King's presence.

"A boon, a boon," quoth he, as he knelt upon the ground.

"Now what wouldst thou have?" said the King. "Let us hear what may be
thy desires."

"O good my Lord and Sovereign," spake the Sheriff, "in Sherwood Forest
in our own good shire of Nottingham, liveth a bold outlaw whose name is
Robin Hood."

"In good sooth," said the King, "his doings have reached even our own
royal ears. He is a saucy, rebellious varlet, yet, I am fain to own, a
right merry soul withal."

"But hearken, O my most gracious Sovereign," said the Sheriff. "I sent
a warrant to him with thine own royal seal attached, by a right lusty
knave, but he beat the messenger and stole the warrant. And he killeth
thy deer and robbeth thine own liege subjects even upon the great
highways."

"Why, how now," quoth the King wrathfully. "What wouldst thou have me
do? Comest thou not to me with a great array of men-at-arms and
retainers, and yet art not able to take a single band of lusty knaves
without armor on breast, in thine own county! What wouldst thou have me
do? Art thou not my Sheriff? Are not my laws in force in
Nottinghamshire? Canst thou not take thine own course against those
that break the laws or do any injury to thee or thine? Go, get thee
gone, and think well; devise some plan of thine own, but trouble me no
further. But look well to it, Master Sheriff, for I will have my laws
obeyed by all men within my kingdom, and if thou art not able to enforce
them thou art no sheriff for me. So look well to thyself, I say, or ill
may befall thee as well as all the thieving knaves in Nottinghamshire.
When the flood cometh it sweepeth away grain as well as chaff."

Then the Sheriff turned away with a sore and troubled heart, and sadly
he rued his fine show of retainers, for he saw that the King was angry
because he had so many men about him and yet could not enforce the laws.
So, as they all rode slowly back to Nottingham, the Sheriff was
thoughtful and full of care. Not a word did he speak to anyone, and no
one of his men spoke to him, but all the time he was busy devising some
plan to take Robin Hood.

"Aha!" cried he suddenly, smiting his hand upon his thigh "I have it
now! Ride on, my merry men all, and let us get back to Nottingham Town
as speedily as we may. And mark well my words: before a fortnight is
passed, that evil knave Robin Hood will be safely clapped into
Nottingham gaol."

But what was the Sheriff's plan?