e's blue eyes glistened happily.

"Did your--sister send you, Master Gilbert?" asked Robin, with his heart
in his mouth.

The boy gave him a puzzled stare. "My sister--who told you that I had a
sister?" Then, changing his policy with swift intuition: "Ay, my sister
did send me to find the man. Bring me to him."

"Follow me, Master Gilbert of Blois," cried Robin. So Marian had
remembered him. It was a happy morning, indeed!

"This poor stag," began the page, pointing to it. "I wish now that I had
not slain it."

"'Tis one of the King's deer," observed Robin, grave again, "and you may
be hanged for the killing of it. What put so desperate a business into
your mind, friend?"

"I--to tell truth, had a notion to be made outlaw, like--like unto
Master Robin, in short," said the page. "But I did not know that they
might hang me for't." He made a grimace.

Robin went up to the beast and drew out the boy's arrow. Then he stuck
one of his own peacocked shafts into the wound. "Now you are safe,
Gilbert," said he, smiling. "Take the arrow, and keep it in your quiver
until we can dispose of it. I leave my mark upon the buck--my fellows
will find and deal with it."

They walked together into Barnesdale, and Robin showed the boy their
hiding-place and presented him to the rest. He asked that he might
become one of their company, and all agreed. So he took the vow
fervently, and was given Little John's place for the nonce.

Robin asked them not to mention him by name, wishing to know more of
Master Gilbert's plans ere disclosing himself. The boy was full of
chatter, and had news for them, too. He gave them the sequel to the
Bishop's adventure, and told how my lord of Hereford had come into
Nottingham in parlous state--more dead than alive: how he had lain
prostrate upon a sick-bed in the Sheriff's house for the best part of
three days: how, having briefly recovered, he had made a full statement
of his experiences, and had cursed the greenwood men with bell, book,
and candle: how he had sworn that he they thought to be dead--Robin of
Locksley--was very much alive and full of wickedness.

"Master Monceux, whom I have no cause to love," continued Gilbert, in
quick speech, "has bidden his archers and men to assemble, and has
promised a round sum for the head of each greenwood man, such as I
perceive you all to be, and since I am now of your company, friends, I
suppose my head is worth as much as Master Robin's or any of yours?