ndulged in another
rainbow plunge, grasped the bag, and rose again to the surface. Coming
ashore, he unloosened the swollen thongs, poured out the stones along
the strand, then, after a moment's thought, he wrung the water out of
the bag itself, and tied it to his belt, for there was no predicting
where the men would wander when once they awoke, and if he threw it away
among the bushes, it might be found, breeding first wonder how it came
there, and then suspicion of the trick.

Greusel walked back to camp by the other bank of the stream. Although
the early rays of the sun percolated through the upper branches of the
trees above them, the eighteen prone men slept as if they were but
seven. He sprang over the brook, touched the recumbent Ebearhard with
his foot, and so awoke him. This excellent man yawned, and stretched out
his arms above his head.

"You're an early bird, Greusel," he said. "Have you got the worm?"

"Yes, I have," replied the latter. "I found it in the basin of a
waterfall nearly a league from here," and with that he drew aside his
cloak, showing the still wet but empty bag.

For a few moments Ebearhard did not understand. He rose and shook
himself, glancing about him.

"Great Jove!" he cried, "this surely isn't the stream by which we lay
down last night? Do you mean to tell me that thread of water struck
terror into my heart only a few hours ago? I never slept out of doors
before in all my life, and could not have imagined it would produce such
an effect. I see what you mean now. You have found the bag which Roland
threw into the foaming torrent."

"Yes; I was as much astonished at the transformation as you when I
awoke, and then it occurred to me that when our friends saw the
reduction of the rivulet, they would forthwith begin a treasure-hunt, so
I determined to obliterate the evidence."

"Was the bag really full of stones?"

"Oh, yes."

"Well, that is a lesson to me. I believe after all that Roland is
helplessly truthful, but last night I thought he befooled us. I was
certain it was the bag of coin he had thrown away, and becoming ashamed
of himself, had lied to us."

"How could you imagine that? He showed us both the bag of money."

"He produced a bag full of something, but I, being the doubting Thomas
of the group, was not convinced it contained money."

"Ah, that reminds me, Ebearhard; here is the bag we saw last night. I
discovered it attached to my belt this morning."

"He attac