r
a Bland, "but, ne'ertheless, his shoulders are broad and his loins are
narrow, and seest thou, good master, how that his arms hang from his
body? They dangle not down like spindles, but hang stiff and bend at the
elbow. I take my vow, there be no bread and milk limbs in those fine
clothes, but stiff joints and tough thews."

"Methinks thou art right, friend Arthur," said Little John. "I do
verily think that yon is no such roseleaf and whipped-cream gallant as
he would have one take him to be."

"Pah!" quoth Robin Hood, "the sight of such a fellow doth put a nasty
taste into my mouth! Look how he doth hold that fair flower betwixt his
thumb and finger, as he would say, 'Good rose, I like thee not so ill
but I can bear thy odor for a little while.' I take it ye are both
wrong, and verily believe that were a furious mouse to run across his
path, he would cry, 'La!' or 'Alack-a-day!' and fall straightway into a
swoon. I wonder who he may be."

"Some great baron's son, I doubt not," answered Little John, "with good
and true men's money lining his purse."

"Ay, marry, that is true, I make no doubt," quoth Robin. "What a pity
that such men as he, that have no thought but to go abroad in gay
clothes, should have good fellows, whose shoes they are not fit to tie,
dancing at their bidding. By Saint Dunstan, Saint Alfred, Saint
Withold, and all the good men in the Saxon calendar, it doth make me mad
to see such gay lordlings from over the sea go stepping on the necks of
good Saxons who owned this land before ever their great-grandsires
chewed rind of brawn! By the bright bow of Heaven, I will have their
ill-gotten gains from them, even though I hang for it as high as e'er a
forest tree in Sherwood!"

"Why, how now, master," quoth Little John, "what heat is this? Thou dost
set thy pot a-boiling, and mayhap no bacon to cook! Methinks yon
fellow's hair is overlight for Norman locks. He may be a good man and
true for aught thou knowest."

"Nay," said Robin, "my head against a leaden farthing, he is what I say.
So, lie ye both here, I say, till I show you how I drub this fellow." So
saying, Robin Hood stepped forth from the shade of the beech tree,
crossed the stile, and stood in the middle of the road, with his hands
on his hips, in the stranger's path.

Meantime the stranger, who had been walking so slowly that all this talk
was held before he came opposite the place where they were, neither
quickened his pace nor seem