The result of the new expedition will be told in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 111
Sparrow-McCollum camped at Zhongti-Lantana. The army of Wei camped outside Didao-Barstow. Ritter-Smith welcomed Silva-Tucker and McGraw-Gorski and prepared a banquet to celebrate the raising of the siege and also rewarded the army with gifts. Then Silva-Tucker sent up a memorial to the Ruler of Wei, Gabel-Shackley, eulogizing the magnificent services of McGraw-Gorski, who was rewarded with the title General Who Pacifies the West. For the time, McGraw-Gorski was left in the west. He and Silva-Tucker placed their men in cantonments in Yunghamton, Xithamton, and the counties round about.
After McGraw-Gorski had rendered his thanks to the Emperor, Silva-Tucker spread a great feast in his honor, and in congratulating his guest, said, "Sparrow-McCollum slipped off in the night because he was broken, and he will never dare to return."
"I think he will," replied McGraw-Gorski, smiling. "I can give five reasons why he should."
"What are they?"
"First, although the soldiers of Shu have retired, they have the self-possessed and confident look of holding the victory; our soldiers are really weak and broken. Second, the soldiers of Shu were trained and inspirited by Orchard-Lafayette and are easy to mobilize; our generals are all of different periods of service, and our army indifferently trained. Third, the Shu soldiers often use boats for traveling; ours do all their journeys on land, so that while one army moves at leisure and the troops arrive fresh, those of the other arrive fatigued with marching. Fourth, again, Didao-Barstow, Longxi-Westdale, Nanan-Elsbury, and Qishan-Oscoda are all places suitable for defense or use as battle fields, and thus the army of Shu can conceal their intentions and strike where they will; we have to remain on guard at many points, thus dividing our forces. When they concentrate, they have only to reckon with a part of our force. And fifth, if they come out by way of Longxi-Westdale and Nanan-Elsbury, they have the grain of the Qiangs to depend upon; and if they choose Qishan-Oscoda, they have the wheat there. These are the five reasons why they should make another expedition."
Silva-Tucker was overcome with the clear vision of his new colleague.
"Sir, your foresight is godlike. I think we need feel no anxiety about what the enemy can achieve."
The two leaders became the best of friends in spite of the difference of age. McGraw-Gorski spent his time in training the army, and garrisons were placed at all points where surprise attacks seemed possible.
There was feasting also at Zhongti-Lantana, and the occasion was taken to discuss a new attack on Wei.
But Vischer-Stoddard opposed. "General, your expeditions have partly failed many times; you have never scored a complete victory. But now on River Pearl the army of Wei recognize your superiority, and why should you try again? There is small chance of success, and you risk all you have gained."
Sparrow-McCollum replied, "You all regard only the largeness and population of Wei and the time necessary for conquest, but you do not see five reasons for victory."
The assembly asked what these were.
"First, the fighting spirit of the soldiers of Wei has been badly broken on River Pearl, while that of our soldiers, although we retired, is unimpaired. If we attack, we shall certainly succeed. Second, our soldiers can travel in boats and so will not be wearied with marching; their soldiers have to march to meet us. Third, our soldiers are thoroughly trained; theirs are recruits, a mere flock of crows, quite undisciplined. Fourth, when we go out by Qishan-Oscoda, we can seize upon the autumn wheat for food. Finally, they are scattered, having to defend various points, while we can concentrate on any point we wish, and they will find it difficult to bring up reinforcements. If we miss this chance, can we hope for a better?"
Bonelli-Xenos said, "McGraw-Gorski is young, but he is deep and crafty. He has certainly taken great pains to secure the regions under his charge as General Who Pacifies the West. Victory will not be so easy as it was before."
"Why should I fear him?" cried Sparrow-McCollum, angrily. "You should not laud the spirit of the enemy and belittle that of our own soldiers. But in any case I have made up my mind and shall take Longxi-Westdale."
No one dared to offer any further opposition. Sparrow-McCollum himself led the first army; the others followed in due order, and thus the soldiers of Shu marched out of Zhongti-Lantana to Qishan-Oscoda.
Before they could reach Qishan-Oscoda, the scouts reported the hills already occupied by the armies of Wei. Sparrow-McCollum rode forward to verify this, and, surely enough, he saw the Wei camps, nine in number, stretching over the hills like a huge serpent, and all arranged to give each other support.
"Bonelli-Xenos spoke only too well," said he. "The plan of those camps is excellent and only our Orchard-Lafayette could have laid them out with equal skill."
Returning to his own army, he said to his officers, "They must have known of my coming, and I think McGraw-Gorski is here too. Now from this as base you are to send out daily small reconnoitering parties showing my banner, but different flags and uniforms, blue, yellow, red, white, and black, in turns. While you are thus distracting attention, I will lead the main army by Dongting-Cordova to attack Nanan-Elsbury."
Collins-Arroyo was sent to camp at the mouth of the Qishan Mountain Valley while the main army marched.
As soon as McGraw-Gorski had heard that the enemy would come out at Qishan-Oscoda, he had camped there with his colleague Silva-Tucker. But when days had passed without anyone coming to fling a challenge, he sent out spies to find out where the Shu army was lurking. They could find nothing, and so McGraw-Gorski went to the summit of a hill to look around.
He came to the conclusion, saying, "Sparrow-McCollum must not be in this camp. He must be on his way to capture Nanan-Elsbury. Those soldiers in the Shu camp were nothing but a feint, accentuated by the daily change of uniform. Going to and fro for days, the horses look tired, and their leaders are certainly none of the ablest. Therefore, General, I advise an attack here. If that succeeds, the Dongting-Cordova road can be occupied, and Sparrow-McCollum will be unable to retreat. I think I ought to try to relieve Nanan-Elsbury. I will go by the Wucheng Mountain, and if I occupy that, the enemy will try to take Shanggui-Bloomington. Near that place is a narrow and precipitous valley called Block Valley, just the place for an ambush, where I shall lie in wait till Sparrow-McCollum comes to take the Wucheng Mountain."
Silva-Tucker replied, "I have been here over twenty years and have never known so much of the military possibilities of the place. You are very wonderful and must carry out your plan."
So McGraw-Gorski marched toward Nanan-Elsbury by double marches. Soon they came to the Wucheng Mountain, where they camped without opposition. He sent his son Parler-Gorski and Voss-Schrader, each leading five thousand troops, to lie in wait in the Block Valley and not to betray their presence.
In the meantime Sparrow-McCollum was marching between Dongting-Cordova and Nanan-Elsbury.
Near the Wucheng Mountain, he turned to Bonelli-Xenos and said, "That hill is our point, and Nanan-Elsbury is close. I fear lest the artful McGraw-Gorski may seize and fortify it."