d found Robin. Thrusting a sword into his
hand Little John whispered to his master to follow him, and they crept
along till they reached the lowest part of the city wall, from which
they jumped and were safe and free.

'Now, farewell,' said Little John, 'I have done you a good turn for
an ill.' 'Not so,' answered Robin Hood, 'I make you master of my men
and me,' but Little John would hear nothing of it. 'I only wish to be
your comrade, and thus it shall be,' he replied.

* * * * *

'Little John has beguiled us both,' said the King, when he heard of
the adventure.

HOW THE KING VISITED ROBIN HOOD

Now the King had no mind that Robin Hood should do as he willed, and
called his Knights to follow him to Nottingham, where they would lay
plans how best to take captive the felon. Here they heard sad tales of
Robin's misdoings, and how of the many herds of wild deer that had
been wont to roam the forest in some places scarce one remained. This
was the work of Robin Hood and his merry men, on whom the King swore
vengeance with a great oath.

'I would I had this Robin Hood in my hands,' cried he, 'and an end
should soon be put to his doings.' So spake the King; but an old
Knight, full of days and wisdom, answered him and warned him that the
task of taking Robin Hood would be a sore one, and best let alone. The
King, who had seen the vanity of his hot words the moment that he had
uttered them, listened to the old man, and resolved to bide his time,
if perchance some day Robin should fall into his power.

All this time and for six weeks later that he dwelt in Nottingham the
King could hear nothing of Robin, who seemed to have vanished into the
earth with his merry men, though one by one the deer were vanishing
too!

At last one day a forester came to the King, and told him that if he
would see Robin he must come with him and take five of his best
Knights. The King eagerly sprang up to do his bidding, and the six men
clad in monks' clothes mounted their palfreys and rode down to the
Abbey, the King wearing an Abbot's broad hat over his crown and
singing as he passed through the greenwood.

[Illustration: There is Pith in your arm said ROBIN HOOD]

Suddenly at the turn of a path Robin and his archers appeared before
them.

'By your leave, Sir Abbot,' said Robin, seizing the King's bridle,
'you will stay a while with us. Know that we are yeomen, who live upon
the King's deer, and other