llagers
dared rescue the imprisoned ones that night, for fear of Robin Hood's
men. So it was not until sunup the next day, that they were released.
The Bishop and the old knight, stiff as they were, did not delay longer
than for breakfast, but so great was their rage and shame--made straight
to Nottingham and levied the Sheriff's forces. The Sheriff himself was
not anxious to try conclusions again with Robin in the open. Perhaps he
had some slight scruples regarding his oath. But the others swore that
they would go straight to the King, if he did not help them, so he was
fain to consent.

A force of an hundred picked men from the Royal Foresters and swordsmen
of the shire was gathered together and marched straightway into the
greenwood. There, as fortune would have it, they surprised some score of
outlaws hunting, and instantly gave chase. But they could not surround
the outlaws, who kept well in the lead, ever and anon dropping behind
a log or boulder to speed back a shaft which meant mischief to the
pursuers. One shaft indeed carried off the Sheriff's hat and caused
that worthy man to fall forward upon his horse's neck from sheer terror;
while five other arrows landed in the fleshy parts of Foresters' arms.

But the attacking party was not wholly unsuccessful. One outlaw in his
flight stumbled and fell; when two others instantly stopped and helped
to put him on his feet again. They were the widow's three sons, Stout
Will, and Lester, and John. The pause was an unlucky one for them, as
a party of Sheriff's men got above them and cut them off from their
fellows. Swordsmen came up in the rear, and they were soon hemmed in on
every side. But they gave good account of themselves, and before they
had been overborne by force of numbers they had killed two and disabled
three more.

The infuriated attackers were almost on the point of hewing the stout
outlaws to pieces, when the Sheriff cried:

"Hold! Bind the villains! We will follow the law in this and take them
to the town jail. But I promise ye the biggest public hanging that has
been seen in this shire for many changes of the moon!"

So they bound the widow's three sons and carried them back speedily to
Nottingham.

Now Robin Hood had not chanced to be near the scene of the fight, or
with his men; so for a time he heard nothing of the happening.

But that evening while returning to the camp he was met by the widow
herself, who came weeping along the way.

"What