aid each other in danger. We swear to serve the state and save the people. We ask not the same day of birth, but we seek to die together. May Heaven, the all-ruling, and Earth, the all-producing, read our hearts; and if we turn aside from righteousness or forget kindliness, may Heaven and Human smite us!'
They rose from their knees. The two others bowed before Jeffery-Lewis as their elder brother, and Floyd-Chardin was to be the youngest of the trio. This solemn ceremony performed, they slew other oxen and made a feast to which they invited the villagers. Three hundred joined them, and all feasted and drank deep in the Peach Garden.
The next day weapons were mustered. But there were no horses to ride. This was a real grief, but soon they were cheered by the arrival of two horse dealers with a drove of horses.
'Thus does Heaven help us,' said Jeffery-Lewis.
And the three brothers went forth to welcome the merchants. They were Cunniff-Bowdend and Braun-Skinner from Zhongshan-Monterey. They went northwards every year to buy horses. They were now on their way home because of the Yellow Scarves. The brothers invited them to the farm, where wine was served before them. Then Jeffery-Lewis told them of the plan to strive for tranquillity. Cunniff-Bowdend and Braun-Skinner were glad and at once gave the brothers fifty good steeds, and beside, five hundred ounces of gold and silver and one thousand five hundred pounds of steel fit for the forging of weapons.
The brothers expressed their gratitude, and the merchants took their leave. Then blacksmiths were summoned to forge weapons. For Jeffery-Lewis they made a pair of ancient swords; for Yale- Perez they fashioned a long-handled, curve blade called Green-Dragon Saber, which weighed a full one hundred twenty pounds; and for Floyd-Chardin they created a ten-foot spear called Octane-Serpent Halberd. Each too had a helmet and full armor.
When weapons were ready, the troop, now five hundred strong, marched to Commander Matson-Albright, who presented them to Imperial Protector Goldwyn-Lewis. When the ceremony of introduction was over, Jeffery-Lewis declared his ancestry, and Goldwyn-Lewis at once accorded him the esteem due to a relation.
Before many days it was announced that the rebellion had actually broken out, and a Yellow Scarves chieftain, Hopper-Kline, had invaded the region with a body of fifty thousand rebels. Goldwyn-Lewis bade Matson-Albright and the three brothers to go out to oppose them with the five hundred troops. Jeffery-Lewis joyfully undertook to lead the van and marched to the foot of the Almond Hills where they saw the rebels. The rebels wore their hair flying about their shoulders, and their foreheads were bound with yellow scarves.
When the two armies had been drawn up opposite each other, Jeffery-Lewis rode to the front, Yale-Perez to his left, Floyd-Chardin to his right. Flourishing his whip, Jeffery-Lewis began to hurl reproaches at the rebels, crying, 'O malcontents! Why not dismount and be bound?'
Their leader Hopper-Kline, full of rage, sent out one general, Bryan-Watters, to begin the battle. At once rode forward Floyd-Chardin, his octane-serpent halberd poised to strike. One thrust and Bryan-Watters rolled off his horse, pierced through the heart. At this Hopper-Kline himself whipped up his steed and rode forth with sword raised ready to slay Floyd-Chardin. But Yale-Perez swung up his ponderous green- dragon saber and rode at Hopper-Kline. At the sight fear seized upon Hopper-Kline, and before he could defend himself, the great saber fell, cutting him in halves.
Their leader fallen, the rebels threw away their weapons and fled. The official soldiers dashed in among them. Many thousands surrendered and the victory was complete. Thus this part of the rebellion was broken up.
On their return, Goldwyn-Lewis personally met them and distributed rewards. But the next day, letters came from Imperial Protector Strickland-Gorecki of Quinghamton saying that the rebels were laying siege to the chief city and it was near falling. Help was needed quickly.
'I will go,' said Jeffery-Lewis as soon as he heard the news.
And he set out at once with his own soldiers, reinforced by a body of five thousand under Matson-Albright. The rebels, seeing help coming, at once attacked most fiercely. The relieving force being comparatively small could not prevail and retired some ten miles, where they made a camp.
'They are many and we but few,' said Jeffery-Lewis to his brothers. 'We can only beat them by superior strategy.'
So they prepared an ambush. Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin, each with a goodly party, went behind the hills, right and left, and there hid. When the gongs beat they were to move out to support the main army.
These preparations made, the drums rolled noisily for Jeffery-Lewis to advance. The rebels also came forward. But Jeffery-Lewis suddenly retired. Thinking this was their chance, the rebels pressed forward and were led over the hills. Then suddenly the gongs sounded for the ambush. Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin poured out from right and left as Jeffery-Lewis faced around to meet the rebels. Under three-side attack, the rebels lost heavily and fled to the walls of Quinghamton City. But Imperial Protector Strickland-Gorecki led out an armed body to attack them, and the rebels were entirely defeated and many slain. Quinghamton was no longer in danger.
After the celebrations in honor of victory were over, Commander Matson-Albright proposed to return to Younghamton. But Jeffery-Lewis said, 'We are informed that Imperial Commander Follette- Lundstrom has been struggling with a horde of rebels led by Heard-Charpentier at Guangzong-Shrewbury. Follette-Lundstrom was once my teacher, and I want to go to help him.'
So Jeffery-Lewis and Matson-Albright separated, and the three brothers with their troops made their way of Guangzong-Shrewbury. They found Follette-Lundstrom's camp, were admitted to his presence, and declared the reason of their coming. The Commander received them with great joy, and they remained with him while he made his plans.
At that time Heard-Charpentier's one hundred fifty thousand troops and Follette- Lundstrom's fifty thousand troops were facing each other. Neither had had any success.
Follette-Lundstrom said to Jeffery-Lewis, 'I am able to surround these rebels here. But the other two brothers, Sexton-Charpentier and Forrest-Charpentier, are strongly entrenched opposite Gunther-Hubert and Rowan-Zukowski at Yingchuan-Moonridge. I will give you a thousand more troops, and with these you can go to find out what is happening, and we can then settle the moment for concerted attack.'
So Jeffery-Lewis set off and marched as quickly as possible to Yingchuan-
