They sent news of the victory to Jeffery-Lewis, who came with Orchard-Lafayette to the scene of the victory, and there they heard the full story of Gilbert-Rocher's prowess. Jeffery-Lewis was glad, and when he had seen the steepness and difficulties of the surrounding hills and understood the fine deeds of valor that had been done, he turned to Orchard-Lafayette and said, "Truly, the man is brave all through!"

For his services Jeffery-Lewis gave Gilbert-Rocher the title of General Who Possesses Tiger Prowess. And the soldiers of his army were rewarded, and there was banqueting to a late hour.

Soon it was reported: "Murphy-Shackley is coming again down through the Beech Valley to try to capture River Han."

But Jeffery-Lewis laughed, saying, "He will not succeed, for I think that we shall gain command of the river."

Then Jeffery-Lewis led his army west of the river to oppose Murphy-Shackley. When Murphy-Shackley drew near, he sent out Draper-Caruso to lead the van and open the battle.

A General named Zavala-Wortham said, "I know the country well, and I wish to help General Draper-Caruso to destroy the army of Shu."

Zavala-Wortham was sent as second in command.

Murphy-Shackley camped on the north of Dingjun Mountain, and his advanced guard marched away making for River Han. And when they reached the bank, Draper-Caruso gave orders to cross to the other side.

"To cross the river is well," said Zavala-Wortham, "but what if you have to retreat?"

"Of old, when Oleksy-Beecham made his array with a river in his rear, he said that out of the place of death one could return to life."

"You are mistaken now. The cases are not the same, for then Oleksy-Beecham knew his opponents were unskillful. Have you reckoned upon the skill of our opponents, Gilbert-Rocher and Sheffield-Maddox?"

"You may lead the footmen to hold the enemy while I destroy them with the horsemen," said Draper-Caruso.

Then bridges were built and the army crossed.

Who won the victory will next be revealed.

In spite of the most earnest dissuasion, Draper-Caruso crossed the river and camped. Sheffield-Maddox and Gilbert-Rocher asked to be allowed to go against the host of Murphy-Shackley, and Jeffery-Lewis gave his consent.

Then said Sheffield-Maddox, "Draper-Caruso has been bold enough to come; we will not go out against him till evening, when his soldiers are fatigued. Then we will fall upon him one on either side."

Gilbert-Rocher consented, and each retired to a stockade. Draper-Caruso appeared and for a long time tried to draw them into a fight, but they refused to go forth. Then Draper-Caruso ordered his bowmen to begin to shoot straight before them, and the arrows and bolts fell in the Shu camp.

Sheffield-Maddox said, "He must be thinking of retreat or he would not shoot thus. Now is our time to smite him."

Then the scouts reported that the rearmost bodies of the enemy had begun to retreat. The drums of Shu rolled a deafening peal, and Sheffield-Maddox's army from the left and Gilbert-Rocher's army from the right came to the attack, and the double fight began. Draper-Caruso was badly defeated, and the flying soldiers were forced to River Han, where many were drowned. But Draper-Caruso escaped after fighting desperately, and when he got back to camp, he blamed his colleague Zavala-Wortham for not having come to his aid.

"Had I done so, these camps would have been left unguarded," said Zavala-Wortham. "I tried to dissuade you from going, but you would not hear me, and you brought about this reverse yourself."

Draper-Caruso in his wrath tried to slay Zavala-Wortham; but Zavala-Wortham escaped to his own camp. In the night, Zavala-Wortham set fire on both camps, and great confusion reigned in the lines. Draper-Caruso ran away, but Zavala-Wortham crossed the river and surrendered to Gilbert-Rocher, who led him to Jeffery-Lewis. Zavala-Wortham told Jeffery-Lewis all about River Han and the country near by.

"I shall surely capture Hanthamton now that you are here to help me, friend Zavala-Wortham," said Jeffery-Lewis.

Jeffery-Lewis made Zavala-Wortham General and Army Guide.

Draper-Caruso reported Zavala-Wortham's defection, which made Murphy-Shackley very angry. Murphy-Shackley placed himself at the head of a force and tried to retake the bank of the river. Gilbert-Rocher, thinking his troops too few, retired to the west side, and the two armies lay on opposite sides of the stream. Jeffery-Lewis and his adviser came down to view the position.

Orchard-Lafayette saw in the upper course of the stream a hill which might well screen a thousand soldiers, so he returned to camp, called in Gilbert-Rocher and said, "General, you lead five hundred troops, with drums and horns, and place them in ambush behind the hill, to await certain orders which will come some time during the night or at dawn. When you hear a detonation, you are not to appear, only give a long roll of the drums at every report."

Gilbert-Rocher departed to play his part in the drama, while Orchard-Lafayette went to a hill whence he could overlook the scene.

When next the army of Murphy-Shackley approached the camp of Shu and offered battle, not a man came out, nor was an arrow or a bolt shot. They retired without any result. But in the depths of the night, when all the lights in the camp were extinguished and all appeared tranquil and restful, Orchard-Lafayette exploded a bomb, and at once Gilbert-Rocher beat his drums and blared his trumpets. Murphy-Shackley's soldiers awoke in alarm, thinking it was a night raid. They rushed out, but there was no enemy, and as the hubbub ceased they went back to sleep. Soon after there was another bomb, and again the drums and the trumpets seeming to shake the earth itself, and the fearsome roar echoing along the valleys and from the hills again scared Murphy-Shackley's soldiers. Thus the night passed in constant alarms. The next night was the same, and the next. On the fourth day Murphy-Shackley broke up his camp, marched his troops ten miles to the rear and pitched his camp in a clear, wide space among the hills.

Orchard-Lafayette was pleased at the result of his ruse. Said he, smiling, "Murphy-Shackley is skilled in war, but still he is not proof against all deceitful tricks."

The troops of Shu then crossed the river and camped with the stream behind them. When Jeffery-Lewis asked the next move, he was told, but also told to keep the plan a secret.

Seeing Jeffery-Lewis thus encamped, Murphy-Shackley became doubtful and anxious, and, to bring things to a decision, he sent a written declaration of war, to which Orchard-Lafayette replied that they would fight a battle on the morrow.