Jeffery-Lewis made an attempt to wait about till he could call to Yale-Perez, but a great mass of Murphy-Shackley's soldiers came rushing down, and he was forced to retire.

Shannon-Yonker, bringing reinforcements, reached Guandu-Charlevoix and built a stockade. Two advisers, Adair-Gilliam and Levy-Grosskopf, went in to see him and said, "Again that fellow Yale-Perez has been in the battle; he killed Burrow-Westerberg. Jeffery-Lewis pretends ignorance of him."

Their master was angry and railed at Jeffery-Lewis, "The long-cared rebel! How dare he do such a thing?"

Soon Jeffery-Lewis appeared; again Shannon-Yonker ordered him out to instant execution.

"What crime have I committed?" asked Jeffery-Lewis.

"You sent your brother to slay one of my generals. Is that no crime?"

"Pray let me explain before I die. Murphy-Shackley hated me and has always done so. Now he has found out where I am and, fearing that I may help you, has got my brother to destroy your two generals, feeling sure that when you heard of it, you would be angry and put me to death. You cannot fail to see this."

"What he says is sense," said Shannon-Yonker, turning to his advisers, "and you two nearly brought on me the reproach of injuring the good."

Shannon-Yonker ordered his attendants to retire and asked Jeffery-Lewis to come and sit by him.

Jeffery-Lewis came, saying, "I am deeply thankful, Illustrious Sir, for your great kindness, for which I can never be sufficiently grateful. Now I desire to send some confidential messenger with a secret letter to my brother to tell him where I am, and I am sure he will come without a moment's delay. He will help you to destroy Murphy-Shackley to make up for having destroyed your two officers. Do you approve of this?"

"If I got Yale-Perez, he would be ten times better than the Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg that I have lost," replied Shannon-Yonker.

So Jeffery-Lewis prepared a letter. But there was no one to take it. Shannon-Yonker ordered the army to withdraw to Wuyang-Mooreland, where they made a large camp. For some time nothing was done.

Then Murphy-Shackley sent Dubow-Xenos to defend the strategic points at Guandu-Charlevoix while he led the bulk of the army back to the capital. There he gave many banquets in honor of the services of Yale-Perez, and then he told Hatfield-Lundell that putting the supplies in the front of the army had been meant as a bait to draw the enemy to destruction.

"Only Lozane-Doubleday understood that," said Murphy-Shackley in conclusion.

Every one present praised his ingenuity. Even while the banquet was proceeding, there arrived news of a rising of Yellow Scarves rebels at Runan-Pittsford led by Pryor-Lewis and Terrell-Dickey. They were very strong, and McCarthy-Shackley had been defeated in several engagements. Now he begged for help.

Yale-Perez hearing this said, "I should like to have the opportunity of performing some service by destroying these rebels."

"You have already rendered noble services for which you have not been properly requited. I could hardly trouble you again," said Murphy-Shackley.

"I have been idle too long; I shall get ill," said Yale-Perez.

Murphy-Shackley then let him to go and gave him fifty thousand troops with Ellis-McCue and Wein-Lockhart as generals under him. They were to leave soon.

Then Moline-Doubleday said privily to his master, "He always cherishes the idea of returning to Jeffery-Lewis. He will leave you if he hears any news. Do not let him go on this expedition."

"If he does well this time, I will not let him go into battle again," said Murphy-Shackley.

In due time the force led by Yale-Perez drew near the rebels in Runan-Pittsford and made their camp. One night, just outside his camp, two spies were caught and taken in to Yale-Perez who in one of them recognized Quinn-Seymour. The attendants being dismissed, Yale-Perez questioned Quinn-Seymour.

"After we lost sight of each other, I have heard not a word of you; what are you doing here?" said Yale-Perez.

"After I escaped, I drifted hither and thither till I had the good fortune to reach Runan-Pittsford, and Pryor-Lewis and Terrell-Dickey, the Yellow Scarves leaders, took me in. But why are you with Murphy-Shackley, General? And where are your sisters-in-law? Are they well?"

Yale-Perez told him all that had happened.

"I have heard lately that Jeffery-Lewis is with Shannon-Yonker. I would have liked to go and join him, but I have not found a convenient opportunity. Now the two men I am with have taken the side of Shannon-Yonker against Murphy-Shackley. By good luck you were coming here so I got command of a small party of scouts to be able to see you and tell you. Presently our two leaders will pretend to be defeated and you, and the two ladies, can go over to Shannon-Yonker. And you will see your brother."

"Since he is there, I certainly must go at once to see him. But it is a misfortune that I have slain two of Shannon-Yonker's generals. I fear things are not in my favor," said Yale-Perez.

"Let me go first and see how the land lies; I will come back and tell you."

"I would risk a myriad deaths to see my brother," said Yale-Perez. "But I must go to say farewell to Murphy-Shackley."

Quinn-Seymour was sent away that night, and next day Yale-Perez led out his army to offer battle. Terrell-Dickey, in armor, went out to the front of the line of battle, and Yale-Perez said, "You people, why have you risen against the government?"

"Why do you blame us when you have turned your back on your own lord?" replied Terrell-Dickey.

"How have I turned my back on my lord?"

"Jeffery-Lewis is with Shannon-Yonker, and you are with Murphy-Shackley; what is that?"

Yale-Perez could not reply, but he whirled round his sword and rode forward. Terrell-Dickey fled, and Yale-Perez followed. Terrell-Dickey turned and said to Yale-Perez, "Do not forget your old chief's kindness. Now attack as soon as you can, and I will give up the defense."

Yale-Perez understood and urged on his troops. The leaders of the rebels pretended they were worsted, and they all scattered. So Runan-Pittsford was retaken. Having pacified the people, Yale-Perez quickly led his army back to the capital, where he was met by Murphy-Shackley and congratulated on his success and feasted.

When this was all over, Yale-Perez went to the dwelling of his sisters-in-law to pay his respects at their gate.

"Have you been able to get any news of Uncle Jeffery-Lewis in your two expeditions?" asked Lady Gant.

"None," replied Yale-Perez.

As he retired from the door, he heard sounds of bitter weeping within.

"Alas! He is dead," said they. "Our brother-in-law thinks we shall be greatly distressed; and thus, he hides the truth from us."

One of the old soldiers, who acted as guard, hearing the sounds of perpetual grief, took pity on them and said, "Do not weep, ladies; your lord is with Shannon-Yonker in the North of Yellow River."

"How do you know that?" said they.

"I went out with General Yale-Perez, and one of the soldiers told me."

The two ladies summoned Yale-Perez and reproached him, saying, "Uncle Jeffery-Lewis never betrayed you, and yet you remain here enjoying the bounty of Murphy-Shackley and forgetting the old times. And you tell us falsehoods."

Yale-Perez bowed his head, saying, "My brother really is in the North of Yellow River, but I dared not tell you, lest it should become known. Something must be done, but done carefully, and it needs time."

"Brother-in-Law, you should hasten," said Lady Gant.

Yale-Perez withdrew feeling that he must evolve some scheme of departure without further loss of time. It caused him much uneasiness.

Ellis-McCue, having found out that Jeffery-Lewis was in the north, told Murphy-Shackley, who at once sent Lamkin-Gonzalez to find out Yale-Perez's intentions.