recognized
him.

"Do you think, friend, that I have any fear of your arrows? Stand away
or I will beat you into grist."

Stuteley bent his bow and set an arrow upon the cord, but not so quickly
as to save himself from a mighty thwack from the man's cudgel. The
little esquire sprang back, and in doing so dropped both bow and arrow.
Nothing dismayed, he drew his sword, and engaged at once with the
stranger.

Their blows fell about each other's bodies like hail, and Stuteley found
that not all his Cumberland tricks could help him with so furious an
opponent. His enemy had little skill, but plenty of strength and
agility; his stick whirled and twirled, beating down Stuteley's guard
time after time. He was, besides, a bigger man and much older.

Robin's esquire began to see that he had met a sturdy opponent, and even
as this tardy knowledge came into his mind, the stranger gave him a
crushing body blow, and he tumbled fairly to the ground. There Stuteley
lay, with closed eyes and white face.

"'Tis a pity to rest so soon, friend," remarked the stranger, with
irony. "Would it not be better to snatch my money from me, and take your
ease afterwards in that tavern which you wot of?"

Stuteley answered nothing, but lay deadly still. Robin and the rest were
too far behind to perceive what had happened. The strange-looking man
turned away without bestowing another glance on his little enemy, and
soon his quaint figure disappeared over the brow of the next hill.

Within a dozen minutes the outlaws came up and discovered poor Will
Stuteley lying on the ground, faintly moaning. They bathed his head, but
could find no wounds. Robin was much upset, and began to eagerly
question his esquire so soon as he showed signs of returning to his
wits.

"Tell me, little Will, what evil mischance has fallen to you?" asked
Robin, with emotion.

Stuteley raised his head and looked about him in a dazed manner.

"I have been all through the county of Cumberland, master," said he, at
last, in a weak voice, "and I have wrestled and fenced with many; yet
never since I was a child and under my father's hand have I been so put
to it." He shut his eyes again; then opened them viciously. "I
encountered with our fellow-traveller and saw no reason to fear such a
clown. Yet he has scratched my back so heartily that I do fear it never
will be straight again."

"Nay, nay, Will. I'll nurse you well, be sure on't," murmured Robin,
full of pity and des