you go to my father,' he
cried, 'and tell him to tell aunt that I'm quite well, and that
some day I'm coming home."

The man stopped, for just then the Sheriff closed his eyes again
and said something very softly, which Robin's aunt heard, and she
sank upon her knees and covered her face with her hands.

Then the Sheriff sprang to his feet, looking quite a different man.

"Here," he said to the bringer of the news, and he gave him some
gold pieces. "Could you find your way back to the outlaws' camp in
the forest?"

"Oh! yes, Master Sheriff, that I could, though they did bind a
cloth over my face when they brought me away."

"And you could lead me and a strong body of fighting men right to
the outlaws' camp?"

"I could, Master Sheriff," said the man, beginning slowly to lay
the gold pieces back one by one upon the table; "but I can't do
evil for good."

"What?" cried the Sheriff angrily. "They are robbers and outlaws,
and every subject of the King has a right to slay them."

"May be, Master Sheriff," said the man drily; "but I'm not going to
fly at the throat of one who did nothing but good to me. They tell
me that Robin Hood's a noble earl who offended the King, and had to
fly for his life. What I say is, he's a noble kind-hearted
gentleman, and if it was my boy he had there, looking as happy as
the day is long, I'd go to him without any fighting men."

"How, then?" cried the Sheriff.

"Just like a father should, master, and ask him for my boy like a
man."

"That will do," said the Sheriff. "You can go."

The man turned to leave the room, when the Sheriff said sharply:

"Stop! You are leaving the gold pieces I gave you."

"Yes, I can't take pay to lead anyone to fight against Robin Hood
and his men."

"Those pieces were for the news you brought me," said the Sheriff.
"Yes, take them, for you have behaved like an honest man."

But the Sheriff did not take the man's advice, neither did he
listen to the appeal of young Robin's aunt. For, as Sheriff of
Nottingham, he said to himself that it was his duty to destroy or
scatter the band of outlaws who had lived in Sherwood Forest for so
long a time.

So he gathered a strong body of crossbow-men, and others with
spears and swords, besides asking for the help of two gallant
knights who came with their esquires mounted and in armour with
their men.

Somehow Robin Hood knew what was being prepared, and about a week
after, when the Sheriff and his