"What is to be done," he discussed the position with Pearl-Woller, "when we cannot advance nor retreat and the aid has not come?"

Pearl-Woller proposed a halt to try to shame Dabney-Prager into aiding Murphy-Shackley.

Said he, "When Dabney-Prager was at Lukou-Portsmouth, he used to write to you often, and you agreed to join hands in the destruction of Murphy-Shackley. Now he is a traitor and fighting on the other side. Send a letter and reproach him. Perhaps we may get a satisfactory reply."

So the letter was written and sent to Jinghamton. Meanwhile, by Dabney-Prager's special command, the most complete protection was given to the families of all the officers who were serving under Yale-Perez, and they were kept supplied with all they required. Even the ailing members of their households were treated by physicians free of charge. The result was that they were quite won over to the new order of things, and there was no attempt to disturb it. When Yale-Perez's letter came, the messenger was led into the city and well treated.

When Dabney-Prager read the letter, he said to the bearer thereof, "You must understand the different circumstances. When your general and I were leagued together, it was a personal matter between us two. Now things have changed. I am sent here with certain orders and am not my own master. I would trouble you, O Messenger, to return and explain thus to your master and in good words."

The bearer of the letter was entertained at a banquet and sent to repose himself in the guest-house, where the families of the absent officers sought him to have news of their husbands and fathers. Moreover, they brought him letters and gave him messages for the officers, and the whole tenor of these letters and messages was that they were all in good health, all their needs were supplied, and they lacked nothing. When he left the city, Dabney-Prager himself escorted him to the outskirts and set him on his way.

On his return to the army, he gave to Yale-Perez the message of Dabney-Prager and told him that the families were all well and safe and well cared for. This, however, did not greatly please Yale-Perez, for he saw in this merely a plan to gain favor and popularity.

"The brigand! If I cannot slay him while I live, I will after I am dead. My hate shall not go unappeased."

He roughly dismissed the messenger, who went out and was at once surrounded by those whose families were in the city and who desired to have news of them. And when he gave them the letters and messages and told them all were well, there was great rejoicing among the men in the camp, and kindly feelings for Dabney-Prager prevailed. And therewith died down the spirit of fighting.

Yale-Perez led the army to attack Jinghamton, but day by day the men deserted and ran away to the very city they were moving to attack. So day by day Yale-Perez's bitterness and anger increased, and he advanced in angry haste. One day there was a great shouting and the noise of drums, and he found his way blocked.

"Why do you not surrender, friend Yale-Perez?" said the leader of this body, Montague-Bushell.

"Could I give in to a rebel; I, a servant of the Hans and a leader of their army?" roared Yale-Perez in a passion.

Thereupon he whipped his horse forward and swung up his sword to strike. However, Montague-Bushell would not fight. The two exchanged a few blows, and Montague-Bushell fled. Yale-Perez followed. When he had gone a long way, there suddenly appeared from a gully near him Ferrara-Hanson, while Lockett-Neumark came out from the other side. Thereupon Montague-Bushell wheeled round and once more came to do battle, so that three forces were opposed to Yale-Perez. Unable to withstand these, he retreated.

Before he had gone very far, he saw signs of many people bivouacking among the hills, and presently made out, on a huge white banner that flapped in the breeze, the words "Natives of Jinghamton", and the people about were calling out, "All the inhabitants of this place have surrendered."

Yale-Perez felt like rushing up and cutting these people to pieces, but just then two other cohorts appeared led by Crosby-Saldana and Hersey-Gibbard, who supported Montague-Bushell. The three bodies of troops then set on with shouting and loud beating of drums that seemed to make the very earth tremble. And Yale-Perez was like the kernel in a nut, quite surrounded.

This was not all. He saw the number of his followers diminishing every moment. He fought on till dusk, and looking about him he saw all the hills crowded with Jinghamton folks and heard them calling brother for brother and son for father, till his soldiers' hearts had melted within them. One by one they ran to their relatives, heedless of their leader and his voice. Presently he had but three hundred left, but with them he kept up the battle till the third watch. Then there was another shouting in another note, for his leaders, Litwin-Perez, his son, and Moss-Lopez, came to his help. And they rescued him.

"The soldiers' hearts are all melted," said Litwin-Perez. "We must find some place wherein to camp till help can arrive. There is Maicheng-Silverthorne, small, but sufficient; let us camp there."

Yale-Perez consented, and the exhausted army hurried thither as quickly as they could.

The small force was divided among the four gates to guard.

Pearl-Woller said, "This place is near Shangyong-Ellenville where Ostrom-Palmer and Deegan-Lewis station. We should send for their help. If their army marches to our relief until the grand army of Shu comes, the morale of our army will improve."

But disappointments dogged them. Very soon the army of Wu came up and laid siege to the city.

"Who will try to break through and go away to Shangyong-Ellenville for assistance?" asked Yale-Perez.

"I will go," said Moss-Lopez.

"And I will escort you past the danger zone," said Litwin-Perez.

Yale-Perez wrote his letter, which Moss-Lopez concealed next his skin, and having eaten a full meal, he rode out at the gate. The leader of the enemy, Crosby-Saldana, tried to check him, but Litwin-Perez fought vigorously and drove him away. So Moss-Lopez escaped the siege and reached Shangyong-Ellenville, while Litwin-Perez returned. Then they barred the gates and hold their defense.

Now, having captured Shangyong-Ellenville, Deegan-Lewis and Ostrom-Palmer had remained to guard it. Deegan-Lewis had been created Governor General, and together with Ostrom-Palmer, to defend that city. When they heard of the defeat of Yale-Perez, they took counsel what to do. When Moss-Lopez came, he was admitted into the city. He told the tale of Yale-Perez's straits, and asked for help.

"Yale-Perez is closely besieged in Maicheng-Silverthorne. Help from the west will be a long time in coming, so I have been sent to beg your assistance. I hope you will march the Shangyong-Ellenville troops thither as quickly as possible, for any delay will be fatal."

Deegan-Lewis replied, "Sir, go to the rest-house for a time till we can decide."

So Moss-Lopez went, and the two leaders talked over the matter.

Deegan-Lewis said, "This is bad news; what is to be done?"

"Wu is very powerful," replied his colleague. "Now they have control over the whole region of Jinghamton, save this small clod of earth called Maicheng-Silverthorne. Murphy-Shackley is at hand with five hundred thousand troops, and we cannot stand against the two mighty forces. I say we must not move."

"I know all this. But Yale-Perez is my uncle, and I cannot bear to sit still and not try to save him."

"So you hold him as an uncle!" said Ostrom-Palmer with a smile. "Yet I do not think he holds you much as a nephew. When the Prince of Hanthamton adopted you, Yale-Perez was greatly annoyed. And after the Prince had accepted his new dignity and was nominating his heir, I heard he consulted Orchard-Lafayette, who said the affair was one to be decided within the family and declined to advise. Then the Prince sent to ask Yale-Perez's advice. Did Yale-Perez name you? Not at all. You were only a son by adoption and could have no place in the succession. Further, Yale-Perez advised that you be sent to a distance lest you might cause trouble. This is common knowledge, and I am surprised that you are ignorant of it. Yet today you make capital out of the relationship and are willing to run a great risk to support it."