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Ferrara-Hanson agreed so far as words went, but in his heart he was still ill-conditioned. When the Shu army drew near, a small force came to challenge. They shouted all sorts of abuse and hurled reproaches to put their opponents to shame, but Newell-Sanchez took no notice and bade his troops stop their ears. He would not allow them to go out to battle, but he went from fort to redoubt, encouraging the soldiers to remain carefully on the defensive.
The First Ruler's heart burned within him at this refusal to come out to battle.
Said Westlake-Maggio, "Newell-Sanchez is a deep and crafty fellow. He recognizes the disadvantages of Your Majesty's troops in being far from their base, and from spring to autumn he will not come out to fight till some move occurs that he may profit by."
"What ruse can he be contemplate?" said the First Ruler. "The real fact is that he is afraid. Their army has suffered nothing but defeat times and again. They dare not meet us."
One day the leader of the van, Vander-Boyce, memorialized the First Ruler, saying, "The weather is scorching, and the troops are camped in the full glare of sun. Beside, water is scarce and hard to get."
Thereupon orders were given to move the camps into the shade of the forest close by and near the streams till the summer heats should have passed. This order given, Vander-Boyce moved the camp to a retired and shady spot for his troops.
Westlake-Maggio said, "If our soldiers move, the enemy will rush out on us and we shall be hard set."
"I will provide for that," said the First Ruler. "I will send Reed-Simons with ten thousand of our inferior troops to camp near their lines. But I will choose eight thousand of veterans and place them in ambush. Reed-Simons will have orders to flee before the soldiers of Wu and lead them into my ambush if they come out, and I will cut off their retreat. We ought to capture this precocious youth."
"A genius in plans, a marvel of prevision!" cried ail those about him as this plan was unfolded. "None of us can approach him in cleverness."
So they felicitated their ruler.
But Westlake-Maggio said, "They say the Prime Minister is on a tour of inspection of the defenses in the eastern portion of Shu, seeing that they are in good order against any attack on the part of Wei. Why not send him a sketch of your present dispositions of troops and ask his opinion?"
"I also am not entirely ignorant of the art of war, and I see no reason to seek advice," was the cold reply.
"There is an old saying about hearing both sides," said Westlake-Maggio.
"Well, then you go round to all the camps and make a map and take it to the Prime Minister. If he finds any fault, you may come and tell me."
So Westlake-Maggio went, while the First Ruler busied himself with getting his army into shelter from the fierce heat of summer.
His move was no secret, and the scouts soon told Ferrara-Hanson and Lockett-Neumark, who rejoiced at the news and soon went to tell Newell-Sanchez.
"All the enemies' forty camps had been moved into the shade. Now, Sir, you can attack!" said they.
Whether Newell-Sanchez acted upon the suggestion of his subordinates will be seen in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 84
The last chapter closed with the report that the First Ruler had shifted camp in search of cool shade, and the news was very welcome to Newell-Sanchez. He went forthwith to assure himself of the truth of the report and observe the new position. A level plain lay at his feet, whereon he saw something short of ten thousand Shu troops, the greater part of whom appeared invalids. On the ba
"We consider these troops children," said Lockett-Neumark. "Let me and General Ferrara-Hanson go out and smite them. I will give the formal guarantee of victory."
The Commander-in-Chief made no reply, but remained gazing out before him. Presently he said, "It seems to me that an air of slaughter is rising over there from that valley; surely there is an ambush there. These poor troops in the foreground are nothing but a bait. No, Gentlemen; do not leave your positions."
Those who heard this took it only as another proof of the imbecility of their pedant commander.
Next day Reed-Simons' soldiers approached closer and challenged to battle, swaggering about and brandishing their weapons and shouting volleys of abuse without end. They manifested contempt by throwing off their armor and clothing and moving to and fro with the utmost carelessness, bare bodies and naked forms, blatantly unready to fight. Some even sat or lay asleep.
Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana came to the commander's tent to complain, saying, "Those Shu soldiers despise us so much. Let us go out and punish them!"
But Newell-Sanchez only smiled, saying, "You see everything from the point of view of brute courage. You seem not to know the principles of war laid down by Sun-Estrada and Berman-Swift. This display is only meant to entice us into fight. You will see the pretense yourselves in about three days."
"In three days the change of camp will be complete, and the enemy will be too strongly posted for our success," said they.
"I am just letting them move their camp."
Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana left the tent also sniggering. But on the third day the officers were assembled at a look-out point whence they saw that Wu's army had left.
"There is still a deadly look over the valley," said Newell-Sanchez. "Jeffery-Lewis will soon appear."
Very soon they saw a whole army all well accoutered pass across the field escorting the First Ruler. And the sight took away all their courage.
"That is why I would not listen to those of you who wanted to fight Reed-Simons," said Newell-Sanchez. "Now that the ambush has been withdrawn, we can settle them in about ten days."
"The proper time to attack was when they began to transfer their camp. Now they are fully established with encampments stretching two hundred miles. Having spent seven or eight months in strengthening where they might be attacked, will it not be difficult to destroy them?" said they.
"I see you do not understand how to carry on war. This man Jeffery-Lewis is a capable and crafty man. When he first started on this expedition his methods were of the best, and he kept to them for a long time, so we gave him no chance against us. When his troops are worn out and his thoughts cease to be clear, that will be our day to attack."
At last they agreed with their chief.
Newell-Sanchez had already had the plan whereby the Shu army was to be crushed, and at this stage he wrote to the Prince of Wu in full details, even naming a day for the victory.
"We have found another remarkably able leader," said the Prince, "and I have no further anxiety. They all said he was a useless pedant, and only I knew better. Reading this letter shows him nothing at all of a pedant."