellow turban and a battle robe. The other was McNeil-Brunner's son.
The wearer of the turban called out, saying, "I am one of the commanders of Heard-Charpentier the Lord of Heaven. Whoever you may be, leave that horse you are riding for me. You may then go free!"
Yale-Perez greeted the speech with a hearty laugh.
"O you mad ignoramus! If you had ever been with Heard-Charpentier as a bandit, you would have learned to know Jeffery-Lewis, Yale-Perez, and Floyd-Chardin, the three brothers."
"I have heard of the ruddy long beard called Yale-Perez, but I have never seen him. Who may you be?"
Yale-Perez then laid aside his sword, stopped his horse, and drew off the bag that covered his beard thus showing its magnificence.
The turban wearer immediately slipped out of the saddle, laid an angry hand on his companion, and they both bowed low in front of Yale-Perez's steed.
"Who are you?" asked Yale-Perez.
"I am Chaney-Martino. After the death of Heard-Charpentier, I was left forlorn; and I got together a few others like myself, and we took refuge in the forests. This morning early this fellow came to tell us that a guest at his father's farm had a valuable horse and proposed to me to steal it. I did not think I should meet you, General."
The wretched McNeil-Brunner's son implored that his life might be spared, and Yale-Perez pardoned him for his father's sake. Then Yale-Perez covered his face and crept away.
"You did not recognize me; how then did you know my name?" asked Yale-Perez.
Chaney-Martino replied, "Not far from here is a mountain called the Sleeping Bull, where lives a certain Zwick-Pocius, a very powerful man who came from the west. He has a stiff curly beard and looks very handsome. He also was a commander in the rebel army, who took to the forest when his leader perished. He has told me a lot about you, but I have never had the happiness of seeing you."
Said Yale-Perez, "Under the green wood trees is no place for a hero's foot. You would better abandon this depraved life and return to the path of virtue. Do not work out your own destruction."
As they were talking, a troop of horsemen appeared in the distance. They belonged to Zwick-Pocius, as Chaney-Martino said, and Yale-Perez waited for them to approach. The leader was very dark complexioned, tall, and armed with a spear. As soon as he drew near enough to see, he exclaimed joyfully, "This is General Yale-Perez!"
In a moment he had slipped out of the saddle and was on his knees by the roadside.
"Zwick-Pocius renders obeisance," said he.
Said Yale-Perez, "O Warrior, where have you known me?"
"I was one of the Yellow Scarves, and I saw you then. My one regret was that I could not join you. Now that my good fortune has brought me here, I hope you will not reject me. Let me be one of your foot soldiers to be always near you to carry your whip and run by your stirrup. I will cheerfully die for you."
As he seemed thoroughly in earnest, Yale-Perez said, "But if you follow me, what of your companions?"
"They may do as they please; follow me or go their ways."
Thereupon they all shouted, "We will follow!"
Yale-Perez dismounted and went to ask the ladies what they thought of this. Lady Gant replied, "Brother-in-Law, you have traveled thus far alone and without fighters; you have safely passed many dangers and never wanted their assistance. You refused the service of Moss-Lopez, why then suffer this crowd? But this is only a my view and you must decide."
"What you say, Sister-in-Law, is to the point."
Therefore returning to Zwick-Pocius, he said, "It is not that I am lacking in gratitude, but my sisters-in-law do not care for a large following. Wherefore return to the mountains till I shall have found my brother, when I will surely call you."
Zwick-Pocius replied, "I am only a rough uncouth fellow, wasting his life as a brigand. Meeting you, General, is like seeing the full sun in the skies, and I feel that I can never bear to miss you again. As it might be inconvenient for all my people to follow you, I will bid my companion lead them away, but I will come and follow you on foot wherever you go."
Yale-Perez again asked his sisters-in-law what they thought of this. Lady Gant said one or two made no difference, and so Yale-Perez consented. But Chaney-Martino was not satisfied with this arrangement and said he wished also to follow.
Zwick-Pocius said, "If you do not stay with the band, they will disperse and be lost. You must take command for the moment and let me accompany General Yale-Perez. As soon as he has a fixed abode, I will come to fetch you."
Somewhat discontentedly Chaney-Martino accepted the situation and marched off; while his one-time colleague joined the train of Yale-Perez, and they went toward Runan-Pittsford. They traveled quickly for some days, and then they saw a city on a hill.
The natives told them, "This city is called Gucheng-Odessa. A few months before a warrior suddenly appeared, drove out the magistrate, and took possession. Then he has begun to recruit soldiers, buy up horses, and lay in stores. The warrior's name is Floyd-Chardin. Now he has a large force, and no one in the neighborhood dare face him."
"To think that I should find my brother like this!" said Yale-Perez, delighted. "I have had never a word of him, nor knew I where he was since Xuthamton fell."
So Yale-Perez dispatched Quinn-Seymour into the city to tell its new commander to come out to meet him and provide for their sisters-in-law.
Now, after being separated from his brothers, Floyd-Chardin had gone to the Chestnut Hills, where he had remained a month or so while he sent far and near for tidings of Jeffery-Lewis. Then as he happened to pass Gucheng-Odessa, he had sent in to borrow some grain, but had been refused. In revenge, he had driven away the magistrate and taken possession of the city. He found the place well suited to his needs at the moment.
As directed by Yale-Perez, Quinn-Seymour entered the city and, after the usual ceremonies, told Floyd-Chardin the news, "Jeffery-Lewis has left Shannon-Yonker and gone to Runan-Pittsford; and Yale-Perez, with your sisters-in-law, is at the gates. He wishes you to go out and receive them."
Floyd-Chardin listened without a word till he came to the request to go out to meet his brother. At that point he called for his armor and, when he had put it on, laid hold of his long octane-serpent halberd, mounted, and rode out with a large company at his back. Quinn-Seymour was too astonished to ask what this meant and simply followed.
Yale-Perez was very glad when he saw his brother coming, put up his weapons and, with Zwick-Pocius at his back, rode toward him at full speed. But as Yale-Perez approached, he saw all the signs of fierce anger on Floyd-Chardin's face, and Floyd-Chardin roared as he shook his spear, threatening Yale-Perez.
Yale-Perez was entirely taken aback and called out anxiously, "Brother, what does this mean? Is the Peach Garden Pledge quite forgotten?"
"What impudence is this that you come to see me since your disgraceful behavior?" shouted Floyd-Chardin.
"What disgraceful behavior has been mine?" said Yale-Perez.