e greenwood!" said one of the leaders, bending the knee
with mock reverence before the Sheriff.

The Sheriff glared. It was Little John.

"Woe the worth, Reynold Greenleaf," he said, "you have betrayed me!"

"I make my vow," said Little John, "that you are to blame, master. I was
misserved of my dinner, when I was at your house. But we shall set you
down to a feast we hope you will enjoy."

"Well spoken, Little John," said Robin Hood. "Take you his bridle and
let us do honor to the guest who has come to feast with us."

Then turning abruptly the whole company plunged into the heart of the
forest.

After twisting and turning till the Sheriff's bewildered head sat
dizzily upon his shoulders, the greenwood men passed through a narrow
alley amid the trees which led to a goodly open space flanked by
wide-spreading oaks. Under the largest of these a pleasant fire was
crackling, and near it two fine harts lay ready for cooking. Around the
blaze were gathered another company of yeomen quite as large as that
which came with Robin Hood. Up sprang they as the latter advanced and
saluted their leader with deference, but with hearty gladness to see him
back again.

That merry wag Will Stutely was in command; and when he saw the
palefaced Sheriff being led in like any culprit, he took his cloak and
laid it humbly upon the ground and besought the Sheriff to alight upon
it, as the ground of Sherwood was unused to such dignitaries.

"Bestir yourselves, good fellows!" cried Robin Hood; "and while our new
cook, whom I see with us, is preparing a feast worthy of our high guest,
let us have a few games to do him honor!"

Then while the whole glade was filled with the savory smell of roasting
venison and fat capons, and brown pasties warmed beside the blaze,
and mulled wine sent forth a cordial fragrance, Robin Hood placed the
Sheriff upon a knoll beneath the largest oak and sat himself down by
him.

First stepped forward several pairs of men armed with the quarter-staff,
the widow's sons among them, and so skilfully did they thrust and parry
and beat down guards, that the Sheriff, who loved a good game as well as
any man, clapped his hands, forgetting where he was, and shouted, "Well
struck! well struck! Never have I seen such blows at all the Fairs of
Nottingham!"

Then the best archers of the band set up a small wand at eightscore
paces distant, and thereon they affixed a wreath of green. And the
archers began to shoot; and