it　is　indeed；　gin　there　be　two　stout　fellows　in　the　stocks。〃
  〃Nay；〃　said　Robin；　〃thou　hast　missed　the　mark　and　dost　but　weep　for　the　wrong　sow。　　The　sadness　of　the　news　lieth　in　that　there　be　but　two　in　the　stocks；　for　the　others　do　roam　the　country　at　large。〃
  〃Now　by　the　pewter　platter　of　Saint　Dunstan；〃　cried　the　Tinker；　〃I　have　a　good　part　of　a　mind　to　baste　thy　hide　for　thine　ill　jest。　But　gin　men　be　put　in　the　stocks　for　drinking　ale　and　beer；　I　trow　thou　wouldst　not　lose　thy　part。〃
  Loud　laughed　Robin　and　cried；　〃Now　well　taken；　Tinker；　well　taken！　Why；　thy　wits　are　like　beer；　and　do　froth　up　most　when　they　grow　sour！　But　right　art　thou；　man；　for　I　love　ale　and　beer　right　well。　Therefore　come　straightway　with　me　hard　by　to　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar；　and　if　thou　drinkest　as　thou　appearestand　I　wot　thou　wilt　not　belie　thy　looksI　will　drench　thy　throat　with　as　good　homebrewed　as　ever　was　tapped　in　all　broad　Nottinghamshire。〃
  〃Now　by　my　faith；〃　said　the　Tinker；　〃thou　art　a　right　good　fellow　in　spite　of　thy　scurvy　jests。　　I　love　thee；　my　sweet　chuck；　and　gin　I　go　not　with　thee　to　that　same　Blue　Boar　thou　mayst　call　me　a　heathen。〃
  〃Tell　me　thy　news；　good　friend；　I　prythee；〃　quoth　Robin　as　they　trudged　along　together；　〃for　tinkers；　I　ween；　are　all　as　full　of　news　as　an　egg　of　meat。〃
  〃Now　I　love　thee　as　my　brother；　my　bully　blade；〃　said　the　Tinker；　〃else　I　would　not　tell　thee　my　news；　for　sly　am　I；　man；　and　I　have　in　hand　a　grave　undertaking　that　doth　call　for　all　my　wits；　for　I　come　to　seek　a　bold　outlaw　that　men；　hereabouts；　call　Robin　Hood。　　Within　my　pouch　I　have　a　warrant；　all　fairly　written　out　on　parchment；　forsooth；　with　a　great　red　seal　for　to　make　it　lawful。　Could　I　but　meet　this　same　Robin　Hood　I　would　serve　it　upon　his　dainty　body；　and　if　he　minded　it　not　I　would　beat　him　till　every　one　of　his　ribs　would　cry　Amen。　　But　thou　livest　hereabouts；　mayhap　thou　knowest　Robin　Hood　thyself；　good　fellow。〃
  〃Ay；　marry；　that　I　do　somewhat；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃and　I　have　seen　him　this　very　morn。　　But；　Tinker；　men　say　that　he　is　but　a　sad；　sly　thief。　Thou　hadst　better　watch　thy　warrant；　man；　or　else　he　may　steal　it　out　of　thy　very　pouch。〃
  〃Let　him　but　try！〃　cried　the　Tinker。　　〃Sly　may　he　be；　but　sly　am　I；　too。　　I　would　I　had　him　here　now；　man　to　man！〃　And　he　made　his　heavy　cudgel　to　spin　again。　　〃But　what　manner　of　man　is　he；　lad？
  〃Much　like　myself；〃　said　Robin；　laughing；　〃and　in　height　and　build　and　age　nigh　the　same；　and　he　hath　blue　eyes；　too。〃
  〃Nay；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃thou　art　but　a　green　youth。　I　thought　him　to　be　a　great　bearded　man。　　Nottingham　men　feared　him　so。〃
  〃Truly；　he　is　not　so　old　nor　so　stout　as　thou　art；〃　said　Robin。　　〃But　men　do　call　him　a　right　deft　hand　at　quarterstaff。〃
  〃That　may　be；〃　said　the　Tinker　right　sturdily；　〃but　I　am　more　deft　than　he；　for　did　I　not　overcome　Simon　of　Ely　in　a　fair　bout　in　the　ring　at　Hertford　Town？　　But　if　thou　knowest　him；　my　jolly　blade；　wilt　thou　go　with　me　and　bring　me　to　him？　Fourscore　bright　angels　hath　the　Sheriff　promised　me　if　I　serve　the　warrant　upon　the　knave's　body；　and　ten　of　them　will　I　give　to　thee　if　thou　showest　me　him。〃
