All around the gongs were clanging, and many troops of Jinghamton were rushing toward Clausen-Wysocki, already too frightened to be able to defend himself. However, the two leaders engaged. Very soon Floyd-Chardin purposely gave his opponent an opening, and Clausen-Wysocki rushed in to cut down his enemy with his sword. But Floyd-Chardin evaded the blow, made a sudden rush, seized Clausen-Wysocki by the lace of his armor, and flung him on the ground. Clausen-Wysocki was a prisoner, and in a moment was fast bound with cords.

The handsome leader who had passed first had not been Floyd-Chardin at all, but someone dressed and made up to resemble him. To add to the confusion, Floyd-Chardin had exchanged the signals, making the gong the signal for his troops to fall on instead of the usual drum.

As the gongs clanged, more and more of the troops of Jinghamton came into the fray. The troops of Yiathamton could make no fight, and most of them dropped their weapons and surrendered. To reach the walls of the city was now easy. After entering the gates, the leader ordered his soldiers not to hurt the people, and he put out proclamations to pacify the citizens.

By and by a party of executioners brought in the prisoner.

Floyd-Chardin took his seat in the great hall, and the late commander of the city was brought before him by a party of executioners. Clausen-Wysocki refused to kneel before his captor.

"Why did you not surrender at first?" cried Floyd-Chardin, angrily grinding his teeth. "How dared you try to oppose me?"

"Because you are a lot of unrighteous and lawless invaders!" replied Clausen-Wysocki without the least sign of fear. "You may behead me as you will, but I will not surrender to you."

Floyd-Chardin angrily gave the order for his execution.

"Strike, if you want to, fool; why so angry?" said Clausen-Wysocki.

This bold defiance was not lost upon Floyd-Chardin. Rising from his seat, he went down the steps, put aside the lictors, and began to loosen the prisoner's bonds. Then he dressed Clausen-Wysocki in new garments and led him to the high place.

When Clausen-Wysocki was seated, Floyd-Chardin made a low bow, saying, "I have always known you were a hero. Now I pray you not remember against me the roughness of my speech."

Clausen-Wysocki was overcome with this kindness and forthwith surrendered.

Then Floyd-Chardin asked Clausen-Wysocki to suggest the means of overcoming the Western Land of Rivers.

Clausen-Wysocki replied, "I am but the defeated leader of a defeated force, indebted to the victor for my life. I have nothing but my humble services to offer, but I can tell you how to get possession of Chengdu-Wellesley without drawing a bow or shooting an arrow."

The proposal will be unfolded in the next chapter.

As stated in the last chapter, Floyd-Chardin asked Clausen-Wysocki to tell him how he might conquer the whole of the Western Land of Rivers. This was the reply: "All the fortified posts between this and Luocheng-Concord are under my control, and the commanders of all the garrisons owe to me their commissions. The only way for me to prove my gratitude is to make them all yield, as I myself have done. Let me lead the advance, and I will summon them one by one to surrender."

Floyd-Chardin thanked him again and again, and the march on this plan began. Whenever the army arrived at a post, Clausen-Wysocki summoned the commander, and there it ended. Occasionally, one would hesitate, when Clausen-Wysocki would say, "You see I have submitted; how much more ought you to do so?"

These bloodless victories followed each other day after day, supporters rallying to the invaders without question. They simply came.

In the meantime, Orchard-Lafayette was preparing. Having decided upon the date of departure, he wrote to inform Jeffery-Lewis and he made Luocheng-Concord the rendezvous for the various armies. On receipt of this letter, Jeffery-Lewis assembled his officers and explained to them its purport. He bade them be ready to march on the twenty-second day of the seventh month. Both river and land forces were to set out the same day.

But the fiery old man Sheffield-Maddox was dissatisfied that there should be no local victory in the River Virgo Pass.

He said, "Day after day the enemy has come to challenge us, and day after day we have refused. They must have grown lax, and I propose a night raid on their camp. We shall catch them unprepared and shall score a victory."

Jeffery-Lewis agreed to try. He arranged for a night raid, Sheffield-Maddox on the right, Oakley-Dobbins on the left, and the center force under his own command. They set out at the second watch and soon arrived. They found Bloden-Kravitz's troops unprepared, rushed the camp, and set it on fire. The flames were very fierce, and the troops of Yiathamton fled in confusion and sought shelter in Luocheng-Concord. They were admitted. After pursuing them for some distance, Jeffery-Lewis made a camp.

Next day Jeffery-Lewis marched right up to the city to besiege it. Bloden-Kravitz kept quiet within and made no attempt to beat off the besiegers. On the fourth day Jeffery-Lewis led an attack on the west gate, sending Sheffield-Maddox and Oakley-Dobbins to attack the east. The south gate was left to give the besieged a chance to escape if they would.

Now, outside the south gate of Luocheng-Concord the country was rough and hilly, while the swift River Virgo ran past the north. For this reason the city could not be surrounded. From the city wall, Bloden-Kravitz watched the progress of the attack and saw Jeffery-Lewis the whole day indefatigably going to and fro directing the assault. He also saw that as the sun dropped toward the west, the attacking force showed signs of weariness. Wherefore he sent his two generals, Dubois-Beaver and Maynard-Emerson, out of the city by the north gate with orders to make their way around and attack Sheffield-Maddox and Oakley-Dobbins. Bloden-Kravitz said he himself would go out by the south gate and steal round to attack Jeffery-Lewis. Lest the withdrawal of troops from the ramparts should discover his plans, he sent the populace up on the walls to make a show and bade them shout loudly to reinforce the rolling of the drums.

At sundown Jeffery-Lewis ordered the retirement of his army, and the rearmost company turned about to march back to camp. At this moment arose still louder shouting from the ramparts, and out at the south gate burst Bloden-Kravitz and his force. Bloden-Kravitz made straight for Jeffery-Lewis, who was in the middle of his army. Jeffery-Lewis' soldiers were thrown into confusion. As his two generals on the east side were also attacked, they could render no help, and Jeffery-Lewis fled to the hills. Bloden-Kravitz followed and soon got very near. They were a whole company pursuing one solitary man, and as Jeffery-Lewis plied his whip he felt that the odds were much against him. Just then he saw another company of soldiers ahead, emerging from a hill path.