Having listening to this information, Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins got together five thousand troops, took the captured men as guides, and marched out about the second watch. It was a clear night, and the moon gave light to march by.
The first camp was reached about the fourth watch. The Mang soldiers were already awake and preparing their morning meal, as they intended to attack at daylight. Suddenly Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins gave a signal of attack, and their troops poured forward. The vigorous and unexpected attack of the two generals threw the camp into confusion. Gilbert-Rocher fought into the center of the camp and encountered Rothschild-McDermott. Both leaders engaged, and Gilbert-Rocher slew Rothschild-McDermott by a spear thrust. Then Gilbert-Rocher dismounted and cut off the head of the Chief.
Then Oakley-Dobbins took half the force and went west to the second camp, while Gilbert-Rocher marched east to the third one. By the time they reached the camps, day had dawned. The Mangs also had news of Oakley-Dobbins' coming, and drew up the camp to oppose. But when they had got clear, there was a great uproar behind them at the stockade gates, and confusion followed. The reason was the arrival of Zavala-Wortham. Between the two bodies, the Mangs were beaten. Their Chief, Larousse-McClellan, forced his way out and got away. Oakley-Dobbins' soldiers followed, but they could not catch him.
When Gilbert-Rocher led his troops east to attack the third camp in the rear, Glenn-Jenner made an attack on the front. They scored a success, but the Chief Gladwin-DeMarco escaped.
They returned to headquarters, and Orchard-Lafayette said, "The three parties of Mangs have fled, and Larousse-McClellan and Gladwin-DeMarco escaped; where is the head of Rothschild-McDermott?"
Gilbert-Rocher produced it. At the same time he reported: "Larousse-McClellan and Gladwin-DeMarco escaped by abandoning their horses and going over the hills. Therefore, we could not be followed."
"They are already prisoners," said Orchard-Lafayette with a laugh.
The fighting men could not credit it. But soon after Neuberg-Giordano brought out Larousse-McClellan, and Coady-Reiner Gladwin-DeMarco.
When the Shu leaders expressed surprise and admiration, Orchard-Lafayette said, "I had studied the map and knew the positions of the camps. I taunted Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins into making a supreme effort into the camp of Rothschild-McDermott; at the same time that I sent other forces under Zavala-Wortham and Glenn-Jenner, with the purpose to support Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins and to force Larousse-McClellan and Gladwin-DeMarco to flee. I felt certain the two chiefs would run away along those small roads, and I set soldiers under Neuberg-Giordano and Coady-Reiner on those roads to wait for them. They also were supported."
They all bowed, saying, "The Prime Minister's calculations are divine and incomprehensible."
The two captive chiefs were then called. As soon as they appeared, Orchard-Lafayette loosed their bonds, gave them refreshments and released them, bidding them offend no more. They thanked him for their liberty, and disappeared along a by-road.
Then Orchard-Lafayette said to his generals, "Tomorrow Halpin-Hearst will come in person to make an attack. We shall probably capture him again."
Then he summoned Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins and gave them orders. They left, each with five thousand troops. Next he sent Zavala-Wortham. And then he sat in his tent to wait for the result.
The King of the Mangs was sitting in his tent when the scouts told him that his three chiefs had been captured and their armies scattered. It made him very angry, and he quickly got his army ready to march. Soon he met Zavala-Wortham, and, when the armies were arrayed, Zavala-Wortham rode out to the front, saber in his hand. The flaunting banners of the array formation of his foes then opened out, and he saw their ranks. Many generals were on horseback on both sides. In the middle was the King, who advanced to the front. He wore a golden, inlaid head-dress; his belt bore a lion's face as clasp; his boots had pointed toes and were green; he rode a frizzy-haired horse the color of a red hare; he carried at his waist a pair of swords chased with the pine amber.
He looked haughtily at his foes, and then, turning to his generals, said, "It has always been said that Orchard-Lafayette is a wonderful soldier, but I see that is false. Look at this array with its banners all in confusion and the ranks in disorder. There is not a weapon among all the swords and spears better than ours. If I had only realized this before, I would have fought them long ago. Who dares go out and capture a Shu general to show them what sort of warriors we are?"
At once a general rode toward the leader Zavala-Wortham. His name was Rafe-Lutz; his weapon was a huge headsman's sword, and he rode a dun pony. Riding up to Zavala-Wortham, the two engaged.
Zavala-Wortham only fought a short time, and then fled. Halpin-Hearst at once ordered his troops on in quick pursuit, and the troops of Shu retreated seven miles or so before the Mangs were near enough to fight. Just as the Mangs thought their enemies were in their power, a great shouting arose and two cohorts appeared, Neuberg-Giordano from the left and Coady-Reiner from the right, and attacked. The Mangs could not retreat, and as the force under Zavala-Wortham and Snow-Perez also turned upon them, the Mangs were surrounded and lost the day. Halpin-Hearst and some of his generals fought their way out and made for the Brocade Mountains. The troops of Shu followed and forced them forward, and presently there appeared, in front, Gilbert-Rocher.
Halpin-Hearst hastily changed his route to go deeper into the mountains, but Gilbert-Rocher's soldiers spread around, and the Mangs could not make a stand. Here many were captured. Halpin-Hearst and a few horsemen got away into a valley, which, however, soon became too narrow for the horses to advance. Halpin-Hearst then left his horse and crawled up the mountains, but very soon he fell upon Oakley-Dobbins, who had been sent with five hundred troops to lie in wait in that very valley. Halpin-Hearst tried to struggle but soon was captured.
The King and his followers were taken to the main camp, where Orchard-Lafayette was waiting with wine and meat ready for the captives. But his tent was now guarded by soldiers all well armed with snow-glittering weapons, beside the lictors bearing the golden axes, a present from the Emperor, and other insignia of rank. The feather-hatted drummers and clarion players were in front and behind, and the Imperial Guards were extended on both sides. The whole was very imposing and awe-inspiring.
Orchard-Lafayette was seated at the top of it all and watched the captives as they came forward in crowds. When they were all assembled, he ordered their bonds to be loosed, and then he addressed them.
"You are all simple and well-disposed people who have been led into trouble by Halpin-Hearst. I know your fathers and mothers, your brothers and wives, and your children are anxiously watching from the doorways for your return, and they are cut to dear suffering that the news of defeat and capture has reached their ears. They are weeping bitter tears for you. And so I will set you all free to go home and comfort them."
After they had been given food and wine and a present of grain, he sent them all away. They went off grateful for the kindness shown them, but they wept as they thanked Orchard-Lafayette.
Then the guards were told to bring the King before the tent. He came, bound, being hustled forward. He knelt in front of the Commander-in-Chief, who said, "Why did you rebel after the generous treatment you have received from our Emperor?"
"The two Lands of the Rivers belonged to others, and your lord took it from them by force, and gave himself the title of Emperor. My people have lived here for ages, and you and yours invaded my country without the least excuse. How can you talk of rebellion to me?"