greeted Greusel cordially, then
one after another various members of the company came upon the scene. To
the new-comers Roland made no salutation, but continued his meditating
walk.

At last the bell in the tower pealed forth nine slow, sonorous strokes,
and Roland raised his head, ceasing his perambulations. Greusel looked
anxiously at him as he came forward to the group, but his countenance
gave no indication whether or not he had determined to abandon the
expedition.

"Are we all here?" asked Roland.

"No," was the reply; "Kurzbold, Eiselbert, Rasselstein, and Gensbein
have not arrived yet."

"Then we will wait for them a few moments longer," said the commander,
with no trace of resentment at their unpunctuality, and from this
Greusel assumed that he not only intended to go on, but had taken to
heart the warning given him. Ebearhard and a comrade walked up the road
rapidly toward Frankfort, hoping for some sign of the laggards, and
Roland resumed his stroll beside the river. At last Ebearhard and his
companion returned, and the former approached Roland.

"I see nothing of those four," he said. "What do you propose to do?"

Roland smiled.

"I think sixteen good men, all of a mind, will accomplish quite as much
as twenty who are divided in purpose. I propose, therefore, to go on,
unless you consider the missing four necessary, in which case we can do
nothing but wait."

"I am in favor of going forward," said Ebearhard; then turning to the
rest, who had gathered themselves around their captain, he appealed to
them. All approved of immediate action.

"Do you intend to follow the river road, Captain?" asked Ebearhard.

"Yes, for two or three leagues, but after that we strike across the
country."

"Very well. We can proceed leisurely along the road, and our friends may
overtake us if they have any desire to do so."

"Right!" said Roland. "Then let us set out."

The seventeen walked without any company formation through the village,
then, approaching a wayside tavern, they were hailed by a loud shout
from the drinkers in front of it. Kurzbold was the spokesman for the
party of four, which he, with his comrades, made up.

"Come here and drink success to glory," he shouted. "Where have you lads
been all the morning?"

"The rendezvous," said Roland sternly, "was at the Elector's tower."

"My rendezvous wasn't. I have been here for more than an hour," said
Kurzbold. "I told you last night that when I arriv