w, Reynold Greenleaf, and deserve better apparel
than that you wear at present. Will you enter my service? I will give
you twenty marks a year, above your living, and three good suits of
clothes."

"Three good suits, say you? Then right gladly will I enter your service,
for my back has been bare this many a long day."

Then Reynold turned him about to the crowd and shouted: "Hark ye, good
people, I have entered the Sheriff's service, and need not the yoke of
steers for prize. So take them for yourselves, to feast withal."

At this the crowd shouted more merrily than ever, and threw their caps
high into the air. And none so popular a man had come to Nottingham town
in many a long day as this same Reynold Greenleaf.

Now you may have guessed, by this time, who Reynold Greenleaf really
was; so I shall tell you that he was none other than Little John. And
forth went he to the Sheriff's house, and entered his service. But it
was a sorry day for the Sheriff when he got his new man. For Little John
winked his shrewd eye and said softly to himself: "By my faith, I shall
be the worst servant to him that ever yet had he!"

Two days passed by. Little John, it must be confessed, did not make
a good servant. He insisted upon eating the Sheriff's best bread and
drinking his best wine, so that the steward waxed wroth. Nathless the
Sheriff held him in high esteem, and made great talk of taking him along
on the next hunting trip.

It was now the day of the banquet to the butchers, about which we have
already heard. The banquet hall, you must know, was not in the main
house, but connected with it by a corridor. All the servants were
bustling about making preparations for the feast, save only Little John,
who must needs lie abed the greater part of the day. But he presented
himself at last, when the dinner was half over; and being desirous
of seeing the guests for himself he went into the hall with the other
servants to pass the wine. First, however, I am afraid that some of
the wine passed his own lips while he went down the corridor. When he
entered the banqueting hall, whom should he see but Robin Hood himself.
We can imagine the start of surprise felt by each of these bold fellows
upon seeing the other in such strange company. But they kept their
secrets, as we have seen, and arranged to meet each other that same
night. Meanwhile, the proud Sheriff little knew that he harbored the two
chief outlaws of the whole countryside benea