for the sake of both sides it should take place on the borders of the two counties, and the prize to be an arrow, the shaft of which should be silver, the head { and feathers of gold. The proposition was met with the highest enthusiasm by the townspeople, and they went in such a body to the castle to beg the permission, that Fitz Alwine almost danced with joy in anticipation of { the entire accomplishment of his scheme, the first part of it having so well succeeded. He dissembled his joy, however, and gave his assent with an air of indifference, and said at the same time, as the consent { appeared to give them so much pleasure, he had no objection to preside upon the occasion, if it would be of any consequence or service to the affair. The deputation of townspeople, one and all present, requested his presence with one voice, and appeared as delighted as if they loved him with all their hearts, and as though there was something goodly in his presence, which would shed gladness on the circle over which he was to preside; and they went forth and published his condescension with outstretched hands, open eyes, and mouths more open still. The match was proclaimed open to all comers of each county, the day was appointed, and the spot named, between Barnsdale Wood and Mansfeld. As means were taken to spread it in the two counties, it { soon reached Robin Hood, and he resolved to make one among the competitors, for the honour of the spot where he was brought up-where all his early and happy days were passed. When, however, he heard the Sheriff of Nottingham was to preside at { the trial, he suspected something of foul play towards himself. He fancied it might be a lure to entrap him, under the pretence of safety and protection to all comers; and to be on the safe side, as well as turn the tables on those who devised ill for him, he determined to do his best to counteract their schernes. Accordingly, upon the day previous to the one the match was to take place upon, he assembled his men, and told them he would go and shoot for the honour of Nottingham county, and that with him, as he doubted the faith of the sheriff, should go seven score of the merrie men. Six of them should shoot with him; they were to be variously attired, and the remainder were to so dispose themselves that, in case of foul play, they could unite in a body at a moment's notice: they were to have their bows ready bent, their sheafs full of arrows, and be in all ways prepared for desperate action. His orders were obeyed to the letter, and the time for their departure having arrived, they set forth. On coming near the place where the people were assembled, they separated, and mixed apparently indiscriminately with the crowd. Robin Hood, Little John, Will Scarlet, Much, Gilbert of the White Hand, Reynold Greenleaf, and George-a-Green, being the seven of the merrie men who were to shoot, kept together; they were all dressed differently, and scarce spoke to each other to avoid all chance of being recognised; for being in so large an assembly of people, the greater proportion being Derbyshire and Yorkshiremen, his probabilities of escape, should he be set upon, were few, unless by a determined and vigorous resistance, or the employment of the best stratagems. to direct their arrows, and by the side was a small building erected, in which the sheriff was to sit, judge the shots, and award the prize. He was attended by a numerous body of men-at-arms, and had enrolled a quantity of the townspeople to serve in the capacity of peace officers, who were upon any disturbance to unite, seize the brawler, and drag him before the sheriff. A great number of men-at-arms in yeomen's dresses were distributed among the crowd, with orders to the like effect; and by these means Baron Fitz Alwine hoped, if Robin Hood made his appearance-which on such an occasion he had little doubt he would-he would be enabled to get him in his power, and wreak in the most summary manner upon him the vengeance which had been so long denied him. The sport commenced. Three Nottingham men shot at the targets, and all hit the mark, but none in the centre. Three north country yeomen next fired with an equal success, making a tye; then Will Scarlet shot, and put his shaft in the centre of the mark with the greatest ease. There was a great shout, the arrow was withdrawn, and Little John followed; the point of his arrow occupied the same hole which Will's had previously made; and ere the butt-keeper could remove his shaft, Robin Hood fired, and shivered Little John's arrow to pieces, his own shaft taking its place. There was a great uproar among the people, the Nottingham men offering wagers freely. Three Yorkshire men, the best archers of their county, next advanced, and taking steady aims, each hit the centre of the bull's eye. The north country men were now uproarious in their turns, and took the wagers as fast as the Nottingham men would lay them. The sheriff kept a very sharp look out, but not being quite so long-sighted as he had been years ago, he could not, at a hundred and fifty yards-the distance at which the archers stood from the buttsdistinguish the features of any one sufficiently to recognise whether his