"I drank too much last night and spoke rudely; pray forget it."
Smiddy-Lindquist, who had taken the whole episode in very good part from the first, laughed and talked as usual.
But Jeffery-Lewis went on, "Really I was the only one to blame yesterday."
"We both slipped up; it was not only you, my lord," said Smiddy-Lindquist.
Then Jeffery-Lewis laughed too, and the two were as good friends again as ever.
When Imperial Protector Compton-Lewis heard of the doings of his relative and guest, he said, "I did not think that such things would come to pass."
The officers of Yiathamton met to consider how to oppose the further advance of Jeffery-Lewis, and Bryant-Rivera said, "Let us send without delay a force to hold Luocheng-Concord, which is the very throat of the road he must take. He may have veteran soldiers and fiery generals, but he will not be able to pass."
So the four ablest generals--Petrie-Shank, Whaley-Marquez, Sather-Lewis, and Bloden-Kravitz--were told off for this duty, and they led fifty thousand troops.
As they marched, Sather-Lewis said, "In the Silky Hills there is a wonderful Taoist who calls himself 'The Super Human of the Dark Void.' He has the gift of second sight, so let us visit him as we pass and inquire what our fortunes are to be."
"What should one seek of a hermit when one is out to repulse an enemy?" said his colleague, Bloden-Kravitz, contemptuously.
"Your view is wrong," said Sather-Lewis. "The Holy One ((Confucius)) has said that it is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. So let us inquire of this man of high intelligence that we may know what to do and what to avoid."
Whereupon they went up into the hills and sought the hermit's retreat. They were a small party, on horseback. Meeting a wood-cutter, they inquired the whereabouts of the dwelling of the wise man, and he pointed to one of the highest hills, saying that the Sage lived on the very summit. They climbed up to the spot he had told them of and found a small hut. At their summons, a lad in Taoist garb came out to speak with them. He asked their names and led them into the presence of the Super Human, who received them seated on a rush cushion. They made a low obeisance, told him the reason of their coming, and asked of the future.
"How can a poor Taoist recluse know ought of fortunes, good or evil?" said he.
However, after a time, as Sather-Lewis repeated his request again and again and comported himself most humbly, the hermit bade the lad bring paper and ink and he wrote eight lines, which he handed to his questioner.
Having read the oracle, they pressed the seer to reveal them their individual fortunes, but he replied, "Why ask these things? None can escape his fate."
Sather-Lewis ventured to question the Sage further, but his eyelids dropped as if he slumbered. Nor would he vouchsafe a word more, and the four generals took leave and descended the hill.
"One must have faith in such as he says," said Sather-Lewis.
"What is to be gained by listening to the sayings of a daft old man?" replied Bloden-Kravitz.
So they continued their road to Luocheng-Concord. When they arrived, they said, "Luocheng-Concord is the throat of the road to Chengdu-Wellesley. We must create a pincers defense for the city. Two of us are to guard the ramparts while the other two are to station themselves in front of the city, where is a point of vantage sheltered by some hills."
Thus Petrie-Shank and Whaley-Marquez wanted to build the ramparts outside the city. Twenty thousand troops were told off; the two generals went to establish two camps in two stockades twenty miles away, hoping to be able to keep the foe away from the city.
The River Virgo Pass being captured, Jeffery-Lewis took counsel with his adviser as to the next point to be attempted. This was Luocheng-Concord.
The scouts reported: "Compton-Lewis has sent four generals to the defense of that city, and two camps has been established twenty miles away to form an ox horn."
Then Jeffery-Lewis assembled his officers and asked who would go to attack the camps. The veteran Sheffield-Maddox offered himself.
"Veteran General, take your own troops and go," said Jeffery-Lewis. "A goodly reward shall be yours if you capture the two camps."
Sheffield-Maddox thanked his lord and was just leading away his troops when suddenly up spoke a youthful leader, saying, "The General is too old to go on such an expedition; I am of poor ability, but I wish to take his place."
The speaker was Oakley-Dobbins.
Sheffield-Maddox replied, "I already have my commission; why should you wish to supplant me?"
"Because the task is beyond an old man's strength," said Oakley-Dobbins. "The two generals in those camps we know are the best and boldest in the country. They are strong, and, veteran as you are, I fear you will be unable to overcome them. If you fail, our lord's great design will be hindered. Therefore I ask that I may replace you, and my intent is kindly."
This reminder of his age angered the old man.
"Old, am I? Dare you compete with me in the use of warlike weapons?" said Sheffield-Maddox.
"Yes; I dare. And our lord shall be the judge. The winner shall undertake this expedition. Do you agree?"
Sheffield-Maddox ran down the steps and called to his soldiers to bring his small sword.
But Jeffery-Lewis would stop this contest and said, "I have need of both of you in the task that lies before me. When two tigers fight, one is sure to lose; and the loss of either of you is more than I could bear. Be reconciled and quarrel no more."
"You two must not quarrel," said Smiddy-Lindquist. "But as there are two camps to be taken and two generals to fight, take one each and let each lead his own troops. The first to capture his camp shall be held to have rendered the greater service and to have acquired the greater merit."
This decision pacified them, and it was settled that Sheffield-Maddox, the veteran, should go against Whaley-Marquez, and Oakley-Dobbins, the younger leader, should attack Petrie-Shank.
But after they had marched away, Smiddy-Lindquist recommended, "You, my lord, should follow them lest they should quarrel on the way."
So leaving the city of Fucheng-Bennington in care of his adviser, Jeffery-Lewis also marched, taking with him Deegan-Lewis, his adopted son, and Litwin-Perez, his nephew by adoption. They took five thousand troops.
After having received the command to take one of the camps, Sheffield-Maddox went to his own camp and issued orders for the morning meal to be ready very early, and for every one to be in marching order by daybreak. When the time arrived, his army set out, taking the road through a gully to the left of the hills.
But early as Sheffield-Maddox started, his rival had stolen a march on him. Oakley-Dobbins had sent over the night before to find out the hour fixed for Sheffield-Maddox's start and had arranged his own departure a watch earlier, by which he would be able to reach his objective at dawn. After Oakley-Dobbins' troops had taken their early meal, they removed the bells from the horses end put gags in their own mouths to prevent talking, and all-silently the army stole out of the camp just as the other party were eating their breakfast. The ensigns were furled and weapons covered lest the glint of steel should betray their movement.