my; and thanks to Little John's
lessons he thrashed him so well that at the end of five minutes the
young swine-herd received a final stroke across the knuckles which
made him shriek, drop his staff, and turn to run down a long
straight avenue in the forest where the ground was open.

Robin in his excitement began to run after him to continue the
beating, but the swineherd went too fast, and on the impulse of the
moment the victor stopped short, dropping his own staff and
unslinging his bow from where it hung. In less time than it takes
to tell the bow was strung and an arrow fitted, drawn to the head,
and with a twang it was loosed after the flying lad, now a hundred
yards away; but as soon as it was shot Robin repented.

"It'll kill him," he thought, and his heart seemed to stand still.

For the boy's teacher had taught well, and here was the proof.
Truly as if a long careful aim had been taken the arrow sped many
times faster than the swineherd ran, and Robin's eyes dilated as he
saw his adversary give a sudden spring and fall upon his face,
uttering a hideous yell.

Robin, full of repentance, started off to his enemy's help, but
before he had gone many yards the swineherd sprang up and began to
run faster than ever, while when Robin reached the spot there lay
his arrow, but the lad was gone.

"Only pricked him a bit," said Little John, when he heard of the
adventure. "Serve the young wretch right. But the quarter-staff.
My word, big un, I'd have given something to have been there to
hear his bones rattle. Well, I didn't teach you for naught. But
look here, if you meet that fellow in the forest again don't you
wait for him to begin; you go at him at once."

Robin nodded his head, but he never saw the swineherd again.

CHAPTER VII

Young Robin's father, the Sheriff, suffered very sadly from the
loss of his son and his goods, and Robin's aunt came to Nottingham
and wept bitterly over the loss of the little boy she loved dearly.
For David, the old servant in whose charge Robin had been placed
when he was going home, had done what too many weak people do,
tried to hide one fault by committing another.

Robin was given into his charge to protect and take safely home to
his father, and when the attack was made by the outlaw's men,
instead of doing anything to protect the little fellow and save him
from being injured by Robin Hood's people, he thought only of
himself. He threw his charge into the fir