sed?" said Sir Ralph.

"Passing loyal," said young Gamwell.

"If I should call on them in the king's name," said Sir Ralph, "think
you they would aid and assist?"

"Most likely they would," said young Gamwell, "one side or the other."

"Ay, but which side?" said the knight.

"That remains to be tried," said young Gamwell.

"I have King Henry's commission," said the knight, "to apprehend this
earl that was. How would you advise me to act, being, as you see,
without attendant force?"

"I would advise you," said young Gamwell, "to take yourself off without
delay, unless you would relish the taste of a volley of arrows, a shower
of stones, and a hailstorm of cudgel-blows, which would not be turned
aside by a God save King Henry."

Sir Ralph's squire no sooner heard this, and saw by the looks of the
speaker that he was not likely to prove a false prophet, than he clapped
spurs to his horse and galloped off with might and main. This gave the
knight a good excuse to pursue him, which he did with great celerity,
calling, "Stop, you rascal." When the squire fancied himself safe out
of the reach of pursuit, he checked his speed, and allowed the knight
to come up with him. They rode on several miles in silence, till
they discovered the towers and spires of Nottingham, where the knight
introduced himself to the sheriff, and demanded an armed force to assist
in the apprehension of the outlawed Earl of Huntingdon. The sheriff, who
was willing to have his share of the prize, determined to accompany the
knight in person, and regaled him and his man with good store of the
best; after which, they, with a stout retinue of fifty men, took the way
to Gamwell feast.

"God's my life," said the sheriff, as they rode along, "I had as lief
you would tell me of a service of plate. I much doubt if this outlawed
earl, this forester Robin, be not the man they call Robin Hood, who
has quartered himself in Sherwood Forest, and whom in endeavouring
to apprehend I have fallen divers times into disasters. He has
gotten together a band of disinherited prodigals, outlawed debtors,
excommunicated heretics, elder sons that have spent all they had, and
younger sons that never had any thing to spend; and with these he kills
the king's deer, and plunders wealthy travellers of five-sixths of their
money; but if they be abbots or bishops, them he despoils utterly."

The sheriff then proceeded to relate to his companion the adventure of
the abbot of Do