in time for me to shoulder or shirk the responsibility. I do not believe
that military operations can be successfully carried on by a little
family party, the head of which must coddle the others in the group, and
beg pardon before he says 'Devil take you!' I would not have accepted
the leadership last night had I known the conditions."

"Well, it is not yet too late to recede. The barge does not leave
Frankfort until this evening, and it is but two leagues back to that
city. Within half an hour at the farthest, every man of us will be
assembled here. Now is the time to have it out with them, because
to-morrow morning the opportunity to withdraw will be gone."

"It is too late even now, Greusel. If last night the guild could not
make up the money we owe to Goebel, what hope is there that a single
coin remains in their pockets this morning? Do I understand, then, that
you refuse to act as my lieutenant?"

"No; but I warn you it will be a step in the wrong direction. You are
quite sure of me; and as merely a man-at-arms, as you called us last
night, I shall be in a better position to speak in your favor than if I
were indebted to you for promotion from the ranks."

"I see. Therefore you counsel me to nominate Kurzbold?"

"I do."

"Why not Gensbein, who was nearly as mutinous as Kurzbold?"

"Well, Gensbein, if you prefer him."

"He showed a well-balanced mind last night, being part of the time on
one side and part on the other."

"My dear commander, we were all against you last night, when you spoke
of hanging, and even when you only went as far as expulsion."

"Yes, I suppose you were, and the circumstances being such as you state,
doubtless you were justified. I am to command, then, a regiment that may
obey or not, according to the whim of the moment; a cheering prospect,
and one I had not anticipated. When I received the promise of twenty men
that they would carry out faithfully whatever I undertook on their
behalf, I expected them to stand by it."

"I think you are unjust, Roland. No one has refused, and probably no one
will. If any one disobeys a command, then you can act as seems best to
you, but I wish you fully to realize the weakness of your status should
it come to drastic punishment."

"Quite so, quite so," said Roland curtly. He clasped his hands behind
his back, and without further words paced up and down along the bank of
the river, head bowed in thought.

Ebearhard was the next arrival, and he