ut, Tinker, men say that he is but a sad, sly thief. Thou
hadst better watch thy warrant, man, or else he may steal it out of thy
very pouch."

"Let him but try!" cried the Tinker. "Sly may he be, but sly am I, too.
I would I had him here now, man to man!" And he made his heavy cudgel to
spin again. "But what manner of man is he, lad?

"Much like myself," said Robin, laughing, "and in height and build and
age nigh the same; and he hath blue eyes, too."

"Nay," quoth the Tinker, "thou art but a green youth. I thought him to
be a great bearded man. Nottingham men feared him so."

"Truly, he is not so old nor so stout as thou art," said Robin. "But
men do call him a right deft hand at quarterstaff."

"That may be," said the Tinker right sturdily, "but I am more deft than
he, for did I not overcome Simon of Ely in a fair bout in the ring at
Hertford Town? But if thou knowest him, my jolly blade, wilt thou go
with me and bring me to him? Fourscore bright angels hath the Sheriff
promised me if I serve the warrant upon the knave's body, and ten of
them will I give to thee if thou showest me him."

"Ay, that will I," quoth Robin, "but show me thy warrant, man, until I
see whether it be good or no."

"That will I not do, even to mine own brother," answered the Tinker.
"No man shall see my warrant till I serve it upon yon fellow's own
body."

"So be it," quoth Robin. "And thou show it not to me I know not to whom
thou wilt show it. But here we are at the Sign of the Blue Boar, so let
us in and taste his brown October."

No sweeter inn could be found in all Nottinghamshire than that of the
Blue Boar. None had such lovely trees standing around, or was so
covered with trailing clematis and sweet woodbine; none had such good
beer and such humming ale; nor, in wintertime, when the north wind
howled and snow drifted around the hedges, was there to be found,
elsewhere, such a roaring fire as blazed upon the hearth of the Blue
Boar. At such times might be found a goodly company of yeomen or
country folk seated around the blazing hearth, bandying merry jests,
while roasted crabs[Small sour apples] bobbed in bowls of ale upon the
hearthstone. Well known was the inn to Robin Hood and his band, for
there had he and such merry companions as Little John or Will Stutely or
young David of Doncaster often gathered when all the forest was filled
with snow. As for mine host, he knew how to keep a still tongue in his
head, and to