Toledo--finely tempered steel which the Queen had given him.
But the crab-tree-staff had been fired and hardened and seasoned by the
tinker's arts until it was like a bar of iron--no pleasant neighbor for
one's ribs.

Robin presently found this out to his sorrow. The long reach and long
stick got to him when 'twas impossible for him to touch his antagonist.
So his sides began to ache sorely.

"Hold your hand, tinker," he said at length. "I cry a boon of you."

"Before I do it," said the tinker, "I'd hang you on this tree."

But even as he spoke, Robin found the moment's grace for which he
longed; and immediately grasped his horn and blew the three well-known
blasts of the greenwood.

"A murrain seize you!" roared the tinker commencing afresh. "Up to your
old tricks again, are you? Well, I'll have time to finish my job, if I
hurry."

But Robin was quite able to hold his own at a pinch, and they had not
exchanged many lunges and passes when up came Little John and Will
Scarlet and a score of yeomen at their heels. Middle was seized without
ceremony, while Robin sat himself down to breathe. "What is the matter?"
quoth Little John, "that you should sit so weariedly upon the highway
side?"

"Faith, that rascally tinker yonder has paid his score well upon my
hide," answered Robin ruefully.

"That tinker, then," said Little John, "must be itching for more work.
Fain would I try if he can do as much for me."

"Or me," said Will Scarlet, who like Little John was always willing to
swing a cudgel.

"Nay," laughed Robin. "Belike I could have done better, an he had given
me time to pull a young tree up by the roots. But I hated to spoil
the Queen's blade upon his tough stick or no less tough hide. He had a
warrant for my arrest which I stole from him."

"Also, item, twelve silver pennies," interposed the tinker, unsubdued;
"item, one crust of bread, 'gainst my supper. Item, one lump of solder.
Item, three pieces of twine. Item, six single keys. Item--"

"Yes, I know," quoth the merry Robin; "I stood outside the landlord's
window and heard you count over your losses. Here they are again; and
the silver pennies are turned by magic into gold. Here also, if you
will, is my hand."

"I take it heartily, with the pence!" cried Middle. "By my leathern coat
and tools, which I shall presently have out of that sly host, I swear
that I never yet met a man I liked as well as you! An you and your
men here will take me, I swear I