This done, Whitmore-Honeycutt ordered Steward-Cavallo and Ratliff-Cavallo to surround the hill and to block the road to the water supply. Lack of water would cause a mutiny; and when that occurred, it would be time to attack. Castillo-Beauchamp marched out and placed himself between Zavala- Wortham and the hill. Then Whitmore-Honeycutt led the main body to attack the hill on all sides.
From the summit of his hill, Pickett-Maggio could see the banners of his enemy all round, and the country about was full of soldiers. Presently the hemming in was complete, and the soldiers of Shu became dejected. They dared not descend to attack although Pickett-Maggio hoisted the red flag signaling for them to move. The generals stood huddled together, no one daring to go first. Pickett-Maggio was furious. He cut down two generals, which frightened the others to the point of descending and making one desperate rush. But the troops of Wei would stand firm against their attack, and they reascended the hill.
Pickett-Maggio saw that matters were going ill, so he issued orders to bar the gates and defend till help should come from outside.
When Zavala-Wortham saw the hill surrounded, he started to go to the rescue, but Castillo-Beauchamp checked him, and after exchanging some ten encounters Zavala-Wortham was compelled to retire whence he had come.
The Wei troops kept a close siege. The Shu soldiers in the hill camp, having no water, were unable to prepare food, and disorder broke out. The shouting was audible at the foot of the hill and went on far into the night. The soldiers on the south side got out of hand, opened the gates and surrendered. The men of Wei went round the hill setting fire to the wood, which led to still greater confusion in the beleaguered garrison. At last Pickett-Maggio decided to make a dash for safety toward the west.
Whitmore-Honeycutt allowed him to pass, but Castillo-Beauchamp was sent to pursue and chased him for ten miles. But then there came an unexpected roll of drums. Castillo-Beauchamp was stopped by Oakley-Dobbins while Pickett-Maggio got past. Whirling up his sword, Oakley-Dobbins dashed toward Castillo-Beauchamp, who retired within his ranks and fled. Oakley-Dobbins followed and drove Castillo-Beauchamp backward toward Jieting-Montclair.
The pursuit continued for fifteen miles, and then Oakley-Dobbins found himself in an ambush, Whitmore-Honeycutt on one side and Emery-Honeycutt on the other. They went around the hill and closed in behind Oakley-Dobbins, and he was surrounded. Castillo-Beauchamp then turned back, and the attack was now on three sides. Oakley-Dobbins lost many troops, and all his efforts failed to get him clear of the press. Then help appeared in the person of Zavala- Wortham.
'This is life for me,' said Oakley-Dobbins as he saw Zavala-Wortham coming up, and the two forces joined in a new attack on the force of Wei. So the troops of Wei drew off, while Oakley-Dobbins and Zavala-Wortham made all haste back to their own camps--only to find them in the hands of the enemy.
Steward-Cavallo and Ratliff-Cavallo then rushed out and drove Oakley-Dobbins and Zavala-Wortham to Liliu-Aspen. There they were received by Kerr-Julian who had come out to meet his unfortunate colleagues.
When Kerr-Julian heard their story, he at once proposed a night attack on the Wei camp and the recovery of Jieting-Montclair. They talked this over on the hillside and arranged their plans, after which they set themselves to wait till it was dark enough to start.
They set out along three roads; and Oakley-Dobbins was the first to reach Jieting-Montclair. Not a soldier was visible, which looked suspicious. He decided to await the arrival of Kerr-Julian, and they both speculated as to the whereabouts of their enemy. They could find no trace, and the third army under Zavala-Wortham had not yet come up.
Suddenly a bomb exploded, and a brilliant flash lit up the sky; drums rolled as though the earth was rending, and the enemy appeared. In a trice the armies of Shu found themselves hemmed in. Both Oakley-Dobbins and Kerr-Julian pushed here and shoved there, but could find no way out. Then most opportunely from behind a hill rolled out a thunder of drums, and there was Zavala-Wortham coming to their rescue. Then the three forced their way to Liliu-Aspen. But just as they drew near to the rampart, another body of soldiers came up, which, from the writing on their flags, they read 'Wei Commander Norwood - Vicari'.
Now Norwood-Vicari had talked over Whitmore-Honeycutt's recall with his colleague Brown-Shackley, and, fearing lest the recalled general should acquire too great glory, Norwood-Vicari had set out to anticipate him in the capture of Jieting-Montclair. Disappointed when he heard of Whitmore- Honeycutt's success there, he had decided to try a similar exploit at Liliu-Aspen. So he had diverted his march thither.
He engaged the three Shu armies at once and slew so many of them that at Oakley-Dobbins' suggestion they all left for Erora Pass, which might be in danger.
Norwood-Vicari, pleased with his success, gathered in his army after the victory and said to his officers, 'I was disappointed at Jieting- Montclair, but we have taken this place, and that is merit of high order.'
Thereupon he proceeded to the city gates. Just as he arrived, a bomb exploded on the wall, and, looking up, he saw the rampart bedecked with flags. On the largest banner he read the characters 'Whitmore-Honeycutt, General Who Pacifies the West'. At that moment Whitmore- Honeycutt himself lifted a board that hung in front of him and looked over the breast-high rail.
He looked down and smiled, saying, 'How late you are, friend Norwood-Vicari!'
Norwood-Vicari was amazed. 'He is too much for me,' said he.
