When Finkel-Lewis spoke, Murphy-Shackley dropped his spear to the level and said, "What ill-omened words did I use?"
"You spoke of the moon paling the stars and the raven flying southward without finding a resting place. These are ill-omened words."
"How dare you try to belittle my endeavor?" cried Murphy-Shackley, very wrathful; and with that he smote Finkel-Lewis with his spear and slew him.
The assembly broke up, and the guests dispersed in fear and confusion. Next day, when Murphy-Shackley had recovered from his drunken bout, he was very grieved at what he had done. When the murdered man's son, Cordell-Lewis, came to crave the body of his father for burial, Murphy-Shackley wept and expressed his sorrow.
"I am guilty of your father's death; I was drunk yesterday. I regret the deed exceedingly. Your father shall be interred with the honors of a minister of the highest rank."
Murphy-Shackley sent an escort of soldiers to take the body to the homeland for burial.
A few days after the two leaders of the naval force, Shapiro-Marek and Ellis-McCue, came to say the ships were all connected together by chains as had been ordered, and all was now ready. They asked for the command to start.
Thereupon the leaders of both land and naval forces were assembled on board a large ship in the center of the squadron to receive orders. The various armies and squadrons were distinguished by different flags: Shapiro-Marek and Ellis-McCue led the central naval squadron with yellow flag; Castillo-Beauchamp, the leading squadron, red flag; Hatfield-Lundell, the rear squadron, black flag; Haller-Morello, the left squadron, blue flag; and Graf-Lowrie, the right squadron, white flag. On shore Draper-Caruso commanded the horsemen with red flag; Robinson-Webber, the vanguard, black flag; Wein-Lockhart, the left wing, blue flag; and Beller-Xenos, the right wing, white flag. Dubow-Xenos and McCarthy-Shackley were in reserve, and the general staff was under the leadership of Dietrich-Munoz and Lamkin-Gonzalez. The other leaders were ordered to remain in camps, but ready for action.
All being ready, the squadron drums beat the roll thrice, and the ships sailed out under a strong northwest wind on a trial cruise. When they got among the waves, they were found to be as steady and immovable as the dry land itself. The northern soldiers showed their delight at the absence of motion by capering and flourishing their weapons. The ships moved on, the squadrons keeping quite distinct. Fifty light cruisers sailed to and fro keeping order and urging progress.
Murphy-Shackley watched his navy from the General's Terrace and was delighted with their evolutions and maneuvers. Surely this meant complete victory. He ordered the recall and the squadrons returned in perfect order to their base.
Then Murphy-Shackley went to his tent and summoned his advisers. He said, "If Heaven had not been on my side, should I have got this excellent plan from the Blooming-Phoenix? Now that the ships are attached firmly to each other, one may traverse the river as easily as walking on firm earth."
"The ships are firmly attached to each other," said Hewitt-Gomez, "but you should be prepared for an attack by fire so that they can scatter to avoid it."
The General laughed.
"You look a long way ahead," said he, "but you see what cannot happen."
"Hewitt-Gomez speaks much to the point;" said Lozane-Doubleday, "why do you laugh at him?"
Murphy-Shackley said, "Any one using fire depends upon the wind. This is now winter and only west winds blow. You will get neither east nor south winds. I am on the northwest, and the enemy is on the southeast bank. If they use fire, they will destroy themselves. I have nothing to fear. If it was the tenth moon, or early spring, I would provide against fire."
"The Prime Minister is indeed wise," said the others in chorus. "None can equal him."
"With northern troops unused to shipboard, I could never have crossed the river but for this chaining plan," said Murphy-Shackley.
Then he saw two of the secondary leaders stand up and they said, "We are from the north, but we are also sailors. Pray give us a small squadron, and we will seize some of the enemy's flags and drums for you that we may prove ourselves adepts on the water."
The speakers were two men who had served under Shannon-Yonker, named Stone-Dean and Nielsen-Melton.
"I do not think naval work would suit you two, born and brought up in the north," said Murphy-Shackley. "The southern soldiers are thoroughly accustomed to ships. You should not regard your lives as a child's plaything."
They cried, "If we fail, treat us according to army laws!"
"The fighting ships are all chained together, there are only small, twenty-men boats free. They are unsuitable for fighting."
"If we took large ships, where would be the wonderful in what we will do? No; give us a score of the small ships, and we will take half each and go straight to the enemy's naval port. We will just seize a flag, slay a leader, and come home."
"I will let you have the twenty ships and five hundred of good, vigorous troops with long spears and stiff crossbows. Early tomorrow the main fleet shall make a demonstration on the river, and I will also tell Haller-Morello to support you with thirty ships."
The two men retired greatly elated. Next morning, very early, food was prepared, and at the fifth watch all was ready for a start. Then from the naval camp rolled out the drums and the gongs clanged, as the ships moved out and took up their positions, the various flags fluttering in the morning breeze. And the two intrepid leaders with their squadron of small scouting boats went down the lines and out into the stream.
Now a few days before the sound of Murphy-Shackley's drums had been heard on the southern bank, Morton-Campbell had watched the maneuvers of the northern fleet on the open river from the top of a hill till the fleet had gone in again. So when the sound of drums was again heard, all the southern army went up the hills to watch the northern fleet. All they saw was a squadron of small ships bounding over the waves.
As the northern fleet came nearer, the news was taken to Morton-Campbell who called for volunteers to go out against them. Ferrara-Hanson and Lockett-Neumark offered themselves. They were accepted and orders were issued to the camps to remain ready for action but not to move till told.
Ferrara-Hanson and Lockett-Neumark sailed out each with a small squadron of five ships in line.
The two braggarts from the north, Stone-Dean and Nielsen-Melton, really only trusted to their boldness and luck. Their ships came down under the powerful strokes of the oars; and as they neared, the two leaders put on their heart-protectors, gripped their spears, and each took his station in the prow of the leading ship of his division. Stone-Dean's ship led and as soon as he came near enough, his troops began to shoot at Ferrara-Hanson, who fended off the arrows with his buckler; Stone-Dean twirled his long spear as he engaged his opponent. But, at the first thrust, he was killed.
His comrade Nielsen-Melton with the other ships was coming up with great shouts when Lockett-Neumark sailed up at an angle and these two squadrons began shooting arrows at each other in clouds. Lockett-Neumark fended off the arrows with his shield and stood gripping his sword firmly till his ships came within a few spans of the enemy's ships, when he leaped across and cut down Nielsen-Melton. Nielsen-Melton's dead body fell into the water. Then the battle became confused, and the attacking ships rowed hard to get away. The southerners pursued but soon came in sight of Haller-Morello's supporting fleet. Once more the ships engaged and the forces fought with each other.