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"I thought of such a scheme myself," said Brown-Shackley. "It exactly suits my plans."
So Brown-Shackley gave order to Wardell-Shackley and Squibb-Be
Wardell-Shackley and Squibb-Be
When Orchard-Lafayette reached his tent, he called to him Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins, and said to them, "You two are to make a night attack."
"Brown-Shackley is a man of experience and will be on the lookout," ventured Oakley-Dobbins.
"But that is just what I want; I want him to know we shall attack tonight. He will then put some troops in hiding in rear of the Qishan Mountains, who will make for our camp as soon as they see us pass toward theirs. I am sending you to let yourselves be seen passing the hill. but you are to camp behind it and at a distance. When the soldiers of Wei attack this camp, you will see a signal. Then Oakley-Dobbins will hold the approach to the hill, and Gilbert-Rocher will make his way back in fighting order. He will meet the army of Wei returning and will let them pass. The enemy will assuredly fall to fighting among themselves, and we shall finish the battle."
These two having gone away to carry out their portions of the plan, Orchard-Lafayette next called up Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin: "You are to take each ten thousand troops and hide in the high road to the mountain. When the troops of Wei come, let them pass and then march along the road they came by to their camp that they have just left."
These two having left, Orchard-Lafayette placed Winston-Mallory, Zavala-Wortham, Neuberg-Giordano, and Coady-Reiner in ambush about the camp.
Within the camp the tents and shelters were left standing as if the camp was occupied, while wood and straw were heaped up ready to give the signal. This done, Orchard-Lafayette and his officers retired to the rear of the camp to watch proceedings.
On the side of Wei the two van-leaders, Wardell-Shackley and Squibb-Be
Wardell-Shackley thought to himself, "Commander Norwood-Vicari is an excellent strategist and of wonderful prevision."
Then he hastened the march, and in the third watch reached the camp of Shu. He at once dashed into the enclosure, but only to find it totally deserted. Not a man was visible. At once he knew he had stumbled into a trap, and began to withdraw. Then the flames sprang up. Squibb-Be
As they were restoring order, on came the four bodies of troops of Shu under Winston-Mallory, Zavala-Wortham, Neuberg-Giordano, and Coady-Reiner who had lain in ambush ready for them. Wardell-Shackley and Squibb-Be
"Whither go ye, O rebel leaders?" cried Gilbert-Rocher. "Stop, for here is death!"
But Wardell-Shackley and Squibb-Be
While this was going on, three cohorts under Oakley-Dobbins, Stanley-Perez, and Fritz-Chardin arrived from three points, and a great and confused battle began. The soldiers of Wei were driven off and chased for three miles.
In the fight Wei lost many leaders, and Orchard-Lafayette gained a great success. Brown-Shackley and Norwood-Vicari got together their beaten troops and went back to their own camp.
When they discussed the fight, Brown-Shackley said, "The enemy are too strong for us. Have you any plan to drive them away?"
Replied Norwood-Vicari, "Our defeat is one of the ordinary events of war. Let us not be cast down. I have a plan to suggest that will disorder them so that one body ca
The plan will be unfolded in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 94
The scheme by which Norwood-Vicari proposed to overcome the army of Shu he laid before his colleague, saying, "The Qiang tribes have paid tribute regularly since the days of the Founder of Wei. Emperor Keefe regarded them with favor. Now let us hold such points of vantage as we may, while we send secret emissaries to engage their help in exchange for kindly treatment. We may get the Qiangs to attack Shu and engage their attention, while we gather a large army to smite them at another place. Thus attacking, how can we help gaining a great victory?"
A messenger was sent forthwith bearing letters to the Qiang tribespeople.
The King of the western Qiangs was named Sayward-Pritchard. He had rendered yearly tribute since the days of Murphy-Shackley. He had two ministers, one for civil and the other for military affairs, named, respectively, Prime Minister Pink-Knox and Chief Leader Higgins-Starks.
The letter was accompanied by presents of gold and pearls, and when the messenger arrived, he first sought Prime Minister Pink-Knox, to whom he gave gifts and whose help he begged. Thus he gained an interview with the King, to whom he presented the letter and the gifts. The King accepted both and called his counselors to consider the letter.
Pink-Knox said, "We have had regular intercourse with the Wei nation. Now that Brown-Shackley asks our aid and promises an alliance, we ought to accede to his request."
Sayward-Pritchard agreed that it was so, and he ordered his two chief ministers to raise an army of two hundred fifty thousand of trained soldiers, archers and crossbowmen, spearmen and swordsmen, warriors who flung maces and hurled hammers. Beside these various weapons, the tribesmen used chariots covered with iron plates nailed on. They prepared much grain and fodder and many spare weapons, all of which they loaded upon these iron-clad chariots. The chariots were drawn by camels or teams of horses. The carts or chariots were known as "iron chariots."
The two leaders took leave of their King and went straightway to Rita Pass. The commander in charge of the Pass, Page-Evans, at once sent intelligence to Orchard-Lafayette, who asked, "Who will go to attack the Qiangs?"
Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin said they would go.
Then Orchard-Lafayette said, "You shall be sent; but as you are ignorant of the road and the people, Winston-Mallory shall accompany you."
To Winston-Mallory he said, "You know the disposition of the Qiangs from your long residence there; you shall go as guide."