stray sheep."

The knight said no more, though his eyes twinkled; and the shooting
began.

David of Doncaster shot first and landed safely through the rose
garland. Then came Allan-a-Dale and Little John and Stutely and Scarlet
and many of the rest, while the knight held his breath from very
amazement. Each fellow shot truly through the garland, until Middle the
tinker--not to be outdone--stepped up for a trial. But alas! while
he made a fair shot for a townsman, the arrow never came within a
hand-breath of the outer rim of the garland.

"Come hither, fellow," said Little John coaxingly. "The priest would
bless thee with his open hand."

Then because Middle made a wry face, as though he had already received
the buffet, and loitered in his steps, Arthur-a-Bland and Will Stutely
seized him by the arms and stood him before the friar. Tuck's big arm
flashed through the air--"whoof!" and stopped suddenly against the
tinker's ear; while Middle himself went rolling over and over on the
grass. He was stopped by a small bush, and up he sat, thrusting his head
through it, rubbing his ear and blinking up at the sky as though the
stars had fallen and struck him. The yeomen roared with merriment, and
as for the knight, he laughed till the tears came out of his blue eyes
and rolled down his face.

After Middle's mishap, others of the band seemed to lose their balance,
and fared in the same fashion. The garland would topple over in a most
impish way at every breath, although the arrows went through it. So
Middle 'gan to feel better when he saw this one and that one tumbling on
the sward.

At last came Robin's turn. He shot carefully, but as ill luck would have
it the shaft was ill-feathered and swerved sidewise so that it missed
the garland by full three fingers. Then a great roar went up from the
whole company; for 'twas rare that they saw their leader miss his mark.
Robin flung his bow upon the ground from very vexation.

"A murrain take it!" quoth he. "The arrow was sadly winged. I felt the
poor feather upon it as it left my fingers!"

Then suddenly seizing his bow again, he sped three shafts as fast as he
could sent them, and every one went clean through the garland.

"By Saint George!" muttered the knight. "Never before saw I such
shooting in all Christendom!"

The band cheered heartily at these last shots; but Will Scarlet came up
gravely to Robin.

"Pretty shooting, master!" quoth he, "but 'twill not save you fro