se, and can be
none other than Robin Hood. Take me, fellows; but let me tell you that
ye ha' laid hand upon the stoutest yeoman that ever trod the woodlands."

"Thou wilt play madman, wilt thou?" said the leader of the band. "Here,
Giles, fetch a cord and bind this knave's hands behind him. I warrant
we will bring his wits back to him again when we get him safe before our
good Bishop at Tutbury Town." Thereupon they tied the Cobbler's hands
behind him, and led him off with a rope, as the farmer leads off the
calf he hath brought from the fair. Robin stood looking after them, and
when they were gone he laughed till the tears rolled down his cheeks;
for he knew that no harm would befall the honest fellow, and he pictured
to himself the Bishop's face when good Quince was brought before him
as Robin Hood. Then, turning his steps once more to the eastward, he
stepped out right foot foremost toward Nottinghamshire and Sherwood
Forest.

But Robin Hood had gone through more than he wotted of. His journey
from London had been hard and long, and in a se'ennight he had traveled
sevenscore and more of miles. He thought now to travel on without
stopping until he had come to Sherwood, but ere he had gone a half a
score of miles he felt his strength giving way beneath him like a river
bank which the waters have undermined. He sat him down and rested, but
he knew within himself that he could go no farther that day, for his
feet felt like lumps of lead, so heavy were they with weariness. Once
more he arose and went forward, but after traveling a couple of miles
he was fain to give the matter up, so, coming to an inn just then, he
entered and calling the landlord, bade him show him to a room, although
the sun was only then just sinking in the western sky. There were but
three bedrooms in the place, and to the meanest of these the landlord
showed Robin Hood, but little Robin cared for the looks of the place,
for he could have slept that night upon a bed of broken stones. So,
stripping off his clothes without more ado, he rolled into the bed and
was asleep almost ere his head touched the pillow.

Not long after Robin had so gone to his rest a great cloud peeped
blackly over the hills to the westward. Higher and higher it arose
until it piled up into the night like a mountain of darkness. All around
beneath it came ever and anon a dull red flash, and presently a short
grim mutter of the coming thunder was heard. Then up rode four stout
b