enemy was among the competitors. Much, Gilbert of the White Hand, Reynold Greenleaf, and George-a-Green, took their turn next, each hitting the centre with the nicest precision; four north country men succeeded them, and tyed them. It was now found that many of these men ware so practised at the butts, that they could hit the centre of the bull's eye without fail; wands were therefore erected, and seven of a side were chosen. The Nottingham people declared at once for those who had already been so successful for them, Robin Hood and his men; and the Yorkshire men agreed to put the honour of their county in the hands of those yeomen who had ventured so well for them. The Yorkshire men had the lead off, and their first archer slit the wand; the second grazed it; the next missed it, but went so close to it, that it was not thought possible by the Yorkshire men or even Nottingham men they could be beaten. However the opinion was speedily changed, when Will Scarlet advanced, and taking up his bow carelessly, shot his arrow underhand, and clove the willow wand all to splinters. "Hurrah for Nottinghamshire!" cried the Nottingham men, flinging up their caps without the slightest reflection as to whether they should ever recover them again. The spot selected for this play of archery was an extensive glade on the borders of Barnsdale Wood, contiguous to the highway, a long flat of considerable Fresh wands were erected, and each one of Robin's dimensions, and hundreds of people of the neigh-men, from Little John to George-a-Green, clove the bouring counties had assembled to witness the sport. They were arranged in a circle, and nearly in the centre was placed the butts at which the archers were wand with the greatest ease; it came to Robin's turn, and he discharged three arrows at the wand with such rapidity, that but for seeing the thred transfix it, and none else but him firing, they would not have credited it. Thereupon it was declared that the Nottingham men were the better archers; but as only one man could claim the arrow, Robin Hood and the north country archer, who at his first shot had slit the wand, were chosen to shoot for it. progress; they opened a lane for them to pass through, and then closed it up, as Robin, the last to retreat, retired. They could not long stem the torrent, although the Nottingham men took up the quarrel earnestly, and in the height of their rage pelted and bestowed every epithet of contumely upon the man they had been so delighted to have preside over them. Soon were the soldiery and crowds of Yorkshire men in full pursuit of them, but they were kept in check by the admirable manner in which Robin conducted the retreat; every now and then his men discharged a flight of arrows, which told with terrible effect upon the pursuers; staying their progress, and frequently throwing them into confusion; they returned the shots, but with very little effect. At length, after they had been retreating some hours, with four or five times their number in pursuit, they halted a short time to recruit, and their pursuers Several descriptions of trials of skill were determined on and essayed, but in all Robin Hood was the victor, although the north country man proved himself an archer of no mean kind. Many there said Robin Hood could not have shot better than did Robin Hood himself-for they knew him not, and distinguished him by the appellative of Red Jacket; but the name got bruited about, and the exclamation, { as exclamations too frequently are, got perverted, and at last it was said to be Robin Hood himself; upon which the Yorkshire men cried it was not a fair trial of skill, he being a too practised hand, and not liking to lose the honour or their money-much the pre-gained rapidly on them; they waited until they came ponderating consideration-they tried to bring it to a wrangle. The merrie men no sooner found what was going on, than, by a preconcerted signal, they united together in a small but compact body of ninety men, and got ready for hard fighting. All this while Robin Hood was led up to the sheriff amid the acclamations of the Nottingham men, to receive the prize which the Baron Fitz Alwine was to present. well within arrow-shot, and then they shot so hard and fast that the comers were glad also to halt, and seek the protection of such trees as would cover them from the heavy fire they were receiving, and enable them with more security to return the fire; but when they had ensconced themselves, and commenced shooting with more system than they had hitherto done, the merrie men were in full retreat again. Little John, who was by Robin Hood's side, after they had been upon the retreat some time, turned suddenly to him and said— "Dear friend, my time has come; I am deeply wounded, and can go no further." "What!" cried Robin, looking at him as if he had been stunned. "I am "It is as I say," returned Little John. wounded in the knee; I have lost so much blood my limbs refuse to bear me ;" and he fell heavily on the ground. As Robin kept his head down in the attitude of humility, the baron could not exactly tell whether it was him or not, albeit there was a great similarity in the figure; he was in a state of incertitude, and