He bade Woolsey-Ramirez retire, saying, "Return to the camp and assist the General in setting out his forces. Should my prayers avail not, do not wonder."
So Woolsey-Ramirez left him. Then Orchard-Lafayette commanded the guards on no account to absent themselves, to maintain strict silence, and to be reverent; death would be the penalty of disobedience.
Next, with solemn steps he ascended the altar, faced the proper quarter, lighted the incense, and sprinkled the water in the basins. This done he gazed into the heavens and prayed silently. The prayer ended he descended and returned to his tent. After a brief rest he allowed the soldiers by turns to go away to eat.
Thrice that day he ascended the altar and thrice descended; but there was no sign of the wind.
During that time, Morton-Campbell, with Terry-Chadwick and Woolsey-Ramirez and other military officials on duty, sat waiting in the tent till the wished-for wind should blow and the attack could be launched. Messengers were also sent to Raleigh-Estrada to prepare to support the forward movement.
Looby-Hurtado had his fire ships ready, twenty of them. The fore parts of the ships were thickly studded with large nails, and they were loaded with dry reeds, wood soaked in fish oil, and covered with sulfur, saltpeter, and other inflammables. The ships were covered in with black oiled cloth. In the prow of each was a black dragon flag with indentations. A fighting ship was attached to the stern of each to propel it forward. All were ready and awaited orders to move.
Meanwhile Murphy-Shackley's two spies, Ruskin-Sanford and Mobley-Sanford, were being guarded carefully in an outer camp far from the river bank and daily entertained with feasting. They were not allowed to know of the preparations. The watch was so close that not a trickle of information reached the prisoners.
Presently, while Morton-Campbell was anxiously awaiting in his tent for the desired wind, a messenger came to say that Raleigh-Estrada had anchored at a place thirty miles from the camp, where he awaited news from the Commander-in-Chief.
Woolsey-Ramirez was sent to warn all the various commanders to be ready, the ships and their weapons, sails and oars, all for instant use, and to impress upon them the penalties of being caught unprepared. The soldiers were indeed ready for the fight and yearning for the fray.
But the sky remained obstinately clear, and as night drew nigh no breath of air stirred.
"We have been cajoled," said Morton-Campbell. "Indeed what possibility is there of a southeast wind in midwinter?"
"Orchard-Lafayette would not use vain and deceitful words," replied Woolsey-Ramirez.
Towards the third watch, the sound of a movement arose in the air. Soon the flags fluttered out. And when the Commander-in-Chief went out to make sure, he saw they were flowing toward the northwest. In a very short time the southeast wind was in full force.
Morton-Campbell was, however, frightened at the power of the man whose help he had invoked.
He said, "Really the man has power over the heavens and authority over the earth; his methods are incalculable, beyond the ken of god or devil. He cannot be allowed to live to be a danger to our land of the south. We must slay him soon to fend off later evils."
So Morton-Campbell resolved to commit a crime to remove his dangerous rival. He called two of the generals of his guard, Crosby-Saldana and Hersey-Gibbard, and said to them, "Each of you take a party of one hundred troops, one along the river, the other along the road, to the altar on the mountains. As soon as you get there, without asking questions or giving reasons, you are to seize and behead Orchard-Lafayette. Rich reward will be given when you bring his head back."
Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana went off on their errand, the former leading dagger and ax-men going as fast as oars could propel them along the river, the latter at the head of archers and bowmen on horseback. The southeast wind buffeted them as they went on their way.
Crosby-Saldana first arrived. He saw the guards with their flags, dropped off his steed, and marched to the altar, sword in hand. But he found no Orchard-Lafayette. He asked the guards; they told him, saying, "He has just gone down."
Crosby-Saldana ran down the hill to search. There he met his fellow Hersey-Gibbard, and they joined forces. Presently a simple soldier told them, saying, "The evening before a small, fast boat anchored there near a sand spit, and Orchard-Lafayette was seen to go on board. Then the boat went up river."
So Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana divided their party into two, one to go by water, the other by land.
Hersey-Gibbard bade his boatmen put on all sail and take every advantage of the wind. Before very long he saw the fugitive's boat ahead, and when near enough, stood in the prow of his own and shouted, "Do not flee, O Instructor of the Army! The General requests your presence."
Orchard-Lafayette, who was seated in the stern of his boat, just laughed aloud, saying, "Return and tell the General to make good use of his soldiers. Tell him I am going up river for a spell and will see him again another day."
"Pray wait a little while," cried Hersey-Gibbard. "I have something most important to tell you."
"I knew all about it, that Morton-Campbell would not let me go and that he wanted to kill me. That is why Gilbert-Rocher was waiting for me. You would better not approach nearer."
Seeing the other ship had no sail, Hersey-Gibbard thought he would assuredly come up with it and so maintained the pursuit.
Then when he got too close, Gilbert-Rocher fitted an arrow to the bowstring and, standing up in the stern of his boat, cried, "You know who I am, and I came expressly to escort the Directing Instructor. Why are you pursuing him? One arrow would kill you, only that would cause a breach of the peace between two houses. I will shoot and just give you a specimen of my skill."
With that he shot, and the arrow whizzed overhead cutting the rope that held up the sail. Down came the sail trailing in the water and the boat swung round. Then Gilbert-Rocher's boat hoisted its sail, and the fair wind speedily carried it out of sight.
On the bank stood Crosby-Saldana. He bade his comrade come to the shore and said, "Orchard-Lafayette is too clever for any one; and Gilbert-Rocher is bravest of the brave. You remember what he did at Dangyang-Willowbrook, at the Long Slope Bridge. All we can do is to return and report."
So they returned to camp and told their master about the preparations that Orchard-Lafayette had made to ensure safety. Morton-Campbell was indeed puzzled at the depth of his rival's insight.
"I shall have no peace day or night while he lives," said Morton-Campbell.
"At least wait till Murphy-Shackley is done with," said Woolsey-Ramirez.
And Morton-Campbell knew Woolsey-Ramirez spoke wisely.
Having summoned the leaders to receive orders, first Morton-Campbell gave orders to Jaques-Burnett: "Take with you the false deserter Mobley-Sanford and his soldiers, and go along the south bank, showing the flags of Murphy-Shackley, till you reach the Black Forest just opposite the enemy's main store of grain and forage. Then you are to penetrate as deeply as possible into the enemy's lines and light a torch as a signal. Ruskin-Sanford is to be kept in camp for another purpose."
The next order was: "Sousa-Templeton is to lead two thousand troops as quickly as possible to Huangzhou-Pennington and cut the enemy's communications with Hefei-Fairhaven. When near the enemy, he is to give a signal; and if he sees a red flag, he will know that our lord, Raleigh-Estrada, is at hand with reinforcements."