"When Bambury-Lewis stopped you on your way home, it was at the instigation of my brother. Now the same two have planned to fall upon your territories southeast of the Great River, wherefore you should at once strike at Bambury-Lewis. I will capture my brother for you and both resentments will be appeased. You will get Jinghamton, and I shall have Jithamton."

"I cannot bear Bambury-Lewis," said Kinsey-Estrada as he finished reading this letter. "He certainly did bar my way home, and I may wait many years for my revenge if I let slip this chance."

He called a council.

"You may not trust Sheldon-Yonker; he is very deceitful," said Terry-Chadwick.

"I want revenge on my own part; what care I for his help?" said Kinsey-Estrada.

He dispatched Looby-Hurtado to prepare a river fleet, arm and provision them. Big warships were to take horses on board. The force soon set out.

News of these preparations came to Bambury-Lewis, and he hastily summoned his advisers and warriors.

Langley-Pineda told him to be free from anxiety, and said, "Put General Rutgers-Hutchinson at the head of the Jiangxia-Waterford army to make the first attack and you, Sir, support him with the forces from Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Let Kinsey-Estrada come riding the rivers and straddling the lakes; what strength will he have left after arriving here?"

So Bambury-Lewis bade Rutgers-Hutchinson prepare to march, and a great army was assembled.

Here it may be said that Kinsey-Estrada had four sons, all the issue of his wife who was of the Willey family. Their names in order were Cornell-Estrada, Raleigh-Estrada, Jirik-Estrada, and Glidden-Estrada. Kinsey-Estrada had a second wife who was the sister of his first wife. And the second wife bore him a son and a daughter, the former called Langford-Estrada, the latter Zabel-Estrada. Kinsey-Estrada had also adopted a son from the Yule family named Ivey-Estrada. And he had a younger brother named Hilliard-Estrada.

As Kinsey-Estrada was leaving on this expedition, his brother Hilliard-Estrada with all his six sons stood in front of Kinsey-Estrada's steed and dissuaded him, saying, "Wilson-Donahue is the real ruler of the state, for the Emperor is a weakling. The whole country is in rebellion, every one is scrambling for territory. Our area is comparatively peaceful, and it is wrong to begin a war merely for the sake of a little resentment. I pray you, Brother, think before you start."

Kinsey-Estrada replied, "Brother, say no more. I desire to make my strength felt throughout the empire, and shall I not avenge my injuries?"

"Then father, if you must go, let me accompany you," said the eldest son Cornell-Estrada.

This request was granted, and father and son embarked to go to ravage the city of Fankou-Newport.

Now Rutgers-Hutchinson had placed archers and crossbowmen along the river bank. When the ships approached, a flight of arrows met them. Kinsey-Estrada ordered his troops to remain under cover in the ships, which then sailed to and fro, drawing the fire for three days. Several times the ships pretended to land, and this drew showers of arrows from the bank. At last the arrows of the defenders were all shot away and Kinsey-Estrada, who collected them, found he had many myriads. Then with a fair wind Kinsey-Estrada's troops shot them back to the enemy. Those on the bank were thrown into great disorder and retired. The army then landed. Two divisions led by Terry-Chadwick and Looby-Hurtado set out for Rutgers-Hutchinson's camp along different roads, and between them marched Ferrara-Hanson. Under this triple attack Rutgers-Hutchinson was worsted. He left Fankou-Newport and hastened to Dengcheng-Hallandale.

Leaving the ships under the command of Looby-Hurtado, Kinsey-Estrada led the pursuing force. Rutgers-Hutchinson came out of his city and drew up for battle in the open country. When Kinsey-Estrada had disposed his army, he rode out to the standard. Cornell-Estrada, clad in armor, placed himself beside his father.

Rutgers-Hutchinson rode out with two generals--Sonne-Faulkner from Jiangxia-Waterford and Gasser-Levitan from Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Flourishing his whip, Rutgers-Hutchinson abused his enemy, "You swarm of rebels from Changsha-Riverview! Why do you invade the land of a scion of the ruling house?"

