eneath their robes?
Ha! By my faith, I take thee to be some lusty thief, and perhaps one of
Robin Hood's own band! Now, by Our Lady's grace, if thou movest hand or
foot, I will run thee through the body with my sword!"

Then he flashed forth his bright sword and leaped upon Will Stutely,
thinking he would take him unaware; but Stutely had his own sword
tightly held in his hand, beneath his robe, so he drew it forth before
the constable came upon him. Then the stout constable struck a mighty
blow; but he struck no more in all that fight, for Stutely, parrying the
blow right deftly, smote the constable back again with all his might.
Then he would have escaped, but could not, for the other, all dizzy with
the wound and with the flowing blood, seized him by the knees with his
arms even as he reeled and fell. Then the others rushed upon him, and
Stutely struck again at another of the Sheriff's men, but the steel
cap glanced the blow, and though the blade bit deep, it did not kill.
Meanwhile, the constable, fainting as he was, drew Stutely downward, and
the others, seeing the yeoman hampered so, rushed upon him again, and
one smote him a blow upon the crown so that the blood ran down his face
and blinded him. Then, staggering, he fell, and all sprang upon him,
though he struggled so manfully that they could hardly hold him fast.
Then they bound him with stout hempen cords so that he could not move
either hand or foot, and thus they overcame him.

Robin Hood stood under the greenwood tree, thinking of Will Stutely and
how he might be faring, when suddenly he saw two of his stout yeomen
come running down the forest path, and betwixt them ran buxom Maken
of the Blue Boar. Then Robin's heart fell, for he knew they were the
bearers of ill tidings.

"Will Stutely hath been taken," cried they, when they had come to where
he stood.

"And is it thou that hast brought such doleful news?" said Robin to the
lass.

"Ay, marry, for I saw it all," cried she, panting as the hare pants when
it has escaped the hounds, "and I fear he is wounded sore, for one smote
him main shrewdly i' the crown. They have bound him and taken him to
Nottingham Town, and ere I left the Blue Boar I heard that he should be
hanged tomorrow day."

"He shall not be hanged tomorrow day," cried Robin; "or, if he be,
full many a one shall gnaw the sod, and many shall have cause to cry
Alack-a-day!"

Then he clapped his horn to his lips and blew three blasts righ