therefore, with some complimentary words, he placed the arrow in Robin's hands, keeping the sharpest of sharp glances upon him, to detect if it was or was not the celebrated outlaw. No sooner had our hero received it, than he transferred it to his belt, and looked full in the sheriff's face, saying laughingly"I esteem the gift more than I have words to express, more particularly as it is presented to me by so kind a friend as yourself. I am now returning to my home, among the green leaves and flowers, and shall preserve this prize as a memento of having kept "Nay, it is of no use, Robin," said Little John, his for Nottinghamshire the honour of being the best voice growing feeble, "the strength is out of the archers, and a testimony of your noble want of pre-limb, and I can walk no further. I know too well judice or personal feeling. I bid you good den, Master Sheriff." "Stop! stay!" roared the sheriff. "Soldiers, do your duty; this is Robin Hood; seize him!" "Dastardly wretch!" shouted Robin, "you declared this a full fair play, open and safe to all comers." "But not to you," cried the sheriff. "Seize him!" "The first man had need to mutter his prayers ere he advances," cried Robin, in a stentorian voice, bending his bow, and aiming at a fellow who came running to seize him, but who, instantly he saw the extended bow, recoiled, stopped, and then ran back. Robin blew his horn on the instant, and retreated upon his men, who were advancing hastily to support him, led on by Little John and Will Scarlet. They soon joined; and Robin ordered them to bend their bows, and retreat in close order-for the numbers were by far too great to attempt to oppose with anything like success, or without a terrible effusion of blood. The baron roared to his men to follow them up, and the north country men, annoyed at being defeated and their losses, prepared to assist them; but the Nottingham men being winners, cheered Robin and his men heartily, prevented the Yorkshire men and the men-at-arms, in private clothes, from staying their "No, no, it is not so," returned Robin, kneeling by his side, and raising him up. "Lean on me, come, fear not, I am not tired, I can well bear your weight. Let me bind up your wound for you." the danger of delay, and so do you and the merrie men. Go on, and leave me here." "Never!" exclaimed Robin, energetically. "Never think upon it, but do it," urged Little John, "you have too many lives under your protection to think of me. Leave me here; but if you ever loved me as a friend, as a brother who has loved you dearly, or as a servant who has served you truly and faithfully, without thought of himself, if it be only for the meed of my service to you, let not the villanous sheriff and his hounds find me alive, but do thou draw thy good blade, and smite off my head, that I may die as befits a good and true Saxon, and I will, as I have ever done, bless thee for the good deed. Let not a breath of life remain in me, to give them pleasure or me the pain of knowing they can insult my last moments. Do this for me, Robin, if you ever loved me." "I would not that thou wert slain, John," burst forth Robin, dashing a tear from his eye, " for all the gold in merry England, though it were at my side, in a heap. I would not that thou wert dead, for the sake of the lives of half the band, true and gallant hearts though they be. No! sooner than thou should be left here to die alone, I will bestride thy body, and fight to the last drop of blood left in my veins; and when I fall, it shall be by thy side, and we will to the next world together, hand in hand, heart { to heart, as we have done in this." "We will all fight, or die by his side," shouted Will Scarlet. "Here's Little John wounded nearly to death," he cried loudly to the merrie men, "who is there among ye will leave him to be captured by the crew who are after us ?" "None, none!" shouted the men with one accord; "let us all form round him and die by his side." "There's no need for any of you to die yet, nor Little John either," exclaimed Much; "he is wounded only in the leg, and faint from loss of blood. I'll put him on my back and carry him till I drop." "Then I will take him, and do the like," said Will Scarlet; "cheer up, Little John, we will never leave you." { "Most heartily do I thank him," returned Robin; never did a friend stand me in better need than he does now. Push on, my merrie men, for the castle; I see the caps of the sheriff's men through the trees, and we may as well spare blood as shed it." The men did as they were ordered, and pushed briskly on for the castle, while Robin Hood went to Little John to see how he bore up against his loss of blood. As they were retreating through the wood, they cut down some branches and made a litter of With a little opposition from Little John, Much green boughs, upon which he was gently laid; and lifted him upon his shoulder, and the retreat was passing a brook, Robin stripped off part of his under again commenced, for Robin had commanded a halt clothing, a woollen cloth of the finest texture then as soon as he had learned his faithful follower's con-made, tore it in strips, bathed his wound, and then dition; their delay had