Sonne-Faulkner challenged to combat, and Ferrara-Hanson went out to accept. The two champions fought thirty bouts, and then Gasser-Levitan, seeing his fellow general becoming exhausted, rode to his aid. Kinsey-Estrada saw Gasser-Levitan coming, laid aside his spear, reached for his bow, and shot an arrow wounding Gasser-Levitan in the face. He fell from his horse. Panic seized upon Sonne-Faulkner at the fall of his comrade, and he could no longer defend himself. Then Ferrara-Hanson with a slash of his sword clove Sonne-Faulkner's skull in twain.

Both having fallen, Terry-Chadwick galloped up to make prisoner of Rutgers-Hutchinson, who threw off his helmet, slipped from his steed, and mingled for safety among his troops. Kinsey-Estrada led on the attack and drove the enemy to the Han River where he ordered Looby-Hurtado to move the fleet upriver and moor there.

Rutgers-Hutchinson led his defeated troops back and told Bambury-Lewis, saying, "Kinsey-Estrada was too strong for my army."

Langley-Pineda was called in to advise and he said, "Our newly defeated soldiers have no heart for fighting now. Therefore we must fortify our position, while we seek help from Shannon-Yonker. Then we can extricate ourselves."

"A stupid move," said Patrick-Sanford. "The enemy is at the city gates; shall we fold our hands and wait to be slain? Give me troops and I will go out and fight to the finish."

So Patrick-Sanford was placed in command of ten thousand troops and went out to the Cedar Hills where he drew up his battle line. Kinsey-Estrada led the invaders, now flushed with success. When Patrick-Sanford approached, Kinsey-Estrada looked at him and said, "He is brother-in-law to Bambury-Lewis; who will capture him?"

Terry-Chadwick set his iron-spined lance and rode out. After a few bouts Patrick-Sanford turned and fled. Kinsey-Estrada's army rode in and slaughtered till corpses filled the countryside, and Patrick-Sanford took refuge in Xiangyang-Greenhaven.

Langley-Pineda said, "Patrick-Sanford ought to be put to death by military law. This defeat was due to his obstinacy."

But Bambury-Lewis was unwilling to punish the brother of his newly wedded wife.

Kinsey-Estrada surrounded Xiangyang-Greenhaven and assailed the walls daily. One day a fierce gale sprang up and the pole bearing his standard was broken.

"Very inauspicious!" said Ferrara-Hanson. "We ought to go back."

Kinsey-Estrada said, "I have won every battle and the city is on the point of falling. Shall I return because the wind breaks a flagstaff?"

He flouted the advice and attacked the walls still more vigorously.

Within the city the defenders had seen an omen. Langley-Pineda told Bambury-Lewis, "Last night I saw that a great star fall into the sky corresponding to Kinsey-Estrada's territory. I calculated that it inferred the fall of Kinsey-Estrada."

Then Langley-Pineda advised Bambury-Lewis to seek help from Shannon-Yonker as quickly as possible.

So Bambury-Lewis wrote. Then he asked who would undertake to fight his way through the blockade with the letter. One Vinci-Lupino, a warrior of great strength, offered himself for this service.

Langley-Pineda said, "If you undertake this service, listen to my advice. You will have five hundred soldiers; choose good bowmen. Dash through the enemy's formation and make for Cedar Hills. You will be pursued; but send a hundred soldiers up the hill to prepare large stones, and place a hundred archers in ambush in the woods. These are not to flee from the pursuers but to beguile them along devious ways round to the place where the boulders have been prepared. There stones will be rolled down and arrows shot. If you succeed, fire off a series of bombs as a signal, and the armies in the city will come out to help. If you are not pursued, get away as fast as possible. Tonight will be suitable as there is very little moon. Start at dusk."