"Yes, without any delay."
"Very good! Who will sacrifice himself to save his comrades?"
No one answered.
"What," Red Cedar went on, "are you all silent? Come, Fray Ambrosio, you are a priest, so give us an example."
"Thank you, gossip, but I never felt any call to martyrdom. I am not at all ambitious."
"Still, we must get out of this scrape."
"Caramba! I wish for nothing better; still, I am not desirous that it should be at the expense of my scalp."
Red Cedar reflected for an instant. The adventurers looked at him anxiously, waiting till he had found the solution of this difficult problem. All at once the squatter raised his head.
"Hum!" he said, "Any discussion would be useless, for you are not the men to be led by your feelings."
They nodded their assent.