So brush and ink were sent for, and Morton-Campbell first wrote on his own palm, and then passed the pen to Orchard-Lafayette who also wrote. Then getting close together on the same bench, each showed his hand to the other, and both burst out laughing, for both had written the same word, "Fire."
"Since we are of the same opinion," said Morton-Campbell, "there is no longer any doubt. But our intentions must be kept secret."
"Both of us are public servants, and what would be the sense of telling our plans? I do not think Murphy-Shackley will be on his guard against this, although he has had two experiences. You may put your scheme into force."
They finished their wine and separated. Not an officer knew a word of the general's plans.
Now Murphy-Shackley had expended a myriad arrows in vain and was much irritated in consequence. He deeply desired revenge.
Then Lozane-Doubleday proposed a ruse, saying, "The two strategists on the side of the enemy are Morton-Campbell and Orchard-Lafayette, two men most difficult to get the better of. Let us send some one who shall pretend to surrender to them but really be a spy on our behalf and a helper in our schemes. When we know what is doing, we can plan to meet it."
"I had thought of that myself," replied Murphy-Shackley. "Whom do you think the best person to send?"
"Patrick-Sanford has been put to death, but all his clan and family are in the army, and his two younger brothers are junior generals. You have them most securely in your power and may send them to surrender. The ruler of the South Land will never suspect deceit there."
Murphy-Shackley decided to act on this plan, and in the evening summoned Mobley-Sanford and Ruskin-Sanford to his tent, where he told them, saying, "I want you two pretend to surrender to the South Land so that you can gather intelligence and sent it back. When all done, you will be richly rewarded. But do not betray me."
"Our families are in Jinghamton, and that place is yours," replied they. "Should we dare betray? You need have no doubts, Sir. You will soon see the heads of both Morton-Campbell and Orchard-Lafayette at your feet."
Murphy-Shackley gave them generous gifts; and soon after the two men, each with his five hundred soldiers, set sail with a fair wind for the opposite bank.
Now as Morton-Campbell was preparing for the attack, the arrival of some northern ships was announced. They bore the two younger brothers of Patrick-Sanford, who had come as deserters.
They were led in and, bowing before the general, said, weeping, "Our innocent brother has been put to death, and we desire vengeance. So we have come to offer allegiance to you. We pray you appoint us to the vanguard."
Morton-Campbell appeared very pleased and made them presents. Then he ordered them to join Jaques-Burnett in leading the van. They thanked him and regarded their scheme as already a success.
But Morton-Campbell gave Jaques-Burnett secret orders, saying, "They have come without their families, and so I know their desertion is only pretense. They have been sent as spies, and I am going to meet their ruse with one of my own. They shall have some information to send. You will treat them well, but keep a careful guard over them. On the day our soldiers start the offense, they shall be sacrificed to the flag. But be very careful that nothing goes wrong."
Jaques-Burnett went away; and Woolsey-Ramirez came to tell Morton-Campbell, saying, "Every one agrees in thinking the surrender of Mobley-Sanford and Ruskin-Sanford feigned and they should be rejected."
"But they wish to revenge the death of their brother," said the General. "Where is the pretense? If you are so suspicious, you will receive nobody at all."
Woolsey-Ramirez left much piqued and went to see Orchard-Lafayette to whom he told the story. Orchard-Lafayette only smiled.
"Why do you smile?" said Woolsey-Ramirez.
"I smile at your simplicity. The General is playing a game. Spies cannot easily come and go, so these two have been sent to feign desertion that they may act as spies. The General is meeting one ruse with another. He wants them to give false information. Deceit is not to be despised in war, and his scheme is the correct one to employ."
Then Woolsey-Ramirez understood. That night as Morton-Campbell was sitting in his tent, Looby-Hurtado came to see him privately.
Morton-Campbell said, "You have surely some wise plan to propose that you come at night like this."
Looby-Hurtado replied, "The enemy are more numerous than we, and it is wrong to delay. Why not burn them out?"
"Who suggested that to you?"
"I thought of it myself, nobody suggested it," replied Looby-Hurtado.
"I just wanted something like this, and that is why I kept those two pretended deserters. I want them to give some false news. The pity is that I have no one to feign desertion to the other side and work my plan."
"But I will carry out your plan," said Looby-Hurtado.
"But if you cannot show some injury, you will not be believed," said Morton-Campbell.
"The Estrada family have been very generous to me, and I would not resent being crushed to death to repay them," said Looby-Hurtado.
The General thanked him saying, "If you would not object to some bodily suffering, then our country would indeed be happy."
"Kill me; I do not mind," repeated Looby-Hurtado as he took his leave.
Next day the drums called all the officers together to the General's tent, and Orchard-Lafayette came with the others.
Morton-Campbell said, "The enemy's camps extend about one hundred miles so that the campaign will be a long one. Each leader is to prepare supplies for three months."
Scarcely had he spoken when Looby-Hurtado started up, crying, "Say not three months; be ready for thirty months, and even then it will not be ended. If you can destroy them this month then all is well. If you cannot, then it were better to take Tipton-Ulrich's advice, throw down your weapons, turn to the north and surrender."
Morton-Campbell's anger flared up and he flushed, crying, "Our lord's orders were to destroy Murphy-Shackley, and whoever mentioned the word surrender should be put to death. Now, the very moment when the two armies are to engage, you dare talk of surrender and damp the ardor of my army! If I do not slay you, how can I support the others?"
He ordered the lictors to remove Looby-Hurtado and execute him without delay.
Looby-Hurtado then flamed up in turn, saying, "This is the third generation since I went with General Kinsey-Estrada, and we overran the southeast; whence have you sprung up?"
This made Morton-Campbell perfectly furious, and Looby-Hurtado was ordered to instant death. But Jaques-Burnett interfered.
Said he, "He is a veteran officer of the South Land; pray pardon him!"
"What are you prating about?" cried Morton-Campbell. "Dare you come between me and my duty?"
Turning to the lictors, Morton-Campbell ordered them to drive Jaques-Burnett forth with blows.
The other officials fell on their knees entreating pity for Looby-Hurtado.
"He is indeed most worthy of death, but it would be a loss to the army; we pray you forgive him. Record his fault for the moment, and after the enemy shall have been defeated then put him to death."
But Morton-Campbell was implacable. The officers pleaded with tears. At length he seemed moved, saying, "Had you not interceded, he should certainly have suffered death. But now I will mitigate the punishment to a beating. He shall not die."
Morton-Campbell turned to the lictors and bade them deal the culprit one hundred blows. Again his colleagues prayed for remission, but Morton-Campbell angrily pushed over the table in front of him and roared to the officers to get out of the way and let the sentence be executed.