When the camp dispositions were complete, Morton-Campbell sent to request Orchard-Lafayette to come and give him advice.
Orchard-Lafayette came; and after the salutations were ended, Morton-Campbell said, "Murphy-Shackley, though he had fewer troops than Shannon-Yonker, nevertheless overcame Shannon-Yonker because he followed the advice given by Lozane-Doubleday to destroy Shannon-Yonker's supplies at Wuchao-Sycamore. Now Murphy-Shackley has over eight hundred thousand troops while I have but fifty or sixty thousand. In order to defeat him, his supplies must be destroyed first. I have found out that the main depot is at the Iron Pile Mountains. As you have lived hereabout, you know the topography quite well, and I wish to entrust the task of cutting off supplies to you and your colleagues Yale-Perez, Floyd-Chardin, and Gilbert-Rocher. I will assist you with a thousand soldiers. I wish you to start without delay. In this way we can best serve our masters."
Orchard-Lafayette saw through this at once. He thought to himself, "This is a ruse in revenge for my not having been persuaded to enter the service of the South Land. If I refuse, I shall be laughed at. So I will do as he asks and trust to find some means of deliverance from the evil he intends."
Therefore Orchard-Lafayette accepted the task with alacrity, much to the joy of Morton-Campbell.
After the leader of the expedition had taken his leave, Woolsey-Ramirez went to Morton-Campbell secretly and said, "Why have you set him this task?"
"Because I wish to compass his death without appearing ridiculous. I hope to get him killed by the hand of Murphy-Shackley and prevent his doing further mischief."
Woolsey-Ramirez left and went to see Orchard-Lafayette to find out if he suspected anything. Woolsey-Ramirez found him looking quite unconcerned and getting the soldiers ready to march. Unable to let Orchard-Lafayette go without a warning, however, Woolsey-Ramirez
put a tentative question, "Do you think this expedition will succeed?"
Orchard-Lafayette laughingly replied, "I am an adept at all sorts of fighting, with foot, horse, and chariots on land and marines on the water. There is no doubt of my success. I am not like you and your friend, only capable in one direction."
"What do you mean by our being capable only in one direction?" said Woolsey-Ramirez.
"I have heard the street children in your country singing:
Woolsey-Ramirez carried this story to Morton-Campbell, which only incensed him the more against Orchard-Lafayette.
"How dare he flout me, saying I cannot fight a land battle? I will not let him go. I will go myself with ten thousand troops and cut off Murphy-Shackley's supplies."
Woolsey-Ramirez went back and told this to Orchard-Lafayette, who smiled and said, "Morton-Campbell only wanted me to go on this expedition because he wanted Murphy-Shackley to kill me. And so I teased him a little. But he cannot bear that. Now is the critical moment, and Marquis Raleigh-Estrada and my master must act in harmony if we are to succeed. If each one tries to harm the other, the whole scheme will fail. Murphy-Shackley is no fool, and it is he who usually attack enemies through cutting off their supplies. Do you not think Murphy-Shackley has already taken double precautions against any surprise of his own depot? If Morton-Campbell tries, he will be taken prisoner. What he ought to do is to bring about a decisive naval battle, whereby to dishearten the northern soldiers, and then find some other means to defeat them utterly. If you could persuade him what his best course was, it would be well."
Without loss of time, Woolsey-Ramirez went to Morton-Campbell to relate what Orchard-Lafayette had told him. Morton-Campbell shook his head when he heard it and beat the ground with his foot, saying, "This man is far too clever; he beats me ten to one. He will have to be done away with or my country will suffer."
Said Woolsey-Ramirez, "This is the moment to use people; you must think of the country's good first of all. When once Murphy-Shackley is defeated, you may do as you please."
Morton-Campbell had to confess the reasonableness of this.
Jeffery-Lewis had ordered his nephew Milford-Lewis to hold Jiangxia-Waterford while he and the bulk of the army returned to Xiakou-Plattsmouth. Thence he saw the opposite bank thick with banners and flags and glittering with every kind of arms and armor. He knew then that the expedition from the South Land had started. So he moved all his force from Jiangxia-Waterford to Fankou-Newport.
Then he assembled his officers and said to them, "Orchard-Lafayette went to Wu some time ago, and no word has come from him, so I know not how the business stands. Will any one volunteer to go to find out?"
"I will go," said Trudeau-Zeleny.
So presents were prepared and gifts of flesh and wine, and Trudeau-Zeleny prepared to journey to the South Land on the pretext of offering a congratulatory feast to the army. He set out in a small ship and went down river. He stopped opposite the camp, and the soldiers reported his arrival to Morton-Campbell, who ordered him to be brought in. Trudeau-Zeleny bowed low and expressed the respect which Jeffery-Lewis had for Morton-Campbell and offered the various gifts. The ceremony of reception was followed by a banquet in honor of the guest.