rhuman strength.

Up he took him on his back,
And bare him well a mile;
Many a time he laid him down,
And shot another while.

Meanwhile Little John grew weaker and closed his eyes; at last he sank
to the ground, and feebly motioned Robin to let him lie. "Master
Robin," said he, "have I not served you well, ever since we met upon the
bridge?"

"Truer servant never man had," answered Robin.

"Then if ever you loved me, and for the sake of that service, draw your
bright brown sword and strike off my head; never let me fall alive into
the hand of the Sheriff of Nottingham."

"Not for all the gold in England would I do either of the things you
suggest."

"God forbid!" cried Arthur-a-Bland, hurrying to the rescue. And packing
his wounded kinsman upon his own broad shoulders, he soon brought him
within the shelter of the forest.

Once there, the Sheriff's men did not follow; and Robin caused litters
of boughs to be made for Little John and the other four wounded men.
Quickly were they carried through the wood until the hermitage of Friar
Tuck was reached, where their wounds were dressed. Little John's hurt
was pronounced to be the most serious of any, but he was assured that
in two or three weeks' time he could get about again; whereat the active
giant groaned mightily.

That evening consternation came upon the hearts of the band. A careful
roll-call was taken to see it all the yeomen had escaped, when it was
found that Will Stutely was missing, and Maid Marian also was nowhere to
be found. Robin was seized with dread. He knew that Marian had gone to
the Fair, but felt that she would hardly come to grief. Her absence,
however, portended some danger, and he feared that it was connected with
Will Stutely. The Sheriff would hang him speedily and without mercy, if
he were captured.

The rest of the band shared their leader's uneasiness, though they said
no word. They knew that if Will were captured, the battle must be fought
over again the next day, and Will must be saved at any cost. But no man
flinched from the prospect.

That evening, while the Sheriff and his wife and daughter sat at meat in
the Mansion House, the Sheriff boasted of how he would make an example
of the captured outlaw; for Stutely had indeed fallen into his hands.

"He shall be strung high," he said, in a loud voice; "and none shall
dare lift a finger. I now have Robin Hood's men on the run, and we shall
soon see who is mast