f
Robin's company. Also there was John Berry, the forester, and that one
called Hal, who had been so much at the right hand of poor Will o' th'
Green in other days.

This little company travelled speedily, and within three days they had
brought themselves over the borders into the county of York.

Another two days brought them within a league of Fountain's Abbey or
Dale, as some folk call it.

As they neared the Abbey Robin walked on in front of the rest and held
his bow free in his hand.

Presently he came to a stream, and heard sounds of a jovial song
floating towards him. He hid under a bush and watched alertly. At
length, approaching the far bank, Robin espied a knight, clad in chain
armor and very merry.

He sang, in a lusty voice, a hearty woodland song. "Now by my bones!"
thought Robin, puzzled, "but I have heard this song before."

He peeped forth again, and saw that the knight filled up the spaces of
his song with bites from a great pasty which he held in his hand. His
face was turned from Robin.

Robin called out suddenly upon him, fitting an arrow to his bow as he
did so. "I pray you, Sir Knight, to carry me across this stream," said
Robin, covering the stranger with his weapon.

"Put down your bow, forester," shouted the knight, "and I will safely
carry you across the brook. 'Tis our duty in life to help each other,
and I do see that you are a man worthy of some attention."

His voice troubled Robin as his song had done; but whilst he was
searching his memory to fit a name to this courteous knight the latter
had waded across to him. "Jump upon my back, forester, and I'll bring
you to shore." He spoke through the bars of his closed visor.

Robin had cast down his bow; and now, without thinking, jumped upon the
knight's shoulders. The knight carried him safely over the brook.

"Now, gossip, you shall carry me over this stream," said the knight,
serenely; "one good turn deserves another, as you know."

"Nay, but I shall wet my feet," Robin commenced.

"No more than I have wetted mine," retorted the other. "Besides, yonder
is your bow, and small use are your arrows without it."

Robin perceived then that he had been too hasty. He considered for a
moment. "Leave your sword behind as I do my bow, Sir Knight," he said,
presently, "and I will carry you across the river."

The knight laughed and agreed, and Robin took him upon his back. It was
all that Robin could do to bring himself and his load to