given their pursuers an opportunity of gaining upon them, and they pressed them very sore. The merrie men, by Robin's command, returned no fire but when it could be effective, for they had yet a long distance to proceed, and it was necessary to husband their arrows. They kept on their way with good hearts, and despaired not of yet reaching their haunt, and when there, they did not fear sending their pursuers back in the shape of fugitives. They kept on, and several times did Much lay down Little John in order to shoot, when a strong and long shot was wanted, and then took him up again, and bore him on his shoulders as cheerfully as if he had only his own quarter-staff there; occasionally he was relieved by Arthur-aBland, and Gasper-a-Tin. At length, as they got away from the highway, they saw at a short distance a castle, embowered in trees, and surrounded by a wide moat, and the whole situated in a spacious lee. "Ha!" cried Robin, "whose can yon castle be? Beshrew me, an' it be one who may not be well disposed towards us, it will go hard against us. Doth any one here know to whom yon castle belongeth ?" "That do I," returned Reynold Greenleaf. "It belongeth to Sir Richard Gower. This is the Lee Castle, and he is called Sir Richard of the Lee." "The Holy Virgin be praised!" exclaimed Robin Hood, fervently, "she never deserts me in my hour of need. Will Scarlet, haste you and summon the warden of yon castle, bid him with speed let Sir Richard of the Lee know that Robin Hood and a party of his men are without, craving admittance, being hard pressed by foes. We shall see whether the knight has forgotten an obligation." "My life on his faith!" cried Will, bounding off like a deer to obey the order. Robin kept his men well together, and though he made for the castle, yet he did it in such a manner as would enable him, in case of treachery, to alter his route and keep on to the wood; but he soon had the satisfaction of seeing a white flag hoisted on the castle walls, and a horseman leave the castle at the top of his speed, followed by one whom he knew to be Will, on foot. It was but a short time ere the horseman was up with Robin, had flung himself from his horse, and grasped his hand with the most vigorous enthusiasm. He was a tall, noble-formed youth, and he cast his eye over the merrie men with a proud look, as though he would give the world to be the leader of such a gallant little band. gathered a few herbs, bruised them as he went along, and laying them on the wound, bound it up. Although the agony must have been intense of cutting out the barbed head of the arrow with which he was shot, and which had buried itself in the flesh just above the knee, the shaft having broken short off at the head in his efforts to extricate it, yet he neither groaned or writhed, but smiled, for fear Robin should think he was hurting him, and so be pained himself. When Robin reached his side, as they approached the castle, he inquired "How fares it with you, Little John? are you better ?" "I have never had cause to feel so well, Robin, since I was born," he replied. "Never until to-day did I know the place I held in all your hearts; I thought, it is true, you would all do me a friendly service an' I needed one, or have a kind thought of me when I was laid beneath the turf, but I could never have believed it would have carried you to the extent of kindness you have shown since the stray arrow caught me. It has made me very happy, I do assure you, and I am not sorry that the mere scratch of a flesh wound should have proved the true hearts, and that they should have turned out so bravely-so nobly; it has made me very happy, indeed it has. I wish my heart could speak for me-it would tell you so much better what I mean than my tongue; but as it can't do that, why I must be content with telling you after the only fashion nature allows us." "And do you think, Little John, after what you have done for and as one of the band, they could esteem you so lightly as not to do more than they have done already ?" said Robin Hood. "You would have been the first to do as much-nay, more than what has been done-therefore, think not so much of what others, having the same feelings in common with yourself, would do for you. I am glad to see you are better." "I am better, and shall soon be well," was the reply, as Robin pressed his feverish hand; and, with a faint smile, he fell nearly fainting from weakness upon the litter. The moat and drawbridge were soon gained; the men passed safely over; and the bridge was drawn up again. While the sheriff and his men, as they came into sight, observing the castle and Robin's men in full retreat on it, had pushed forward in the hopes of having the fugitives safely in their power, the sheriff was rather startled at seeing the men march"I am Herbert Gower, the son of Sir Richard.ing into the castle in such order, but he was deterThrough me he bids you a hearty, honest, uncondi- mined to advance to the castle gates, and in the tional welcome," he cried, his voice becoming rich-king's name demand of the owner of the castle to www "And for him will I do all that can be done, for I esteem him highly," replied Sir Richard. "We will to him at