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"No; I don't object to your passing a resolution." "Very good. We do not wish to waste time just now in the division, because we are going to Lorch, intending to celebrate our success with a banquet. Would Greusel, Ebearhard, and yourself care to join us?"
The two who stood by me were Greusel and Ebearhard, therefore I told you that when I met one villain I encountered two trustworthy men." "When did this happen?" asked Mayence. "And what was the object of your freebooting expedition?"
Dipping their paddles with great caution, they kept well out of the torchlight radius. As they left the shadow of the Castle, and came within sight of the party on the landing, they were somewhat startled by a lusty cheer. "Ah," said Ebearhard, "they have discovered our barrels of gold." "'Tis very likely," replied Roland.
Here Roland bade Hilda remain where she was, and leaving Ebearhard in charge of the skiff, he clambered up on the barge, ordering Greusel to range his boats alongside and fling aboard the treasure. "Well, captain, did his Excellency of Pfalz leave you anything at all?" "Not a rag," replied the captain. "The barge is empty as a drum."
If they present reasons that convince Greusel and Ebearhard against the attack on Furstenberg, I shall do what these two men advise, even although I myself believe in a contrary course. Thus you see, Herr Kurzbold, that my admitted dislike of you shall not come into play at all." "That is quite satisfactory," said Kurzbold.
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."
With this the young leader sauntered indifferently away, leaving to his subordinates the ungracious task of setting tired men to their work again. Greusel looked glum, but Ebearhard laughed. Some distance to the east of Wiesbaden the leader deflected his company from the road, and thus they passed Wiesbaden to the left, arriving at the village of Sonnenberg.
Defend yourself, for, by the Three Kings, I am going to tap your walking wine-barrel!" Kurzbold, however, retreating with more haste than caution, one or two behind him were sent sprawling, and the half-dozen which were Roland's portion tumbled over one another down the steep ladder into the cabin. Ebearhard laughed again when the last man disappeared.
They stood there glum and disconcerted, as if the trend of affairs had taken an unexpected turn. "I think," said one, "we had better retire and consult again." This was unanimously agreed to, and once more they disembarked upon the island, and moved forward to their Witenagemot. Still Greusel and Ebearhard said nothing, but watched the men disappear through the trees.
"Well, I thank you for your honest expression of that determination, and I announce that you cannot accompany this expedition." Again Roland instantaneously lost the confidence of his auditors, and they were not slow in making him of the fact. "This is simply tyranny," said Ebearhard.
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