To my mind, he had no further obligations towards you, so,
having roughly taken the power into your own hands, it is for you to
deal with it as you think best. I should never so far forget myself as
to venture even a suggestion."

"As I hinted to you," said Kurzbold, "you are talking too much. You are
merely one of ourselves, although you have kept yourself separate from
us. Greusel has been appointed lieutenant by our unanimous vote, and if
his chief proves a poltroon, he is the man to act. Therefore, Joseph
Greusel, I ask on behalf of the company what you intend to do?"

"Before I can answer that question," replied Greusel, "I must know
whether or not you will act as you did yesterday?"

"What do you mean by that?" Several, speaking together, put the
question.

"I wish to know whether you will follow cheerfully and without demur
where I lead? I refuse to act as guide if I run the risk of finding
eighteen sword-points at my throat when I have done my best."

"Oh, you talk like a fool," commented Kurzbold. "We followed Roland
faithfully enough until he brought us into this impasse. You make
entirely too much of last night's episode. None of us intended to hurt
him, as you are very well aware, and besides, we don't want a leader who
is frightened, and runs away at the first sign of danger."

"Make up your minds what you propose to do," said Greusel stubbornly,
"and give me your decision; then you will receive mine."

Greusel saw that although Kurzbold talked like the bully he was, the
others were rather subdued, and no voice but his was raised in defense
of their previous conduct.

"There is one thing you must tell us before we can come to a decision,"
went on Kurzbold. "How much money have you and Ebearhard?"

"At midday yesterday I had thirty thalers, and Ebearhard had
twenty-five. While you were all sleeping on the grass, after our meal at
Breckenheim, Roland asked us for the money."

"You surely were not such idiots as to give it to him?"

"He was our commander, and we both considered it right to do what he
asked of us."

"He said," put in Ebearhard, "that your suggestion about a finance
committee was a good one, and that he had determined to be that
committee. He asked us if any of you had money, but I told him I thought
it was all spent, which probably accounts for his restricting the
application to us two."

"Then we are here in an unknown wilderness, twenty men, hungry, and
without a florin among