the beggars answered never a word, but they looked at
Robin as great Blunderbore looked upon stout Jack the slayer of giants,
as though they would fain eat him, body and bones; nevertheless, they
did not care to come nigher to him and his terrible staff. Then, seeing
them so hesitate, Robin of a sudden leaped upon them, striking even as
he leaped. Down went the Dumb man, and away flew his cudgel from his
hand as he fell. At this the others ducked to avoid another blow, then,
taking to their heels, scampered, the one one way and the other the
other, as though they had the west wind's boots upon their feet. Robin
looked after them, laughing, and thought that never had he seen so fleet
a runner as the Lame man; but neither of the beggars stopped nor turned
around, for each felt in his mind the wind of Robin's cudgel about his
ears.

Then Robin turned to the two stout knaves lying upon the ground. Quoth
he, "These fellows spake somewhat about certain moneys they were taking
to Lincoln; methinks I may find it upon this stout blind fellow,
who hath as keen sight as e'er a trained woodsman in Nottingham or
Yorkshire. It were a pity to let sound money stay in the pockets of
such thieving knaves." So saying, he stooped over the burly rascal and
searched among his rags and tatters, till presently his fingers felt a
leathern pouch slung around his body beneath his patched and tattered
coat. This he stripped away and, weighing it in his hands, bethought
himself that it was mighty heavy. "It were a sweet thing," said he to
himself, "if this were filled with gold instead of copper pence." Then,
sitting down upon the grass, he opened the pocket and looked into it.
There he found four round rolls wrapped up in dressed sheepskin; one of
these rolls he opened; then his mouth gaped and his eyes stared, I wot,
as though they would never close again, for what did he see but fifty
pounds of bright golden money? He opened the other pockets and found in
each one the same, fifty bright new-stamped golden pounds. Quoth Robin,
"I have oft heard that the Beggars' Guild was over-rich, but never did
I think that they sent such sums as this to their treasury. I shall take
it with me, for it will be better used for charity and the good of my
merry band than in the enriching of such knaves as these." So saying, he
rolled up the money in the sheepskin again, and putting it back in the
purse, he thrust the pouch into his own bosom. Then taking up the fla