d planted himself in the traveler's
path.

"Sirrah, fellow!" quoth he; "whither away so fast? Tarry, for I would
have speech with ye!"

The beggar made as though he heard him not, and kept straight on with
his faring.

"Tarry, I say, fellow!" said Robin again; "for there's a way to make
folks obey!"

"Nay, 'tis not so," answered the beggar, speaking for the first time; "I
obey no man in all England, not even the King himself. So let me pass on
my way, for 'tis growing late, and I have still far to go before I can
care for my stomach's good."

"Now, by my troth," said Robin, once more getting in front of the other,
"I see well by your fat countenance, that you lack not for good food,
while I go hungry. Therefore you must lend me of your means till we meet
again, so that I may hie to the nearest tavern."

"I have no money to lend," said the beggar crossly. "Methinks you are as
young a man as I, and as well able to earn a supper. So go your way, and
I'll go mine. If you fast till you get aught out of me, you'll go hungry
for the next twelvemonth."

"Not while I have a stout stick to thwack your saucy bones!" cried
Robin. "Stand and deliver, I say, or I'll dust your shirt for you; and
if that will not teach you manners, then we'll see what a broad arrow
can do with a beggar's skin!"

The beggar smiled, and answered boast with boast. "Come on with your
staff, fellow! I care no more for it than for a pudding stick. And as
for your pretty bow--_that_ for it!"

And with amazing quickness, he swung his pike-staff around and knocked
Robin's bow clean out of his hand, so that his fingers smarted with
pain. Robin danced and tried to bring his own staff into action; but
the beggar never gave him a chance. Biff! whack! came the pike-staff,
smiting him soundly and beating down his guard.

There were but two things to do; either stand there and take a sound
drubbing, or beat a hasty retreat. Robin chose the latter--as you or I
would probably have done--and scurried back into the wood, blowing his
horn as he went.

"Fie, for shame, man!" jeered the bold beggar after him. "What is your
haste? We had but just begun. Stay and take your money, else you will
never be able to pay your reckoning at the tavern!"

But Robin answered him never a word. He fled up hill and down dale till
he met three of his men who were running up in answer to his summons.

"What is wrong?" they asked.

"'Tis a saucy beggar," said Robin, catching