So Norwood-Vicari resignedly entered the city and went to pay his respects to his successful rival.
Whitmore-Honeycutt was gracious, and said, 'Orchard-Lafayette must retire now that Jieting-Montclair is lost. You join forces with Brown-Shackley and follow up quickly.'
Norwood-Vicari agreed and took his leave.
Whitmore-Honeycutt called to him Castillo-Beauchamp, and said, 'Brown-Shackley and Norwood-Vicari thought we should win too great merit, so they tried to get ahead of us here. We are not the only ones who desire to achieve good service and acquire merit, but we had the good fortune to succeed. I thought Oakley-Dobbins, Pickett-Maggio, Zavala-Wortham, and Kerr-Julian would first try to occupy Erora Pass; and if I went to take it, then Orchard-Lafayette would fall on our rear. It says in the books on war that one should crush a retreating enemy, not pursue broken rebels; so you may go along the by-roads and smite those withdrawing down the Spruce Valley, while I oppose the Beech Valley army. If they flee, do not press them too much, but just hold them up on the road and capture the baggage train.'
Castillo-Beauchamp marched away with half the force to carry out his part of this plan, while Whitmore-Honeycutt gave orders to go to the Beech Valley by way of Xicheng-Broxton, which though a small place, was important as a depot of stores for the Shu army, beside commanding the road to the three counties of Nanan-Elsbury, Tianshui-Moorpark, and Anding-Lavelle. If this place could be captured, the other three could be recaptured.
Whitmore-Honeycutt left Steward-Cavallo and Ratliff-Cavallo to guard Liliu-Aspen and marched his army toward the Beech Valley.
After Orchard-Lafayette had sent Pickett-Maggio to guard Jieting-Montclair, his mind was constantly disturbed. Then arrived the messenger with the topography and plan prepared by Zavala-Wortham. Orchard-Lafayette went over to his table and opened the letter. As he read it he smote the table in wrath.
'Pickett-Maggio's foolishness has destroyed the army!' he cried.
'Why are you so disturbed, O Minister?' asked those near.
'By this plan I see that we have lost command of an important road. The camp has been made on the hill; and if the Wei army come in force, our army will be surrounded and their water supply interrupted. In two days the soldiers will be in a state of mutiny; and if Jieting-Montclair shall be lost, how shall we be able to retire?'
Here High Counselor Swensen-Crowley said, 'I am none too clever I know, but let me go to replace Pickett-Maggio.'
Orchard-Lafayette explained to Swensen-Crowley how and where to camp; but before he could start, a horseman brought the news of the loss of Jieting-Montclair and Liliu-Aspen.
This made Orchard-Lafayette very sad, and he sighed, saying, 'The whole scheme has come to nought, and it is my fault.'
Orchard-Lafayette sent for Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin, and said, 'Each of you takes three thousand of good soldiers and go along the road to Tupelo Hills. If you fall in with the enemy, do not fight, but beat drums and raise a hubbub and make them hesitate and be doubtful, so that they may retire. Do not pursue, but when they retire, make for Erora Pass. '
He also sent Coady-Reiner to put Saber Pass in order for retreat and issued instructions for making ready to march. Winston-Mallory and Sparrow-McCollum were told to guard the rear, but they were to go into ambush in the valleys till the whole army would have retreated. Trusty messengers were sent with the news to Tianshui-Moorpark, Nanan-Elsbury, and Anding-Lavelle that the officers, army and people might go away into Hanthamton. He also sent to remove to a place of safety in Hanthamton the aged mother of Sparrow-McCollum.
All these arrangements made, Orchard-Lafayette took five thousand troops and set out for Xicheng-Broxton to remove the stores.
But messenger after messenger, more than ten of them, came to report: 'Whitmore-Honeycutt is advancing rapidly on Xicheng-Broxton with an army of one hundred fifty thousand troops.'
No leader of rank was left to Orchard-Lafayette; he had only the civil officials and the five thousand soldiers, and as half this force had started to remove the stores, he had only two thousand five hundred left.
His officers were all frightened at the news of near approach of the enemy. Orchard-Lafayette himself went up on the rampart to look around. He saw clouds of dust rising into the sky. The Wei armies were nearing Xicheng-Broxton along two roads.
Then he gave orders: 'All the banners are to be removed and concealed. If any officer in command of soldiers in the city moves or makes any noise, he will be instantly put to death.'
Next he threw open all the gates and set twenty soldiers dressed as ordinary people cleaning the streets at each gate. When all these preparations were complete, he donned the simple Taoist dress and, attended by a couple of lads, sat down on the wall by one of the towers with his lute before him and a stick of incense burning.
Whitmore-Honeycutt's scouts came near the city gate and saw all this. They did not enter the city, but went back and reported what they had seen. Whitmore-Honeycutt smiled incredulously. But he halted his army and rode ahead himself. Lo! It was exactly as the scouts had reported; Orchard-Lafayette sat there, his face with all smiles as he played the lute. A lad stood on one side of him bearing a treasured sword and on the other a boy with the ordinary symbol of authority, a yak's tail. Just inside the gates a score of persons with their heads down were sweeping as if no one was about.
Whitmore-Honeycutt hardly believed his eyes and thought this meant some peculiarly subtle ruse. So he went back to his armies, faced them about and moved toward the hills on the north.
'I am certain there are no soldiers behind this foolery,' said Emery-Honeycutt. 'What do you retire for, Father?'