once, and see that he is well cared for." "If you speak of Little John, as you call him-but I should call him the largest John I ever saw," cried Herbert, entering, followed by Will Scarlet, have seen him well attended to. There is a skilful leech from York, on his way to Derby, and he stopped here this morning for hospitality; he is now dressing the wound, and says it will soon he well." 66 we "I am glad to hear thee say so," said Robin; "and hearing this, shall be happy to attend thee where thou pleasest, Sir Richard." "It shall be to meet my wife and daughter Lilas," he returned; "they are anxious to receive thee, and are now waiting in an adjoining chamber." deliver up the merrie men and their leader to his "I know that this castle and these lands are mine," returned Sir Richard of the Lee, "that they are my kingdom, and that I shall keep here whomsoever I please, and remove any one I please. I have done nothing but what I would do at any and all times, and so, sir, you have your answer. Speed away with thee, and those with thee; say ye what you please to the king, and hear what he shall say to comfort ye; I bid ye hence, and I warn ye that unless ye are gone quickly, your doublets shall be trimmed well with stout shafts. I have no more to say, ye have your answer;" and he disappeared from the walls as he closed his speech. Fitz Alwine believed there was a chance of his keeping his word, and therefore took his advice; he called his men together and led them, tired and disappointed, from the spot. "Welcome to my castle, Robin Hood," exclaimed the knight, as the sheriff's men departed, "welcome to the home your great kindness beneath your trysting tree in the green wood kept for me; welcome truly art thou to me, Robin, for now shalt thou see what was the comfort I should have lost but for thee, and you may then appreciate how highly I ought, and do, esteem thy act." "Thou dost overrate a very simple service," returned Robin, "and if you must needs reward me for what I had the will and ability to do, do not speak of it. Ere I do anything, I have a follower of mine who is wounded, and I would see him well bestowed." "He shall be treated as if he were thyself," said the knight. { "It is Little John--the truest, noblest, most faithful friend I have," uttered Robin, with enthusiasm. "I would not that he should die for any consideration { on earth; and while I can in any way alleviate his pain by care and attention, I will do so right earnestly and heartily," "Ah!" exclaimed Herbert, pointing to Will, "I told my friend here that I had the most beautiful creature in the world for my wife, and he tells me that he has one that nothing ever excelled. He shall see mine, and then see what he will say." "He should see Maude," cried Will, "he would then say something, would he not, Robin ?" "I have no doubt he would," replied Robin, laugh "So will you when you see Lilas," said Herbert, speaking as earnestly as if his whole heart was in his words. And so he did; he made an exclamation of wonder, as did Robin, when they saw a very young timid girl, tall and slender, and as graceful as a fawn, with a face faultlessly beautiful, large, full, blue eyes, fringed with very long eyelashes, and, indeed, all the features as rare and choice as human nature could possess, led to them by Herbert, and he said in a low voice, looking upon her with passionate ardour— "This is my wife." And she met them with such a sweet grace, it made them deem her more beautiful, and she thanked Robin, in such terms, and in such a voice, for what he had done, that he really began to fancy he had done some out-of-the-way goodness; but he felt quite rewarded for it, however great it might have been, in being of service to such a being, or being thanked by her. The knight's lady met him with the same grateful feeling, and uttered her welcome with her thanks so pleasantly, and with such an unostentatious air of sincerity, that he felt no embarrassment at their being thus reiterated. "Understand, Robin Hood," said the knight, when each of the females had concluded, "there is no man on earth I love more, or perhaps so much, as I do thee; and I tell thee this in order that you may know and feel your welcome here is as earnest and sincere as you can desire, therefore hesitate not to do quite as you list. Here you are safe, while one stone stands upon another, from all the proud sheriffs of the kingdom, were they all assembled beneath these walls. I have ordered the gates to be shut, the drawbridge to be kept up, and no one suffered to come in without my especial order. All my people are under arms and at the walls, ready for any attempts the sheriff may make. As for yourself and merry men, you remain twelve days with me, I swear by St. Quintin; after that time you may stay as long as you list, with as sincere a welcome as now.' Robin thanked him, and consented to stay upon certain conditions; which were, that upon its being ascertained that the sheriff had really departed with his men from the vicinity, the merrie men should return to the haunt, and that Will Scarlet should go with them, and return with Marian, Maude, and Winifred. These propositions were gladly acceded to, and |