me in his present life and the necessity of
making a living for them all that Master Monceux, his summons, and his
"appointment" of Ford were forgotten.

He killed such of the deer as his father had, under the King's charter,
for their own sustenance, and gathered the fruits from the garden at
Locksley. There were cows to be milked and sheep to be sheared.

The men worked for him without question. There had been no further
rebellion since Warrenton and Stuteley had so promptly checked the first
sign of it.

The Squire had sent twice to them such presents as he knew they would
accept, and he made no mention of Master Monceux.

Only one matter troubled Robin. Soon would come round the time when the
emoluments of the Rangership would be due; and _then_ Robin would have
to face the Sheriff and make him pay the moneys.

Having stifled any objections Montfichet might have had to his refusal
to recognize Robin as Ranger, the Sheriff was quite content to bide his
time, knowing that once in Nottingham, Robin would be entirely in his
power. Unforeseen events, however, upset these schemes and hastened
matters, even while Robin was perfecting himself in the use of the
longbow under Warrenton and in the art of wrestling with little lithe
Stuteley. The lean-faced man whom he saw at the tourney returned
suddenly to Nottingham from London, bearing news to the Sheriff that he
was to prepare the town at once for a visit from the young Prince John.

Master Simeon Carfax, to give the lean-faced one his full style, bade
them arrange for a great tourney to be held in Sherwood itself.

"Certes, Prince John may well be King over us in the end," murmured the
Sheriff to himself; and he dismissed all thought of Robin and his
defiance.

The Sheriff had some suspicion that Master Carfax had had more to do
with this sudden visit of the erstwhile rebellious Prince than that
pinch-nosed gentleman would allow. Further, he saw with some misgiving
that between Carfax and his own daughter there was an understanding, and
he decided to speak firmly with her; but, as she was still vexed with
him for not having dealt with young Fitzooth as promptly as she had
designed, the Sheriff thought it wise to wait his opportunity.

Meanwhile Robin passed his days equably: and now he could notch
Warrenton's shaft at one hundred paces, a feat difficult in the extreme.

The old retainer took huge delight in training the lad. "I do hear of a
brave business in ar