arms
and steed with red trappings, the spy, eyeing him from beside the
Sheriff of Nottingham, would know that Will o' th' Green was to be
trusted, and would promptly bear the joyful news to his Royal Master.
Had sad black been the note, John's man would have guessed that friends
were still to seek about Nottingham.

Thus we know that Master Will had more reasons than one for appearing
as a wizard at Nottingham Fair. He had gone here chiefly to bear a
scroll to the Prince's emissary, and to declare fealty to John; but the
affair of the tumblers and Robin's discovery of him had warned Master
Will not to stay over long in the town, so Geoffrey had to depend upon
his plan of appearing as the Scarlet Knight.

The morning broke dull and threateningly over Gamewell. Robin and his
esquire slept late; but no one offered to disturb their slumbers. The
monk knew full well that there was good cause for his pupil's fatigue;
and had set himself to discover the true meaning of it. "Boy," said he
to Robin, "I pray that you do not think upon Nottingham to-day. There
will be a storm and much rain. The mud in the meadows of Nottingham will
surely spoil the bravery of the Fair, and show us too plainly how
trumpery and vain a matter it is."

"For that cause alone will we go, dear friend," retorted Robin. "It will
be a lesson to us. With you beside us to point the moral, much benefit
shall accrue, for sure. Father," Robin added, "come with us now to the
pleasance. There Warrenton is to show me how to notch arrows and pick a
courtly bow."

"I have no great wisdom in the game, boy; yet readily will I go with
you."

The three of them went in search of Warrenton; and found him with the
captain of the foresters.

Dame Fitzooth and the Squire followed later to the pleasance, and there
one and all tried conclusions. Robin soon found that Warrenton could
teach him much; and he was too anxious to excel in the conduct of the
bow to neglect this chance of learning the many secrets of it. "Men
shall talk of you"--Fitzooth's own words to him--always rang in his
heart whenever he drew the cord and fitted ash across yew.

Warrenton took great pleasure in showing Robin some of the tricks in
which he was so perfect; and explained them so well that ere an hour had
gone the lad had learned and mastered them.

"Lording," said the old servant, watching him as he essayed successfully
an exercise shown him but a few minutes before. "Lording, I do not dou