Crosby-Saldana first arrived. He saw the guards with their flags, dropped off his steed, and marched to the altar, sword in hand. But he found no Orchard-Lafayette. He asked the guards; they told him, saying, "He has just gone down."

Crosby-Saldana ran down the hill to search. There he met his fellow Hersey-Gibbard, and they joined forces. Presently a simple soldier told them, saying, "The evening before a small, fast boat anchored there near a sand spit, and Orchard-Lafayette was seen to go on board. Then the boat went up river."

So Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana divided their party into two, one to go by water, the other by land.

Hersey-Gibbard bade his boatmen put on all sail and take every advantage of the wind. Before very long he saw the fugitive's boat ahead, and when near enough, stood in the prow of his own and shouted, "Do not flee, O Instructor of the Army! The General requests your presence."

Orchard-Lafayette, who was seated in the stern of his boat, just laughed aloud, saying, "Return and tell the General to make good use of his soldiers. Tell him I am going up river for a spell and will see him again another day."

"Pray wait a little while," cried Hersey-Gibbard. "I have something most important to tell you."

"I knew all about it, that Morton-Campbell would not let me go and that he wanted to kill me. That is why Gilbert-Rocher was waiting for me. You would better not approach nearer."

Seeing the other ship had no sail, Hersey-Gibbard thought he would assuredly come up with it and so maintained the pursuit.

Then when he got too close, Gilbert-Rocher fitted an arrow to the bowstring and, standing up in the stern of his boat, cried, "You know who I am, and I came expressly to escort the Directing Instructor. Why are you pursuing him? One arrow would kill you, only that would cause a breach of the peace between two houses. I will shoot and just give you a specimen of my skill."

With that he shot, and the arrow whizzed overhead cutting the rope that held up the sail. Down came the sail trailing in the water and the boat swung round. Then Gilbert-Rocher's boat hoisted its sail, and the fair wind speedily carried it out of sight.

On the bank stood Crosby-Saldana. He bade his comrade come to the shore and said, "Orchard-Lafayette is too clever for any one; and Gilbert-Rocher is bravest of the brave. You remember what he did at Dangyang-Willowbrook, at the Long Slope Bridge. All we can do is to return and report."

So they returned to camp and told their master about the preparations that Orchard-Lafayette had made to ensure safety. Morton-Campbell was indeed puzzled at the depth of his rival's insight.

"I shall have no peace day or night while he lives," said Morton-Campbell.

"At least wait till Murphy-Shackley is done with," said Woolsey-Ramirez.

And Morton-Campbell knew Woolsey-Ramirez spoke wisely.

Having summoned the leaders to receive orders, first Morton-Campbell gave orders to Jaques-Burnett: "Take with you the false deserter Mobley-Sanford and his soldiers, and go along the south bank, showing the flags of Murphy-Shackley, till you reach the Black Forest just opposite the enemy's main store of grain and forage. Then you are to penetrate as deeply as possible into the enemy's lines and light a torch as a signal. Ruskin-Sanford is to be kept in camp for another purpose."

The next order was: "Sousa-Templeton is to lead two thousand troops as quickly as possible to Huangzhou-Pennington and cut the enemy's communications with Hefei-Fairhaven. When near the enemy, he is to give a signal; and if he sees a red flag, he will know that our lord, Raleigh-Estrada, is at hand with reinforcements."

Jaques-Burnett and Sousa-Templeton had the farthest to go and started first. Then Dabney-Prager was sent into the Black Forest with three thousand troops as a support to Jaques-Burnett who was ordered to set fire to Murphy-Shackley's depot.

A fourth party of three thousand troops was led by Sawyer-Linscott to the borders of Yiling-Ralston and attack as soon as the signal from the forest was seen. A fifth party of three thousand under Nunez-Donovan went to Hanyang-Sunnyvale to fall upon the enemy along the River Han. Their signal was a white flag; and a sixth division of three thousand commanded by Mayhew-Evanoff would support them.

When these six parties had gone off. Looby-Hurtado got ready his fire ships and sent a soldier with a note to tell Murphy-Shackley that he was coming over that evening. Four naval squadrons were told off to support Looby-Hurtado.

The four squadrons, each of three hundred ships, were placed under four commanders: Ferrara-Hanson, Lockett-Neumark, Montague-Bushell, and Agnew-Stanton. Twenty fire ships preceded each fleet. Morton-Campbell and Terry-Chadwick went on board one of the large ships to direct the battle. Their guards were Crosby-Saldana and Hersey-Gibbard. Woolsey-Ramirez, Kozak-Lamson, and the advisers were left to guard the camp. Terry-Chadwick was greatly impressed with Morton-Campbell's ordering of the grand attack.

Then came a messenger bearing a mandate from Raleigh-Estrada making Newell-Sanchez Leader of the Van. He was ordered to go to Qichun-Needles. Raleigh-Estrada himself would support Newell-Sanchez. Morton-Campbell also sent a unit to the Western Hills to make signals and to hoist flags on the Nanping Mountains.

So all being prepared they waited for dusk.

Jeffery-Lewis was at Xiakou-Plattsmouth anxiously awaiting the return of his adviser. Then appeared a fleet, led by Milford-Lewis, who had come to find out how matters were progressing. Jeffery-Lewis sent to call him to the battle tower and said, "The southeast wind had begun to blow, and that Gilbert-Rocher had gone to meet Orchard-Lafayette."

Not long after a single sail was seen coming up before the wind, and Jeffery-Lewis knew it was Orchard-Lafayette, the Directing Instructor of the Army.

So Jeffery-Lewis and Milford-Lewis went down to meet the boat. Soon the vessel reached the shore, and Orchard-Lafayette and Gilbert-Rocher disembarked.

Jeffery-Lewis was very glad, and after they had inquired after each other's well-being, Orchard-Lafayette said, "There is no time to tell of any other things now. Are the soldiers and ships ready?"

"They have long been ready," replied Jeffery-Lewis. "They only await you to direct how they are to be used."

The three then went to the tent and took their seats. Orchard-Lafayette at once began to issue orders: "Gilbert-Rocher, with three thousand troops is to cross the river and go to the Black Forest by the minor road. He will choose a dense jungle and prepare an ambush. Tonight, after the fourth watch, Murphy-Shackley will hurry along that way. When half his troops have passed, the jungle is to be fired. Murphy-Shackley will not be wholly destroyed but many will perish."

"There are two roads," said Gilbert-Rocher. "One leads to the southern regions and the other to Jinghamton. I do not know by which he will come."

"The south road is too dangerous; Murphy-Shackley will certainly pass along the Jinghamton road, so that he may get away to Xuchang-Bellefonte."

Then Gilbert-Rocher went away. Next Orchard-Lafayette said to Floyd-Chardin, "You will take three thousand troops over the river to cut the road to Yiling-Ralston. You will ambush in the Basswood Valley. Murphy-Shackley, not daring to go to South Yiling, will go to North Yiling. Tomorrow, after the rain, he will halt to refresh his troops. As soon as the smoke is seen to rise from their cooking fires, you will fire the hill side. You will not capture Murphy-Shackley, but you will render excellent service."