to another part of the room. Hard questions formed themselves in Robin's
mind--how had Little John known him? Stranger still, why did not my lord
of Hereford recognize Master John Little Nailor? He had been foremost in
the business with the Bishop. Robin recollected, all at once, that when
the Bishop had briefly come in to bless the supper, Little John had gone
out hurriedly with some dishes.

That was it, no doubt; but a mystery still remained. Robin decided to
pierce it ere the night was done. Some of the guests were far gone in
their cups, already; and Monceux had given over the buttery to the
butchers for the night. "I'll stay here then," decided Robin; and,
pretending to be suddenly overcome by the strong ale, he tumbled himself
down upon the rush-strewn floor.

He set up a great snoring, until Little John, taking him by the heels,
dragged him through the kitchen into a little larder, and there shut the
door on him. "Lie there, nasty pig," cried Little John from outside with
disgusted air, for his fellow-servants to note. "Lie there in a clean
sty for once; and if you grunt again I will surely souse you under the
pump!" At this threat Robin's snores abated somewhat in their violence.

"_I_ would drop him into the river forthwith," spoke a harsh voice,
startling Robin into fierce astonishment. There was no mistaking those
tones: so cruel, so false, so malicious. "Roger and Micah--Micah and
Roger." One of these two villains it was of a surety! But Robin had seen
them both slain on the day of that battle wherein poor Will of
Cloudesley had perished?

Trembling with amazement, he cautiously got upon his knees and peeped
through the keyhole. In the flagged kitchen, amidst the reek of hot
foods and disordered dishes, were two men--one of them Little John. The
other was dressed as a cook, and as he turned his face towards the light
of the fire Robin knew him for one of the two traitor outlaws. He had
changed little.

Little John answered his remark over his shoulder: "You would do many a
rash thing, Roger, if you could," was all he said; but he spoke in
sneering tone.

"Ay, marry; and one thing I would do, right instantly, dear gossip,"
said Roger, busying himself with the dishes. Robin saw that they shone
like gold in the ruddy light of the fire. "I would not have _you_ as
helpmate in this kitchen had I the ordering of matters. Big hands and
heavy hands and thieving hands. Ah, I need not be wizard to know them
w