gal last night, it would take a small miracle of the
fishes to suffice them to-day. There is barely enough for two hungry
men, and as we are rid of these chaps for half an hour at least, I
propose we sit down to our first meal."

Greusel made no comment upon this remark, but the advice commended
itself to him, for he followed it.

Some time after they had finished breakfast, the unsuccessful company
returned by twos and threes. Apparently they had not wandered so far as
the waterfall, for no one said anything of the amazing view of the
Rhine. Indeed, it was plain that they considered themselves involved in
a boundless wilderness, and were too perplexed to suggest a way out.
After a storm of malediction over the breakfastless state of things, and
a good deal of quarreling among themselves anent who had been most
greedy the night before, they now turned their attention to the silent
men who were watching them.

"Where's Roland?" they demanded.

"I don't know," replied Greusel.

"Didn't he tell you where he was going?"

"We have not seen him this morning," explained Ebearhard gently. "He
seems to have disappeared in the night. Perhaps he fell into the stream.
Perhaps, on the other hand, he has deliberately deserted us. He gave us
no hint of his intentions last night, and we are as ignorant as
yourselves regarding his whereabouts."

"This is outrageous!" cried Kurzbold. "It is the duty of a leader to
provide for his following."

"Yes; if the following follows."

"We have followed," said Kurzbold indignantly, "and have been led into
this desert, not in the least knowing where in Heaven's name we are. And
now to be left like this, breakfastless, thirsty--" Here Kurzbold's
language failed him, and he drew the back of his hand across parched
lips.

"When you remember, gentlemen," continued Ebearhard, in accents of
honey, "that your last dealings with your leader took place with
eighteen swords drawn; when you recollect that you expressed your
determination to rob him, and when you call to mind that you brave
eighteen threatened him with personal violence if he resisted this
brigandage on your part, I cannot understand why you should be surprised
at his withdrawal from your fellowship."

"Oh, you always were a glib talker, but the question now is what are we
to do?"

"Yes, and that is a question for you to decide," said Ebearhard. "When
you mutinied last night, you practically deposed Roland from the
leadership.