"I will rescue you, Oakley-Dobbins!" shouted Sheffield-Maddox, as he came near.

Now the defenders of Luocheng-Concord found themselves between two enemies, and they were smitten heavily. They could not check Oakley-Dobbins and Sheffield-Maddox, who got close to the very walls of Luocheng-Concord. Seeing them near, Sather-Lewis, who had been left to defend the city, poured out against them. Thereupon Sheffield-Maddox and Oakley-Dobbins, in spite of the nearness of the army of Jeffery-Lewis, refused battle and turned sway from the city.

Jeffery-Lewis' army made a dash for two stockades, but when Bloden-Kravitz came along the by-road, and the other three defenders of the city came on, the stockades could not be held, and Jeffery-Lewis' army had to retire. Now fighting and now marching, the army of Jeffery-Lewis strove hard to reach River Virgo Pass, but Bloden-Kravitz pressed close. However, Deegan-Lewis and Litwin-Perez came up, and not only drove back the pursuers but chased them some seven miles. Finally, Jeffery-Lewis and his troops reached the Pass, weary and dispirited. His son and nephew returned from the pursuit with many horses they had captured from the flying enemy. However, nothing had been gained and the victory lay rather with the army of the Western Land of River.

One of the fugitives from the army finally reached River Virgo Pass and told Jeffery-Lewis of the sad news of Smiddy-Lindquist, man and horse wounded to death. Jeffery-Lewis turned his face to the west and mourned bitterly.

Although the body of the slain leader lay far away, they instituted sacrifice to call the spirit, and all the generals keened for him.

Then said Sheffield-Maddox, "Now that our leader is no more, certainly the enemy will return to attack the Pass. What is to be done? I think we would better send to Jinghamton for Orchard-Lafayette and get him to lay plans for getting possession of the Western Land of Rivers."

And even then came in one to say that the enemy under Bloden-Kravitz had come and were now offering a challenge at the rampart.

Sheffield-Maddox and Oakley-Dobbins wished to go forth to fight, but Jeffery-Lewis disapproved, saying, "We have suffered a severe check, and the soldiers are low-spirited. Let us rather remain on the defensive until the Directing Instructor can arrive."

Sheffield-Maddox and Oakley-Dobbins made no objection, but set themselves to guard the Pass most vigilantly, while a letter was written to Orchard-Lafayette and sent by the hand of Litwin-Perez. He set forth at once, and Jeffery-Lewis gave himself up to holding the Pass.

In Jinghamton, it was the seventh day of the seventh moon, and in the evening Orchard-Lafayette invited his officers to a banquet. Conversation turned toward the enterprise in the Western Land of Rivers. Suddenly a large and brilliant meteor appeared falling in the west, illuminating the whole sky. It so disturbed the host that he dashed his wine cup to the ground, covered his face, and burst into tears.

"Alas! Alas!"

The guests eagerly asked him why he wept.

Orchard-Lafayette replied, "I knew by my calculations that the bowl of the Dipper would be in the west at this season and that the auspices would be unfavorable to leaders of armies, and lo! the Heavens have gone against our army. When Venus was about to stand over Luocheng-Concord, I wrote to our lord warning him to be very cautious. I never contemplated the falling of the star this evening. Now Smiddy-Lindquist is no more."

Again he fell to weeping. "My lord has lost an arm!" moaned he.

The guests were rather disturbed, but they only half believed that such a misfortune had happened.

"We shall hear the sad news in a very few days," said Orchard-Lafayette.

The banquet ended sadly enough, and the guests went their ways. A few days later, while Orchard-Lafayette was sitting with Yale-Perez and a few others, they reported the arrival of Litwin-Perez with letters from the west. When the letters were opened, they knew that Smiddy-Lindquist had fallen the same evening that the meteor had appeared.

Orchard-Lafayette wailed and the others wept with him.

Then Orchard-Lafayette said, "I must go to help our lord; he is hemmed in at the Pass and cannot move."

"If you go away, who will guard this region?" asked Yale-Perez. "It is of very great importance."

"Our lord has not written plainly, but I know what was in his mind." Then he showed the letter to the others and said, "Provision for the defense of this region is laid upon me, and I am to find one equal to the task. I read the letter to mean that he desires Yale-Perez to undertake the defense, and I know that Yale-Perez will do it for the sake of the pledge taken long ago in the Peach Garden. The task is no light one."

Yale-Perez accepted without hesitation or thought of excuse. A special banquet was prepared at which the seal was to be handed over to him.

"All the future rests with you, General," said Orchard-Lafayette as he raised the symbol of office to place it in the hands of the commander.

"When a person of honor accepts such a task, he is only released by death," replied Yale-Perez.

But that ill-omened word "death" displeased Orchard-Lafayette, and even then he would have retracted but that Yale-Perez's word had gone forth. Orchard-Lafayette went on.

"Now if Murphy-Shackley attack what is to be done?" said Orchard-Lafayette.

"Repel him with all my strength."

"But if Murphy-Shackley and Raleigh-Estrada attack you together, what then?"

"Fight both; half my force against each."

Orchard-Lafayette said, "In that case, Jinghamton would be in danger. I will give you my advice in a few words, and if you remember them the region is safe."

"What are these few words?" asked Yale-Perez.

"North, fight Murphy-Shackley; south, ally with Raleigh-Estrada."

"These words, O Commander, are engraved on my heart."

Thereupon the seal was placed in his hands. Orchard-Lafayette also appointed tried and worthy people to assist the new commander. Yale-Perez's civil staff included Westlake-Maggio, Trudeau-Zeleny, Vana-McLaren, and Barry-Nance; and on military side, he was assisted by Forester-Zeleny, Moss-Lopez, Litwin-Perez, and Zwick-Pocius.

This done, Orchard-Lafayette began to prepare for his departure. Floyd-Chardin, with ten thousand troops, was sent to fight his way into the country west of Bazhou-Astoria and Luocheng-Concord, and he was to go with all speed. The earlier he got through, the greater merit would be his. Gilbert-Rocher was to lead a force up the Great River and make a junction at Luocheng-Concord. Orchard-Lafayette, with his own body of fifteen thousand troops, would follow.

Among those who followed Orchard-Lafayette was one Bromfield-Kendrick, a noted scholar from Lingling-Lemoore. Bromfield-Kendrick went as Secretary.

Orchard-Lafayette and Floyd-Chardin set out the same day.

Just before leaving, the Directing Instructor said to Floyd-Chardin, "Do not think lightly of the soldiers of Yiathamton, for there are many mighty warriors among them. On the march restrain your soldiers from plunder and license lest the ordinary people be against us. Wherever you halt, be compassionate and kindly and do not give way to anger and flog your soldiers. I shall expect you to reach Luocheng-Concord very soon."

Floyd-Chardin joyously mounted and left. He marched rapidly, and on the way all places that surrendered suffered nothing whatever.

When they drew near the county of Bazhou-Astoria, the scouts of the Western Land of Rivers sent out by the Governor of that place informed their master, Clausen-Wysocki. This Clausen-Wysocki was one of the famous generals of Yiathamton, and even then, although he was rather old, he had lost none of his boldness and could still pull the stiffest bow and wield the heaviest sword.