place where he is kept, I
will return, and consult upon the best steps to be taken. My presence in
England is now useless. Did the barons raise the standard of King
Richard against the prince, I should at once return and join them. But
without land or vassals, I can do nothing here, and shall be indeed like
a hunted hare, for I know that the false earl will move heaven and earth
to capture me."

Sir Baldwin approved of the resolution; but recommended Cuthbert to take
every precaution not to fall himself into the hands of the emperor;
"for," he said, "if we cannot discover the prison of King Richard, I
fear that it would be hopeless indeed ever to attempt to find that in
which a simple knight is confined."

CHAPTER XXV.

IN SEARCH OF THE KING.

The following day, with many thanks, Cuthbert started from the castle,
and in the first place visited the convent, and told Lady Margaret that
she would be fetched in a few days by Sir Baldwin and his wife. He took
a tender adieu of her, not without many forebodings and tears upon her
part; but promising blithely that he would return and lead her back in
triumph to her castle, he bade adieu and rode for London.

He had attired himself as a merchant, and took up his abode at a
hostelry near Cheapside. Here he remained quietly for some days, and,
mixing among the people, learned that in London as elsewhere the
rapacity of Prince John had rendered him hateful to the people, and that
they would gladly embrace any opportunity of freeing themselves from his
yoke. He was preparing to leave for France, when the news came to him
that Prince John had summoned all the barons faithful to him to meet him
near London, and had recalled all his mercenaries from different parts
of the country, and was gathering a large army; also, that the barons
faithful to King Richard, alarmed by the prospect, had raised the royal
standard, and that true men were hurrying to their support. This
entirely destroyed the plans that he had formed. Taking horse again, and
avoiding the main road, by which he might meet the hostile barons on
their way to London, he journeyed down to Nottingham. Thence riding
boldly into the forest, he sought the outlaws, and was not long ere he
found them. At his request he was at once taken before their leader, a
man of great renown both for courage and bowmanship, one Robin Hood.
This bold outlaw had long held at defiance the sheriff of Nottingham,
and had routed him an