"The rebels very nearly caught me today," said he smiling.

"They would have got across the river had they not been enticed away by the freeing of the cattle and horses." said Dietrich-Munoz.

"Who was it that drew them off?" said Murphy-Shackley.

Some one who knew told him. Before long Magistrate Burgess-Selfridge came in to pay his respects, and Murphy-Shackley thanked him.

"I should have been a prisoner but for your happy thought," said he.

And the Magistrate received a rank of Commander in the army.

"Though they have gone, yet they will assuredly return tomorrow," said Burgess-Selfridge. "You must prepare to repel them."

"My preparations are all made," was the reply.

Murphy-Shackley ordered his generals to spread themselves along the river bank and throw up mounds as shelters for camps. If they saw the enemy approaching, the soldiers were to be withdrawn from behind the mounds, leaving the ensigns all flying, so as to give the impression that each camp contained a garrison. Along the river they were to dig ditches and put up sheds, thus to entice the enemy there and their army would stumble into the pits and fall easy victims.

Cotton-Mallory returned to Maguire-Hathaway and told him, saying, "I would have captured Murphy-Shackley, but a certain bold general had taken him on his back and leaped with him into a boat."

Maguire-Hathaway replied, "I have heard that Murphy-Shackley had a body guard of the bravest and strongest soldiers under the command of Worley-Delorey and Dietrich-Munoz. They are called the Tiger Guards. Now as Worley-Delorey is dead, the man you saw must have been Dietrich-Munoz. He is both brave and powerful and goes by the name of Tiger-Lust. You will do well to avoid him."

"I know his name, too," said Cotton-Mallory.

"Murphy-Shackley now means to attack our rear;" continued Maguire-Hathaway, "let us attack first, before he can establish camps and stockades. If once he can do that, it will be difficult to dislodge him."

"My idea is that we should hold the north bank and prevent him from crossing."

"Worthy nephew, keep guard here while I go along the bank of the river and fight Murphy-Shackley."

"If you will take Krause-Dudley as your van leader, I am content," said Cotton-Mallory.

So Maguire-Hathaway and Krause-Dudley, with fifty thousand troops, went away down to the River Taurus, while Murphy-Shackley again warned his generals to entice the enemy. Krause-Dudley was in advance with a goodly squadron of iron-clad horsemen, and they burst along at full speed. Then there arose a confused shouting as they all went plunging into the ditches prepared for them. Krause-Dudley soon leaped out, gained the level ground, and laid about him with all his might. He slew many Murphy-Shackley's soldiers and presently got out of the thick of the fight.

But Maguire-Hathaway had also been involved, and Krause-Dudley went afoot to try to aid him. On the way he met Parham-Shackley, a general of Jenkins-Shackley. Krause-Dudley cut Parham-Shackley down. Then mounting the dead man's steed, he rode forward fiercely, slaying as he passed. He reached his leader whom he led away southeast. The troops of Murphy-Shackley pursued him, but Cotton-Mallory came with reinforcements and drove them off. He rescued a great number, and they continued fighting till evening when they withdrew and mustered their troops. Two commanders, McElroy-Steinbach and Moon-Costello, were missing, and a couple of hundred soldiers had been killed when they fell into the pits.

Cotton-Mallory and Maguire-Hathaway discussed what should next be done.

"If we give the enemy time, he will make himself strong on the north bank. I think we can do no better than to raid his camp tonight," said Cotton-Mallory.

"We must have a force and supports for it," said Maguire-Hathaway.

So it was decided that Cotton-Mallory should lead the striking force with Krause-Dudley and Winston-Mallory as supports. They would start at nightfall.

Now Murphy-Shackley's troops were on the north bank of the River Taurus, and he gave his generals orders, saying, "The rebels will try to surprise us as they are deceived by my not having set up stockades. You will place your soldiers in ambush. At the bomb signal, you will rush out from four directions to capture them."

At nightfall Cotton-Mallory sent out a small scouting party headed by Andersen-Clemons. Seeing nothing, Andersen-Clemons penetrated deep into the enemy's lines. Presently, a bomb was exploded. Out leapt the hidden troops, and in a few moments the whole scouting party were killed. Andersen-Clemons was cut down by the blade of Beller-Xenos.

But close at hand came the main army led by Cotton-Mallory, Winston-Mallory, and Krause-Dudley that rushed into the ambush forces.

Who got the advantage will presently be told.

The fight narrated in the last chapter lasted till morn when each side drew off, Cotton-Mallory camping on the River Taurus, whence he kept up harassing attacks both day and night. Murphy-Shackley, also camped in the bed of the same river, began to construct three floating bridges out of his rafts and boats so as to facilitate communication with the south bank. Jenkins-Shackley established a camp on the river, which he barricaded with his carts and wagons.

Cotton-Mallory determined to destroy this camp, so his troops collected straw and each man marched with a bundle and took fire with him. Maguire-Hathaway's forces were to fight. While one party attacked, the other party piled up the straw, which they lit, and soon there was a fierce fire all around. The defenders could do nothing against it, so they abandoned the camp and ran away. All the transport and bridges were destroyed. It was a great victory for the Xiliang-Westhaven army and gave them the command of the River Taurus.

Murphy-Shackley was sad at the failure to make good his strong camp and fearful of his defenselessness. Then Lozane-Doubleday proposed a mud wall. So three thousand soldiers were set to build a mud rampart. The enemy seeing this harassed the workmen with perpetual attacks at different points so that the work went slowly. Beside, the soil was very sandy, and the wall would not stand but collapsed as fast as it was built. Murphy-Shackley felt helpless.

It was the ninth month of the sixteenth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 211), and the fierce cold of winter was just coming on. Ominous clouds covered the sky day after day with never a break. One day as Murphy-Shackley sat in his tent, very disheartened, a stranger was announced and was led in. He was an old man who said he had a suggestion to offer. He was tall, as delicate as a crane and as refined as a pine tree. He gave his name as Perry-Sutter and said he came from Jingzhao-Graford. He was a recluse and a Taoist, his religious name being Plum-Blossom Dreamer.

Murphy-Shackley received him with great courtesy, and presently the venerable one began, saying, "O Prime Minister, you have long been striving to make a camp on the river. Now is your opportunity; why not begin?"

"The soil is too sandy to stand," said Murphy-Shackley. "But if you have some other plan to propose, pray tell me what it is, O Hermit."

"You are more than human, O Prime Minister, in the art of war, and you surely know the times and seasons. It has been overcast for many days, and these clouds foretell a north wind and intense cold. When the wind begins to blow, you should hurry your army to carry up the earth and sprinkle it with water. By dawn your wall will be complete."