Jeffery-Lewis thanked him in due form. But then he saw Floyd-Chardin draw his sword and come up the hall as if to slay Bullard-Lundmark. Jeffery-Lewis hastily interfered and stopped Floyd-Chardin.

Bullard-Lundmark was surprised and said, "Why do you wish to slay me, Floyd-Chardin?"

"Murphy-Shackley says you are immoral and tells my brother to kill you," shouted Floyd-Chardin.

Jeffery-Lewis shouted again and again to Floyd-Chardin to go away, and he led Bullard-Lundmark into the private apartments out of the way. Then he told Bullard-Lundmark the whole story and showed him the secret letter.

Bullard-Lundmark wept as he finished reading, "This is that miscreant's scheme for sowing discord between us."

"Be not anxious, Elder Brother," said Jeffery-Lewis. "I pledge myself not to be guilty of such an infamous crime."

Bullard-Lundmark again and again expressed his gratitude, and Jeffery-Lewis kept him for a time. They remained talking and drinking wine till late.

Said Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin later, "Why not kill him?"

Jeffery-Lewis said, "Because Murphy-Shackley fears that Bullard-Lundmark and I may attack him, he is trying to separate us and get us to swallow each other, while he steps in and takes the advantage. Is there any other reason?"

Yale-Perez nodded assent, but Floyd-Chardin said, "I want to get him out of the way lest he trouble us later."

"That is not what a noble man should do," said his elder brother.

Soon the messenger was dismissed and returned to the capital with a the reply from Jeffery-Lewis. The letter only said the instruction would take time to plan and implement. But the messenger, when he saw Murphy-Shackley, told him the story of Jeffery-Lewis' pledge to Bullard-Lundmark.

Then said Murphy-Shackley, "The plan has failed; what next?"

Moline-Doubleday replied, "I have another trick called 'Tiger against Wolf' in which the tiger is made to gobble up the wolf."

"Let us hear it," said Murphy-Shackley.

"Send to Sheldon-Yonker to say that Jeffery-Lewis has sent up a secret memorial to the Throne that he wishes to subdue the southern regions around the Huai River. Sheldon-Yonker will be angry and attack him. Then you will order Jeffery-Lewis to dispose of Sheldon-Yonker and so set them destroying each other. Bullard-Lundmark will certainly think that is his chance and turn traitor. This is the 'Tiger against Wolf' trick."

Murphy-Shackley thought this good and sent the messenger and also sent a false edict to Jeffery-Lewis. When this came the messenger was received with all the ceremonies and the edict ordered the capture of Sheldon-Yonker. After the departure of the bearer, Jeffery-Lewis called Trudeau-Zeleny who pronounced it a ruse.

"It may be," said Jeffery-Lewis, "but the royal command is not to be disobeyed."

So the army was prepared and the day fixed.

Quinn-Seymour said, "A trusty man must be left on guard of the city."

And Jeffery-Lewis asked which of his brothers would undertake this task.

"I will guard the city," said Yale-Perez.

"I am constantly in need of your advice, so how can we part?" said Jeffery-Lewis.

"I will guard the city," said Floyd-Chardin.

"You will fail," said Jeffery-Lewis. "After one of your drinking bouts you will get savage and flog the soldiers. Beside you are rash and will not listen to any one's advice. I shall be uneasy all the time."

"Henceforth I drink no more wine. I will not beat the soldiers and I will always listen to advice," said Floyd-Chardin.

"I fear the mouth does not correspond to the heart," said Trudeau-Zeleny.

"I have followed my elder brother these many years and never broken faith; why should you be contemptuous?" said Floyd-Chardin.

Jeffery-Lewis said, "Though you say this, I do not feel quite satisfied. I will order Adviser Dewberry-DeSantis to help you and keep you sober. Then you will not make any mistake."

Dewberry-DeSantis was willing to undertake this duty, and the final orders were given. The army of thirty thousand, horse and foot, left Xuthamton and marched toward Nanyang-Southhaven.

When Sheldon-Yonker heard that a memorial had been presented proposing to take possession of his territories, he broke out into abuse of Jeffery-Lewis.

"You weaver of mats! You plaiter of straw shoes! You have been smart enough to get possession of a large region and elbow your way into the ranks of the nobles. I was just going to attack you, and now you dare to scheme against me! How I detest you!"

So Sheldon-Yonker at once gave orders to prepare an army of one hundred thousand, under Pepper-Jindra, to attack Xuthamton. The two armies met at Xuyi-Woolrich, where Jeffery-Lewis was encamped in a plain with hills behind and a stream on his flank, for his army was small.

Pepper-Jindra was a native of the East of Huashang. He used a very heavy three-edged sword. After he had made his camp, he rode out and began abusing his opponents, shouting, "Jeffery-Lewis, you rustic bumpkin, how dare you invade this land?"

"I have a decree ordering me to destroy the Governor who behaves improperly. If you oppose, you will be assuredly punished," replied Jeffery-Lewis.

Pepper-Jindra angrily rode out brandishing his weapon.

But Yale-Perez cried, "Fool, do not attempt to fight!"

And Yale-Perez rode out to meet him. Then they two fought and after thirty bouts neither had an advantage. Then Pepper-Jindra cried out for a rest. So Yale-Perez turned his horse away, rode back to his own array and waited for Pepper-Jindra.

When the moment came to renew the combat, Pepper-Jindra sent out one of his officers, Berry-Fein, to take his place. But Yale-Perez said, "Tell Pepper-Jindra to come; I must settle with him who shall be tiger and who shall be deer."

"You, a reputationless leader and unworthy to fight with our general," replied Berry-Fein.

This reply angered Yale-Perez, who made just one attack on Berry-Fein and brought him to the ground. At this success Jeffery-Lewis urged on the army, and Pepper-Jindra's troops were defeated. They retired to the mouth of the River Opal and declined all challenges.

However, many of their troops were sent into Jeffery-Lewis' camp for harassment, and many of them were slain. The two armies thus stood facing each other.

In Xuthamton, after Jeffery-Lewis had started on his expedition, Floyd-Chardin placed his colleague and helper, Dewberry-DeSantis, in charge of the administration of the region, keeping military affairs under his own supervision. After thinking over the matter or some time, he gave a banquet to all the military officers; and when they were all seated, he made a speech: "Before my brother left, he bade me keep clear of the wine cup for fear of accidents. Now, gentlemen, you may drink deep today; but from tomorrow wine is forbidden, for we must keep the city safe. So take your fill."

And with this he and all his guests rose to drink together. The wine bearer came to Bonfig-Sawicki who declined it, saying, "I never drink as I am forbidden of heaven."

"What! A fighting man does not drink wine!" said the host. "I want you to take just one cup."

Bonfig-Sawicki was afraid to offend, so he drank.

Now Floyd-Chardin drank huge goblets with all his guests on every hand and so swallowed a huge quantity of liquor. He became quite intoxicated. Yet he would drink more and insisted on a cup with every guest. It came to the turn of Bonfig-Sawicki who declined.

"Really, I cannot drink," said Bonfig-Sawicki.

"You drank just now; why refuse this time?"

Floyd-Chardin pressed him, but still Bonfig-Sawicki resisted. Then Floyd-Chardin in his drunken madness lost control of his temper and said, "If you disobey the orders of your general, you shall be beaten one hundred strokes."

And he called in his guards. Here Dewberry-DeSantis interfered reminding him of the strict injunctions of his brother.