stant, for as it was the arrow whizzed by his ear
so close as to take a stray strand of his hair with it. Rob turned upon
his assailant, now twoscore yards away.

"Ha!" said he. "You shoot not so straight as I, for all your bravado.
Take this from the tupenny bow!"

Straight flew his answering shaft. The Head Forester gave one cry, then
fell face downward and lay still. His life had avenged Rob's father, but
the son was outlawed. Forward he ran through the forest, before the
band could gather their scattered wits--still forward into the great
greenwood. The swaying trees seemed to open their arms to the wanderer,
and to welcome him home.

Toward the close of the same day, Rob paused hungry and weary at the
cottage of a poor widow who dwelt upon the outskirts of the forest. Now
this widow had often greeted him kindly in his boyhood days, giving him
to eat and drink. So he boldly entered her door. The old dame was right
glad to see him, and baked him cakes in the ashes, and had him rest and
tell her his story. Then she shook her head.

"'Tis an evil wind that blows through Sherwood," she said. "The poor are
despoiled and the rich ride over their bodies. My three sons have been
outlawed for shooting King's deer to keep us from starving, and now hide
in the wood. And they tell me that twoscore of as good men as ever drew
bow are in hiding with them."

"Where are they, good mother?" cried Rob. "By my faith, I will join
them."

"Nay, nay," replied the old woman at first. But when she saw that there
was no other way, she said: "My sons will visit me to-night. Stay you
here and see them if you must."

So Rob stayed willingly to see the widow's sons that night, for they
were men after his own heart. And when they found that his mood was with
them, they made him swear an oath of fealty, and told him the haunt of
the band--a place he knew right well. Finally one of them said:

"But the band lacks a leader--one who can use his head as well as
his hand. So we have agreed that he who has skill enough to go to
Nottingham, an outlaw, and win the prize at archery, shall be our
chief."

Rob sprang to his feet. "Said in good time!" cried he, "for I had
started to that self-same Fair, and all the Foresters, and all the
Sheriff's men in Christendom shall not stand between me and the center
of their target!"

And though he was but barely grown he stood so straight and his eye
flashed with such fire that the three brothers seized