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They chose out five thousand of veterans for the expedition. When they had marched many days and drew near their enemy, Stanley-Perez went in advance with a hundred horsemen and got first sight of them from a hill. The Qiangs were marching, the long line of iron chariots one behind another in close order. Then they halted and camped, their weapons piled all along the line of chariots like the ramparts of a moated city. Stanley-Perez studied them for a long time quite at a loss to think how to overcome them. He came back to camp and consulted with his two colleagues.
Winston-Mallory said, "We will see tomorrow what they will do when we make our array, and discuss our plans when we know more."
So the next day they drew up their army in three divisions, Stanley-Perez's division being in the center, Fritz-Chardin's in the left, and Winston-Mallory's in the right. Thus they advanced.
The enemy also drew up in battle order. Their military chief, Higgins-Starks, had an iron mace in his hand and a graven bow hung at his waist. He rode forward on a curvetting steed boldly enough. Stanley-Perez gave the order for all three divisions to go forward. Then the enemy's ranks opened in the center and out rolled the iron chariots like a great wave. At the same time the Qiangs shot arrows and bolts, and the men of Shu could not stand against them.
The wing divisions under Winston-Mallory and Fritz-Chardin retired, and the Qiangs were thus enabled to surround the center. In spite of every effort, Stanley-Perez could not get free, for the iron chariots were like a city wall and no opening could be found. The troops of Shu were absolutely helpless, and Stanley-Perez made for the mountains in hope of finding a road through.
As it grew dark a Qiang leader with a black flag approached, his warriors like a swarm of wasps about him.
Presently the leader cried out to him, "Youthful general, flee not; I am Higgins-Starks!"
But Stanley-Perez only hastened forward, plying his whip to urge his steed. Then he suddenly came on a deep gully, and there seemed nothing but to turn and fight. Higgins-Starks come close and struck at him with the mace. Stanley-Perez evaded the blow, but it fell upon his steed and knocked it over into water. Stanley-Perez went into the water too.
Presently he heard a great noise again behind him. Higgins-Starks and his troops had found a way down into the gully and were coming at him down the stream. Stanley-Perez braced himself for a struggle in the water.
Then he saw Fritz-Chardin and Winston-Mallory coming up on the bank fighting with, and driving off, the Qiangs. Higgins-Starks was struck by Fritz-Chardin, and he too fell into the gully. Stanley-Perez gripped his sword and was about to launch a stroke at Higgins-Starks as he came up, when Higgins-Starks jumped out of the water and ran away.
At once Stanley-Perez caught the steed Higgins-Starks had left, led it up the bank and soon had it ready to mount. Then he girded on his sword, got on the horse, and joined the battle with his colleagues.
After driving off the Qiangs, Stanley-Perez, Fritz-Chardin, and Winston-Mallory gathered together and rode back. They quickly gained the camp.
"I do not know how to overcome these men," said Winston-Mallory. "Let me protect the camp while you go back and ask the Prime Minister what we should do."
Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin started at once and made the best of their way back. They told Orchard-Lafayette what had happened. He at once sent off Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins to go into ambush. After this he went himself with thirty thousand troops and Sparrow-McCollum, Coady-Reiner, Stanley-Perez, and Fritz-Chardin and soon came to Winston-Mallory's camp. The day after, from the summit of a hill, Orchard-Lafayette surveyed the country and the enemy, who were coming on in a ceaseless stream.
"It is not difficult," said Orchard-Lafayette.
He called up Winston-Mallory and Coady-Reiner and gave them certain orders.
They having gone, he turned to Sparrow-McCollum, saying, "My friend, do you know how to overcome them?"
"The Qiangs only depend upon force or courage; they ca
"You know," said Orchard-Lafayette, smiling. "Those dark clouds and the strong north wind mean snow. Then I can do what I wish."
The two leaders, Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin, were sent into ambush, and Sparrow-McCollum went out to offer battle. But he was to retire before the iron chariots. At the entrance to the camp were displayed many flags, but the soldiers that should serve under them were not there.
It was now full winter, the twelfth month, and the snow had come. The army of Shu went out to offer battle; and when the iron chariots came forward, they retired and thus led the Qiangs to the gate of the camp, Sparrow-McCollum going to its rear. The Qiangs came to the gate and stopped to look. They heard the strumming of a lute, but there were no soldiers there; the flags meant nothing. They told Higgins-Starks, and he suspected some ruse. Instead of entering, he went back to Prime Minister Pink-Knox and told him.
"It is a ruse," said Pink-Knox. "Orchard-Lafayette's base trick is the pretense of a pretense, and you would better attack."
So Higgins-Starks led his troops again to the camp gate, and there he saw Orchard-Lafayette with a lute just getting into his chariot. With a small escort, he went toward the back of the camp. The tribesmen rushed into the camp and caught sight of the light chariot again just as it disappeared into a wood.
Then said Pink-Knox, "There may be an ambush, but I think we need not be afraid of these soldiers."
Hence they decided to pursue. Ahead of them they saw the division under Sparrow-McCollum hastening off through the snow. Higgins-Starks' rage boiled up at this sight, and he urged his men to go faster. The snow had filled in the roads among the hills, making every part look like a level plain.
As they marched, one reported that some of the enemy were appearing from the rear of the hills. Some thought this meant an ambush, but Pink-Knox said it did not matter, and they need not fear. He urged them to hasten.
Shortly after this they heard a roaring as if the hills were rending asunder and the earth falling in, and the pursuers on foot fell one atop of the other into great pits that were invisible in the snow. The iron chariots, being close behind and hurrying along, could not stop, and they went into the pits also. Those still farther in the rear halted, but just as they were facing about, Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin came up, one on either side, and attacked. Myriads of bolts flew through the air. Then three other divisions under Sparrow-McCollum, Winston-Mallory, and Coady-Reiner arrived and confusion was worse than ever.
The Qiang leader, Higgins-Starks, fled to the rear and was making for the mountains when he met Stanley-Perez, who slew him in the first encounter. Prime Minister Pink-Knox was captured by Winston-Mallory and taken to the main camp. The soldiers scattered.
Hearing of the capture of one leader, Orchard-Lafayette took his seat in his tent and bade them bring the prisoner. He told the guards to loose his bonds, and he had wine brought to refresh him and soothed him with kindly words.
Pink-Knox was grateful for this kindness, and felt more so when Orchard-Lafayette said, "My master, the Emperor of the Great Hans, sent me to destroy those who are in revolt; why are you helping them? But I will release you, and you will return to your master and say that we are neighbors and we will swear an oath of everlasting friendship, and tell him to listen no more to the words of those rebels."
Pink-Knox was released and so were all the soldiers that had been captured, and all their stuff was given back to them. They left for their own country.