  〃Ay；　that　will　I；〃　quoth　Robin；　〃but　show　me　thy　warrant；　man；　until　I　see　whether　it　be　good　or　no。〃
  〃That　will　I　not　do；　even　to　mine　own　brother；〃　answered　the　Tinker。　　〃No　man　shall　see　my　warrant　till　I　serve　it　upon　yon　fellow's　own　body。〃
  〃So　be　it；〃　quoth　Robin。　　〃And　thou　show　it　not　to　me　I　know　not　to　whom　thou　wilt　show　it。　　But　here　we　are　at　the　Sign　of　the　Blue　Boar；　so　let　us　in　and　taste　his　brown　October。〃
  No　sweeter　inn　could　be　found　in　all　Nottinghamshire　than　that　of　the　Blue　Boar。　　None　had　such　lovely　trees　standing　around；　or　was　so　covered　with　trailing　clematis　and　sweet　woodbine；　none　had　such　good　beer　and　such　humming　ale；　nor；　in　wintertime；　when　the　north　wind　howled　and　snow　drifted　around　the　hedges；　was　there　to　be　found；　elsewhere；　such　a　roaring　fire　as　blazed　upon　the　hearth　of　the　Blue　Boar。　　At　such　times　might　be　found　a　goodly　company　of　yeomen　or　country　folk　seated　around　the　blazing　hearth；　bandying　merry　jests；　while　roasted　crabs＇2＇　bobbed　in　bowls　of　ale　upon　the　hearthstone。　　Well　known　was　the　inn　to　Robin　Hood　and　his　band；　for　there　had　he　and　such　merry　companions　as　Little　John　or　Will　Stutely　or　young　David　of　Doncaster　often　gathered　when　all　the　forest　was　filled　with　snow。　As　for　mine　host；　he　knew　how　to　keep　a　still　tongue　in　his　head；　and　to　swallow　his　words　before　they　passed　his　teeth；　for　he　knew　very　well　which　side　of　his　bread　was　spread　with　butter；　for　Robin　and　his　band　were　the　best　of　customers　and　paid　their　scores　without　having　them　chalked　up　behind　the　door。　So　now；　when　Robin　Hood　and　the　Tinker　came　thereto　and　called　aloud　for　two　great　pots　of　ale；　none　would　have　known　from　look　or　speech　that　the　host　had　ever　set　eyes　upon　the　outlaw　before。
  ＇2＇　Small　sour　apples。
  〃Bide　thou　here；〃　quoth　Robin　to　the　Tinker；　〃while　I　go　and　see　that　mine　host　draweth　ale　from　the　right　butt；　for　he　hath　good　October；　I　know；　and　that　brewed　by　Withold　of　Tamworth。〃　　So　saying；　he　went　within　and　whispered　to　the　host　to　add　a　measure　of　Flemish　strong　waters　to　the　good　English　ale；　which　the　latter　did　and　brought　it　to　them。
  〃By　Our　Lady；〃　said　the　Tinker；　after　a　long　draught　of　the　ale；　〃yon　same　Withold　of　Tamwortha　right　good　Saxon　name；　too；　I　would　have　thee　knowbreweth　the　most　humming　ale　that　e'er　passed　the　lips　of　Wat　o'　the　Crabstaff。〃
  〃Drink；　man；　drink；〃　cried　Robin；　only　wetting　his　own　lips　meanwhile。　〃Ho；　landlord！　　Bring　my　friend　another　pot　of　the　same。　And　now　for　a　song；　my　jolly　blade。〃
  〃Ay；　that　will　I　give　thee　a　song；　my　lovely　fellow；〃　quoth　the　Tinker；　〃for　I　never　tasted　such　ale　in　all　my　days　before。　By　Our　Lady；　it　doth　make　my　head　hum　even　now！　　Hey；　Dame　Hostess；　come　listen；　an　thou　wouldst　hear　a　song；　and　thou　too；　thou　bonny　lass；　for　never　sing　I　so　well　as　when　bright　eyes　do　look　upon　me　the　while。〃
