lady once in every twelve months, at Hallow-e'en, on
the stroke of midnight. The old man then left them.

Very shocked was the old retainer to find these merry lads engaged
together, later, at wrestling and the quarter-staff, as if they had been
equals in birth. When Stuteley had thrown Robin thrice at "touch and
hold," within sight of the hall--it was indeed upon the soft grass of
the pleasance--Warrenton looked to see old Gamewell thundering forth.

When the Squire came not, and Robin nerved himself for yet another
tussle, the retainer shrugged his shoulders and even took an interest in
the matter.

[Illustration: ROBIN WRESTLES WILL STUTELEY AT GAMEWELL

_"Catch him by the middle," he shouted. "Now you have him, lording,
fairly. Throw him prettily!" And sure enough Stuteley came down._]

"Catch him by the middle," he shouted. "Now you have him, lording,
fairly. Throw him prettily!" And sure enough Stuteley came down.

"Does Master Gamewell play at archery here, Warrenton?" Robin asked,
presently, when he and Will were tired of wrestling. "Are they not
targets that I see yonder?"

The old man's eye lit up with pride. "Squire's as pretty a marksman as
any in Nottingham, lording, for all his years!" cried he. "And old
Warrenton it was who taught him. Yon target is a fair mark for any shaft
from where we stand. Yet I dare swear that Gamewell's lord would never
miss the bull in fifty shots at it!"

"Have you bow and quiver here?" inquired Robin, eagerly. "Mine I have
left in my room."

"Cross bow, longbow, or what you will, most noble. All that Gamewell has
I am to give you. Such were my master's commands. An your esquire will
run to the little hut near by, within the trees, he will find all that
we need."

"Go, Will. Haste you, and bring me a proper bow," cried Robin, with
sparkling eyes. "Now I'll bend the yew and see if I cannot do better
than in Sherwood."

Master Stuteley, having journeyed to the hut, peeped in and started back
with a cry of affright.

"The Yellow Woman, Robin!" called he, scampering back to them. "She is
in there, and did snatch at me! Let us run, quickly!"

"Beshrew me, master, but this is an adventure, for sure! The Yellow One,
was it? Then your days are numbered, and we had better be seeking a new
esquire," said Warrenton.

"Are you afraid, Warrenton?" said Robin, moving involuntarily nearer to
him. He glanced from one to the other, undecided whether to believe Will
or stand an