going with their ruddy-cheeked lasses toward the wide-open gates of
Nottingham.

So in through the gates trooped the whole gay company, Robin's men
behaving as awkwardly and laughing and talking as noisily as the rest;
while the Sheriff's scowling men-at-arms stood round about and sought to
find one who looked like a forester, but without avail.

The herald now set forth the terms of the contest, as on former
occasions, and the shooting presently began. Robin had chosen five of
his men to shoot with him, and the rest were to mingle with the crowd
and also watch the gates. These five were Little John, Will Scarlet,
Will Stutely, Much, and Allan-a-Dale'.

The other competitors made a brave showing on the first round,
especially Gilbert of the White Hand, who was present and never shot
better. The contest later narrowed down between Gilbert and Robin. But
at the first lead, when the butts were struck so truly by various well
known archers, the Sheriff was in doubt whether to feel glad or sorry.
He was glad to see such skill, but sorry that the outlaws were not in
it.

Some said, "If Robin Hood were here,
And all his men to boot,
Sure none of them could pass these men,
So bravely do they shoot."

"Aye," quoth the Sheriff, and scratched his head,

"I thought he would be here;
I thought he would, but tho' he's bold,
He durst not now appear."

This word was privately brought to Robin by David of Doncaster, and the
saying vexed him sorely. But he bit his lip in silence.

"Ere long," he thought to himself, "we shall see whether Robin Hood be
here or not!"

Meantime the shooting had been going forward, and Robin's men had done
so well that the air was filled with shouts.

One cried, "Blue jacket!" another cried, "Brown!"
And a third cried, "Brave Yellow!"
But the fourth man said, "Yon man in red
In this place has no fellow."

For that was Robin Hood himself,
For he was clothed in red,
At every shot the prize he got,
For he was both sure and dead.

Thus went the second round of the shooting, and thus the third and last,
till even Gilbert of the White Hand was fairly beaten. During all this
shooting, Robin exchanged no word with his men, each treating the other
as a perfect stranger. Nathless, such great shooting could not pass
without revealing the archers.

The Sheriff thought he discovered, in the winner of the golden arrow,
the per