n the sweet shades of Sherwood, where we shoot the dun deer and
feed upon venison and sweet oaten cakes, and curds and honey. Wilt thou
come with me?"

"Ay, marry, will I join with you all," quoth the Tinker, "for I love a
merry life, and I love thee, good master, though thou didst thwack my
ribs and cheat me into the bargain. Fain am I to own thou art both a
stouter and a slyer man than I; so I will obey thee and be thine own
true servant."

So all turned their steps to the forest depths, where the Tinker was to
live henceforth. For many a day he sang ballads to the band, until the
famous Allan a Dale joined them, before whose sweet voice all others
seemed as harsh as a raven's; but of him we will learn hereafter.

The Shooting Match at Nottingham Town

THEN THE SHERIFF was very wroth because of this failure to take jolly
Robin, for it came to his ears, as ill news always does, that the people
laughed at him and made a jest of his thinking to serve a warrant upon
such a one as the bold outlaw. And a man hates nothing so much as being
made a jest of; so he said: "Our gracious lord and sovereign King
himself shall know of this, and how his laws are perverted and despised
by this band of rebel outlaws. As for yon traitor Tinker, him will I
hang, if I catch him, upon the very highest gallows tree in all
Nottinghamshire."

Then he bade all his servants and retainers to make ready to go to
London Town, to see and speak with the King.

At this there was bustling at the Sheriff's castle, and men ran hither
and thither upon this business and upon that, while the forge fires of
Nottingham glowed red far into the night like twinkling stars, for all
the smiths of the town were busy making or mending armor for the
Sheriff's troop of escort. For two days this labor lasted, then, on the
third, all was ready for the journey. So forth they started in the
bright sunlight, from Nottingham Town to Fosse Way and thence to Watling
Street; and so they journeyed for two days, until they saw at last the
spires and towers of great London Town; and many folks stopped, as they
journeyed along, and gazed at the show they made riding along the
highways with their flashing armor and gay plumes and trappings.

In London King Henry and his fair Queen Eleanor held their court, gay
with ladies in silks and satins and velvets and cloth of gold, and also
brave knights and gallant courtiers.

Thither came the Sheriff and was shown into the