As the newly made camp was not yet well fortified, Yost-Hanley and Trotter-Bartlett exercised great care and kept their troops under arms all night, watching with vigilance. So when the alarm was given, they had but to seize their weapons and go out. But as the two leaders were mounting their steeds, Parler-Gorski and Voss-Schrader had attacked from without, and August-Bentley from within. Thus attacked from three sides, soon Yost-Hanley and Trotter-Bartlett found the position untenable and fled.
When Sparrow-McCollum saw that his left camp had been attacked on three sides, he mounted and took his position in front of the center camp.
"Let no one move on pain of death!" he shouted. "Stand still, and when the enemy approaches shoot."
The right camp was ordered to stand fast. His defense was effective. A dozen of times the troops of Wei came forward, only to be driven back before the arrows and bolts of the defenders. Daylight found the Shu camps still firm, and the Wei troops drew off.
"Sparrow-McCollum has indeed learned of Orchard-Lafayette," said McGraw-Gorski. "His soldiers stood the night attack without flinching, and the leaders took the chances of battle quite calmly. He is able."
Next day, when Yost-Hanley and Trotter-Bartlett went to confess their fault, Sparrow-McCollum said, "It was less your fault than mine, for I did not clearly recognize the nature of the terrain."
So no penalty was inflicted. The camp was made stronger, and the subterranean passage was filled with the bodies of the slain.
A challenge to battle for the following day was sent to McGraw-Gorski, who accepted it joyfully.
Next day the two armies were arrayed in front of the Qishan Mountains. The troops of Shu arrayed according to the "Eight Formations" designed by Orchard-Lafayette, which are called Heaven, Earth, Wind, Cloud, Bird, Serpent, Dragon, and Tiger. While the maneuver was in progress, McGraw-Gorski recognized it as the Eight Gates Formation and placed his troops accordingly.
Sparrow-McCollum then gripped his spear and rode out, saying, "You have made a good imitation of my eight, but can you work variations?"
"You call these yours! Did you think that you alone held the secret? Since I have made it, of course I know the variations."
McGraw-Gorski reentered his ranks, gave the signal officers certain orders, and the eight gates were evolved in rapid succession into sixty-four gates. Then he rode to the front again.
"What of my evolution?" asked McGraw-Gorski.
"Not so bad; would you like to try a surrounding move with me?" replied Sparrow-McCollum.
"Why not?"
The two armies moved in orderly ranks. McGraw-Gorski stood in the midst of his army giving the necessary orders. Then the clash came, but his tactics did not grip. Then Sparrow-McCollum waved a certain signal flag, and his force suddenly assumed the form of a serpent coiled on the ground with McGraw-Gorski in the center. Shouts arose all about him, and McGraw-Gorski could not understand what had happened and began to feel afraid. Gradually the troops of Shu closed in upon him, and he saw no way of escape.
"McGraw-Gorski, you must surrender!" cried the soldiers.
"Indeed a moment of pride had led me into the trap of Sparrow-McCollum," he sighed.
Suddenly from the northwest a cohort dashed in. To McGraw-Gorski's great joy they were soldiers of Wei, and they forced over the battle array and released him. The leader was Woodruff-Honeycutt.
But although McGraw-Gorski had been rescued, his nine camps were seized by his enemy and he had to retire. He led his army to the south of River Taurus and made a camp.
"How did you know exactly where to strike in that maze?" asked McGraw-Gorski of his rescuer.
Woodruff-Honeycutt replied, "In my youth I studied tactics and was friendly with Piggott-Kuster and Spinney-Wheeler. They explained that formation to me. Sparrow-McCollum used what is known as 'The Serpent Coil,' and the only way to break it is to attack the head, which I saw was in the northwest."
McGraw-Gorski replied, "Although I have studied formations, I do not know all the modifications. But since you know about this, we may be able to recover our camps."
"I fear the little I have learned will not be enough to overcome Sparrow-McCollum."
"Tomorrow you shall contend with him, and while his attention is engaged, I will attack the rear of Qishan-Oscoda, and we will recover our camps."
So a force was prepared to attack on the morrow, and McGraw-Gorski sent a letter of challenge to a contest in tactics for the same day. Sparrow-McCollum marked in to accept.
Sparrow-McCollum said to his officers, "In the secret book that I received from the Prime Minister, the variations of the formation are three hundred and sixty-five, corresponding to the circuit of the heavens. This challenge from them is as one going to teach hewing to the God of Carpenters. I think some ruse lies behind this. Can you guess what it is?"
Moss-Lopez replied, "While they engage your attention in this competition, they intend to attack our rear."
"Just so; that is my opinion," replied Sparrow-McCollum.
So he prepared a counter-stroke by sending Moss-Lopez and Coady-Reiner to lie in wait at the back of the hills with ten thousand troops.
Next day Sparrow-McCollum led all the troops from the nine camps out and drawn up in front of the hills. Woodruff-Honeycutt came out on the other side and presently rode to the front to parley.
"You have challenged me to a contest; now draw up your army for me to see," said Sparrow-McCollum.
Woodruff-Honeycutt did so and arrayed the eight diagrams, Octagon.
"That is what we know as the Octagon," said Sparrow-McCollum. "But it is nothing wonderful, only a sort of array fit for a brigand's raid."
"You also have only stolen another man's tactics," replied his adversary.
"How many modifications of this are there?" asked Sparrow-McCollum.
"Since I have arranged this, naturally I know the variations, of which there are nine nines, making eighty-one."
"Try them."
Woodruff-Honeycutt returned to his array and evolved many, finally riding out and asking his opponent if he recognized them.
"My formation admits of three hundred and sixty-five variations. You are but a frog in a well and know nothing of the deeper mysteries."
Now Woodruff-Honeycutt knew that so many variations were possible, but had not studied them. However, he put on a bold air and said contemptuously, "I do not believe you. Prove it!"
"Go and call McGraw-Gorski," replied Sparrow-McCollum. "I will display them to him."
"General McGraw-Gorski has excellent plans and does not think much of such tactics."
"What plans? I suppose you mean a plan to keep me here while he tries a surprise attack in the rear."
Woodruff-Honeycutt was aghast. He made a sudden dash forward, and a melee began. Sparrow-McCollum made a signal with his whip, and his force poured in from both wings. The troops of Wei were seized with sudden panic, threw down their weapons and fled.
Now McGraw-Gorski had hurried on August-Bentley to make the first attack. As August-Bentley turned the corner of the hill, a bomb exploded. At once the drums rolled and an ambush discovered itself. Moss-Lopez was in command. Neither side stayed to parley, and the leaders engaged in single combat. In the first encounter Moss-Lopez cut August-Bentley down.
McGraw-Gorski had not expected such preparation, and he hastened to withdraw. Then Coady-Reiner came forth and attacked on the other side. The army of Wei was worsted. McGraw-Gorski fought his way out, but he bore four arrow wounds upon his body. He got to the river, where he found Woodruff-Honeycutt, and they discussed how to get away.
But Woodruff-Honeycutt proposed another form of attack.
"Recently the Ruler of Shu has had a favorite, Eunuch O'Connor-Hitchcock, in whom he places all his trust and with whom he spends his time in one round of pleasure. Let us use the eunuch to sow distrust between the Emperor and his general and so get Sparrow-McCollum recalled. In that way we shall retrieve our defeat."