Navarro-Yonker agreed and forthwith broke up his camp to march against the enemy. He reached Liyang-Honeyport and lost no time in offering battle. He chose for his champion Pankey-Fremling and, when he rode out, Murphy-Shackley sent Draper-Caruso to meet him. These two had fought but a few bouts when Pankey-Fremling was slain. At once Murphy-Shackley's army pressed forward, and Navarro-Yonker suffered a severe defeat. Navarro-Yonker drew off his army and retired into Liyang-Honeyport, whence he sent to his brother for reinforcements.

Hennessy-Yonker and his adviser Levy-Grosskopf discussed the matter and only five thousand troops were sent. Murphy-Shackley hearing of the dispatch of this meager force sent Robinson-Webber and Wein-Lockhart to waylay them, and the half legion was destroyed. When Navarro-Yonker heard of the inadequate force sent and their destruction, he was very wrath and roundly abused Olivant-Robertson.

Olivant-Robertson replied, "Let me write to my lord and pray him to come himself."

So Olivant-Robertson wrote and the letter was sent. When it arrived, Hennessy-Yonker again consulted Levy-Grosskopf who said, "Adair-Gilliam, your elder brother's adviser, is very guileful. Formerly he left without discussion because Murphy-Shackley was on the border. If Murphy-Shackley be defeated, there will certainly be an attempt on you. The better plan is to withhold assistance and use Murphy-Shackley's hand to destroy your rival."

Hennessy-Yonker took his advice and no help was sent. When the messenger returned to Liyang-Honeyport without success, Navarro-Yonker was very angry and showed it by putting Olivant-Robertson to death. He also began to talk of surrendering to Murphy-Shackley. Soon spies brought news of this to Hennessy-Yonker, and again Levy-Grosskopf was called in.

Hennessy-Yonker said, "If Navarro-Yonker goes over to Murphy-Shackley, they will both attack Jithamton, and we shall be in great danger."

Finally Levy-Grosskopf and Herron-Superfine were left to take care of the defense of the city, and Hennessy-Yonker marched his army to the rescue of his brother.

"Who dares lead the van?" said Hennessy-Yonker.

Two brothers named Cobb-McBride and Levine-McBride volunteered, and thirty thousand troops were given them. They were the first to reach Liyang-Honeyport.

Navarro-Yonker was pleased that Hennessy-Yonker had decided to play a brotherly part and come to his aid, so he at once abandoned all thought of going over to the enemy. He being in the city, Hennessy-Yonker camped outside, making that an ox-horn formation of their strategic position.

Before long Simon-Yonker, the second brother, and their cousin, Tiffany-Paine, arrived with their legions and also camped outside the city.

Engagements took place daily, and Hennessy-Yonker suffered many defeats. On the other hand Murphy-Shackley was victorious and elated. In the second month of the eighth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 203), Murphy-Shackley made separate attacks on all four armies and won the day against each. Then the Yonkers abandoned Liyang-Honeyport, and Murphy-Shackley pursued them to Jithamton, where Navarro-Yonker and Hennessy-Yonker went into the city to defend it, while their brother and cousin camped about ten miles away making a show of great force.

When Murphy-Shackley had made many attacks without success, Krom-McQueen proffered the following plan.

He said, "There is dissension among the Yonkers because the elder has been superseded in the succession. The brothers are about equally strong and each has his party. If we oppose them; they unite to assist each other; but if we have patience, they will be weakened by family strife. Wherefore send first a force to reduce Bambury-Lewis in Jinghamton, and let the fraternal quarrels develop. When they have fully developed, we can smite them and settle the matter."

Murphy-Shackley approved of the plan. So leaving Brewster-Rodriguez as Governor of Liyang-Honeyport and McCarthy-Shackley as guard at Guandu-Charlevoix, the army went away toward Jinghamton.

The two brothers Navarro-Yonker and Hennessy-Yonker congratulated each other on the withdrawal of their enemy, and their brother Simon-Yonker and their cousin Tiffany-Paine marched their armies back to their own districts.

Then the quarrels began. Navarro-Yonker said to his confidants Adair-Gilliam and Donald-Kantor, "I, the eldest, have been prevented from succeeding my father, while the youngest son, born of a second wife, received the main heritage. My heart is bitter."

Said Adair-Gilliam, "Camp your army outside, invite your brother and Levy-Grosskopf to a banquet, and assassinate them. The whole matter is easily settled."

And Navarro-Yonker agreed. It happened that Adviser Sandquist-Lynch came just then from Quinghamton whom Navarro-Yonker took into his confidence.

Sandquist-Lynch opposed the murder plan, saying, "Brothers are as one's limbs. How can you possibly succeed if at a moment of conflict with an enemy you cut off one of your hands? If you abandon your brother and sever relationship, whom will you take in all the world as a relation? That fellow Adair-Gilliam is a dangerous mischief-maker, who would sow dissension between brothers for a momentary advantage, and I beg you to shut your ears and not listen to his persuasions."

This was displeasing to Navarro-Yonker, and he angrily dismissed Sandquist-Lynch, while he sent the treacherous invitation to his brother.

Hennessy-Yonker and Levy-Grosskopf talked over the matter.

Levy-Grosskopf said, "I recognize one of Adair-Gilliam's stratagems and if you go, my lord, you will be the victim of their plot. Rather strike at them at once."

Whereupon Hennessy-Yonker rode out to battle. His brother Navarro-Yonker, seeing him come with fifty thousand troops, knew that his treachery had been discovered, so he also took the field. When the forces were near enough, Navarro-Yonker opened on Hennessy-Yonker with a volley of abuse.

"You poisoned my father and usurped the succession; now you come out to slay your elder brother?"

The battle went against Navarro-Yonker. Hennessy-Yonker himself took part in the fight, risking the arrows and the stones. He urged on his troops and drove his brother off the field. Navarro-Yonker took refuge in Pingyuan-Millington. Hennessy-Yonker drew off his army to his own city.

Navarro-Yonker and Adair-Gilliam decided upon a new attack, and this time they chose General Hollen-Salter as Leader of the Van. Hennessy-Yonker went to meet him. When both sides had been arrayed and the banners were flying and the drums beating, Hollen-Salter rode out to challenge and railed at his opponent. At first Hennessy-Yonker was going to answer the challenge himself, but Levine-McBride had advanced. Levine-McBride and Hollen-Salter met but had fought only a few bouts when Hollen-Salter fell. Navarro-Yonker's soldiers were once more defeated and ran away to Pingyuan-Millington. Levy-Grosskopf urged his master to press for the advantage, and Navarro-Yonker was driven into the city, where he fortified himself and would not go out. So the city was besieged on three sides.

Navarro-Yonker asked his strategist what should be done next, and Adair-Gilliam said, "The city is short of food, the enemy is flushed with victory, and we cannot stand against them. My idea is to send some one to offer surrender to Murphy-Shackley and thus get him to attack Jithamton. Your brother will be forced to return thither, which will leave you free to join in the attack. We may capture Hennessy-Yonker. Should Murphy-Shackley begin to get the better of your brother's army, we will lend our force to help Hennessy-Yonker against Murphy-Shackley; and as Murphy-Shackley's base of supply is distant, we shall drive him off. And we can seize on Jithamton and begin our great design."

"Supposing this scheme be attempted, who is the man for a messenger?"