was sent to the worthy Sheriff at
Nottingham that he must lay hold upon the outlaws without further delay,
as he valued his office.

Indeed, the exploits of Robin and his band, ending with the great
tourney in Finsbury Field, had made a mighty stir through all England,
and many there were to laugh boldly at the Nottingham official for his
failures to capture the outlaws.

The Sheriff thereupon planned three new expeditions into the greenwood,
and was even brave enough to lead them, since he had fifteen-score men
at his beck and call each time. But never the shadow of an outlaw did
he see, for Robin's men lay close, and the Sheriff's men knew not how to
come at their chief hiding-place in the cove before the cavern.

Now the Sheriff's daughter had hated Robin Hood bitterly in her heart
ever since the day he refused to bestow upon her the golden arrow, and
shamed her before all the company. His tricks, also, upon her father
were not calculated to lessen her hatred, and so she sought about for
means to aid the Sheriff in catching the enemy.

"There is no need to go against this man with force of arms," she said.
"We must meet his tricks with other tricks of our own."

"Would that we could!" groaned the Sheriff. "The fellow is becoming a
nightmare unto me."

"Let me plan a while," she replied. "Belike I can cook up some scheme
for his undoing."

"Agreed," said the Sheriff, "and if anything comes of your planning,
I will e'en give you an hundred silver pennies for a new gown, and a
double reward to the man who catches the outlaws."

Now upon that same day, while the Sheriff's daughter was racking her
brains for a scheme, there came to the Mansion House a strolling tinker
named Middle, a great gossip and braggart. And as he pounded away upon
some pots and pans in the scullery, he talked loudly about what _he_
would do, if he once came within reach of that rascal Robin Hood.

"It might be that this simple fellow could do something through his
very simplicity," mused the Sheriff's daughter, overhearing his prattle.
"Odds bodikins! 'twill do no harm to try his service, while I bethink
myself of some better plan."

And she called him to her, and looked him over--a big brawny fellow
enough, with an honest look about the eye, and a countenance so open
that when he smiled his mouth seemed the only country on the map.

"I am minded to try your skill at outlaw catching," she said, "and will
add goodly measure to the stat