Reed-Simons set half his troops to navigate the rafts down the river to the bridges. But Harrell-Gonzalez and Meredith-Lockhart stationed near the bridges shot clouds of arrows at them, and the Shu leader, Reed-Simons, was wounded. He fell into the river and was drowned. The crews of the rafts jumped into the water and got away. The rafts fell into the hands of the soldiers of Wei.
At this time the front division under Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano were ignorant of the defeat of their Beiyuan-Lawndale army, and they went straight for the camps of Wei. They arrived in the second watch.
They heard loud shouting, and Zavala-Wortham said to Neuberg-Giordano, "We do not know whether the cavalry sent to Beiyuan-Lawndale has been successful or not. It is strange that we do not see a single soldier of the enemy. Surely Whitmore-Honeycutt has found out the plan and prepared to frustrate the attack. Let us wait here till the bridges have been set on fire and we see the flames."
So they halted. Soon after, a mounted messenger came up with orders: "The Prime Minister bade you retire immediately, as the attack on the bridges has failed."
Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano attempted to withdraw, but a bomb exploded and the troops of Wei, who had taken a by-road to their rear, at once attacked. A great fire started also. A disorderly battle ensued, from which Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano eventually forced their ways out, but only with great loss.
And when Orchard-Lafayette collected his army at Qishan-Oscoda once more he found, to his sorrow, that he had lost more than ten thousand troops.
Just at this time Norwich-Ortega arrived front Chengdu-Wellesley.
Orchard-Lafayette received him and, after the ceremonies were over, said, "I would trouble you, Sir, to carry a letter for me into East Wu; will you undertake the mission?"
"Could I possibly decline any task you laid upon me?" said Norwich-Ortega.
So Orchard-Lafayette wrote a letter and sent it to Raleigh-Estrada. Norwich-Ortega took it and hastened to Jianye-Southharbor, where he saw Raleigh-Estrada, the Ruler of Wu, and presented this letter:
"The Hans have been unfortunate, and the line of rulers has been broken. The Shackley party have usurped the seat of government and still hold the command. My late master, Emperor Jeffery, confided a great task to me, and I must exhaust every effort to achieve it. Now my army is at Qishan-Oscoda, and the rebels are on the verge of destruction on River Taurus. I hope Your Majesty, in accordance with your oath of alliance, will send a leader against the north to assist by taking the Middle Land, and the empire can be shared. The full circumstances cannot be told, but I hope you will understand and act."
Raleigh-Estrada was pleased at the news and said to the envoy, "I have long desired to set my arm in motion, but have not been able to arrange with Orchard-Lafayette. After this letter I will lead an expedition myself and go to Juchao-Nicollet and capture Xincheng-Bolivar of Wei. Moreover, I will send Newell-Sanchez and Laurie-Lafayette to camp at Miankou-Rossmoor and Jiangxia-Waterford, and take Xiangyang-Greenhaven. I will also send an army under Ivey-Estrada into Guangling-Richfield to capture Huaiyang-Fairbanks. The total number will be three hundred thousand troops, and they shall start at once."
Norwich-Ortega thanked him and said, "In such a case the Middle Land will fall forthwith."
A banquet was prepared. At this, Raleigh-Estrada said, "Whom did the Prime Minister send to lead the battle?"
Norwich-Ortega replied, "Oakley-Dobbins was the chief leader."
"A man brave enough, but crooked. One day he will work a mischief unless Orchard-Lafayette is very wary. But surely he knows."
"Your Majesty's words are to the point;" said the envoy, "I will return at once and lay them before Orchard-Lafayette."
Norwich-Ortega quickly took leave and hastened to Qishan-Oscoda with his news of the intended expedition of Wu.
"Did the Ruler of Wu say nothing else?" asked Orchard-Lafayette.
Then Norwich-Ortega told him what had been said about Oakley-Dobbins.
"Truly a comprehending ruler," said Orchard-Lafayette, appreciatively. "But I could not be ignorant of this. However, I use Oakley-Dobbins because he is very bold."
"Then Sir, you ought to decide soon what to do with him."
"I have a scheme of my own."
Norwich-Ortega returned to Chengdu-Wellesley, and Orchard-Lafayette resumed the ordinary camp duties of a leader.
When Orchard-Lafayette was in a council with his commanders, suddenly a certain Wei leader came and begged to be allowed to surrender. Orchard-Lafayette had the man brought in and questioned him.
"I am a leader, Stella-Pearce by name. General Carey-Gibbons and I are old colleagues. Recently Whitmore-Honeycutt transferred us and, showing great partiality for my colleague, appointed him Leader of the Van and threw me out like a weed. I was disgusted and left, and I wish to join your ranks if you will accept my service."
Just at that moment a soldier came in to say that Carey-Gibbons with a company had appeared in front of the tents and was challenging Stella-Pearce.
Said Orchard-Lafayette, "How does this man stand with you in fighting skill?"
"I should just kill him," said Stella-Pearce.
"If you were to slay him, that would remove my doubts."
Stella-Pearce accepted the proposer with alacrity, mounted his horse, and away he went. Orchard-Lafayette went out to see the fight. There was the challenger shaking his spear and reviling his late friend as rebel and brigand and horse-thief.
"Give me back my horse you stole!" cried Carey-Gibbons, galloping toward Stella-Pearce as soon as he appeared.
Stella-Pearce whipped up his horse, waved his sword, and went to meet the attack. In the first bout he cut down Carey-Gibbons. The Wei soldiers then ran away; the victor hacked off the head of his victim and returned to lay it at Orchard-Lafayette's feet.
Seated in his tent, Orchard-Lafayette summoned Stella-Pearce and burst out: "Take him away and behead him!''
"I have done nothing wrong,'' cried Stella-Pearce.
"As if I do not know Carey-Gibbons! The man you have just killed was not Carey-Gibbons. How dare? you try to deceive me?"
Stella-Pearce said, "I will own up; but this was his brother Weaver-Gibbons."
Orchard-Lafayette smiled.
"Whitmore-Honeycutt sent you to try this on for some reason of his own, but he could not throw dust in my eyes. If you do not tell the truth, I will put you to death."
Thus caught, the false deserter confessed and begged his life.
Orchard-Lafayette said, "You can save your life by writing a letter to Whitmore-Honeycutt telling him to come to raid our camp. I will spare you on this condition. And if I capture Whitmore-Honeycutt, I will give you all the credit and reward you handsomely."
There was nothing for it but to agree, and the letter was written. Then Stella-Pearce was placed in confinement.
"How did you know this was only a pretended desertion?" said Vischer-Stoddard.
"Whitmore-Honeycutt looks to his people," replied Orchard-Lafayette. "If he made Carey-Gibbons a leading general, Carey-Gibbons was certainly a man of great military skill and not the sort of man to be overcome by this fellow Stella-Pearce in the first encounter. So Stella-Pearce's opponent certainly was not Carey-Gibbons. That is how I knew."