  Then　he　sang　an　ancient　ballad　of　the　time　of　good　King　Arthur；　called　〃The　Marriage　of　Sir　Gawaine；〃　which　you　may　some　time　read　yourself；　in　stout　English　of　early　times；　and　as　he　sang；　all　listened　to　that　noble　tale　of　noble　knight　and　his　sacrifice　to　his　king。　But　long　before　the　Tinker　came　to　the　last　verse　his　tongue　began　to　trip　and　his　head　to　spin；　because　of　the　strong　waters　mixed　with　the　ale。　First　his　tongue　tripped；　then　it　grew　thick　of　sound；　then　his　head　wagged　from　side　to　side；　until　at　last　he　fell　asleep　as　though　he　never　would　waken　again。
  Then　Robin　Hood　laughed　aloud　and　quickly　took　the　warrant　from　out　the　Tinker's　pouch　with　his　deft　fingers。　〃Sly　art　thou；　Tinker；〃　quoth　he；　〃but　not　yet；　I　bow；　art　thou　as　sly　as　that　same　sly　thief　Robin　Hood。〃
  Then　he　called　the　host　to　him　and　said；　〃Here；　good　man；　are　ten　broad　shillings　for　the　entertainment　thou　hast　given　us　this　day。　See　that　thou　takest　good　care　of　thy　fair　guest　there；　and　when　he　wakes　thou　mayst　again　charge　him　ten　shillings　also；　and　if　he　hath　it　not；　thou　mayst　take　his　bag　and　hammer；　and　even　his　coat；　in　payment。　Thus　do　I　punish　those　that　come　into　the　greenwood　to　deal　dole　to　me。　As　for　thine　own　self；　never　knew　I　landlord　yet　that　would　not　charge　twice　an　he　could。〃
  At　this　the　host　smiled　slyly；　as　though　saying　to　himself　the　rustic　saw；　〃Teach　a　magpie　to　suck　eggs。〃
  The　Tinker　slept　until　the　afternoon　drew　to　a　close　and　the　shadows　grew　long　beside　the　woodland　edge；　then　he　awoke。　First　he　looked　up；　then　he　looked　down；　then　he
  looked　east；　then　he　looked　west；　for　he　was　gathering　his　wits　together；　like　barley　straws　blown　apart　by　the　wind。　First　he　thought　of　his　merry　companion；　but　he　was　gone。　Then　he　thought　of　his　stout　crabstaff；　and　that　he　had　within　his　hand。　　Then　of　his　warrant；　and　of　the　fourscore　angels　he　was　to　gain　for　serving　it　upon　Robin　Hood。　　He　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pouch；　but　not　a　scrap　nor　a　farthing　was　there。　Then　he　sprang　to　his　feet　in　a　rage。
  〃Ho；　landlord！〃　cried　he；　〃whither　hath　that　knave　gone　that　was　with　me　but　now？〃
  〃What　knave　meaneth　Your　Worship？〃　quoth　the　landlord；　calling　the　Tinker　Worship　to　soothe　him；　as　a　man　would　pour　oil　upon　angry　water。　〃I　saw　no　knave　with　Your　Worship；　for　I　swear　no　man　would　dare　call　that　man　knave　so　nigh　to　Sherwood　Forest。　　A　right　stout　yeoman　I　saw　with　Your　Worship；　but　I　thought　that　Your　Worship　knew　him；　for　few　there　be　about　here　that　pass　him　by　and　know　him　not。〃
  〃Now；　how　should　I；　that　ne'er　have　squealed　in　your　sty；　know　all　the　swine　therein？　　Who　was　he；　then；　an　thou　knowest　him　so　well？〃
  〃Why；　yon　same　is　a　right　stout　fellow　whom　men　hereabouts　do　call　Robin　Hood；　which　same〃
  〃Now；　by'r　Lady！〃　cried　the　Tinker　hastily；　and　in　a　deep　voice　like　an　angry　bull；　〃thou　didst　see　me　come　into　thine　inn；　I；　a　staunch；　honest　craftsman；　and　never　told　me　who　my　company　was；　well　knowing　thine　own　self　who　he　was。　　Now；　I　have　a　right　round　piece　of　a　mind　to　crack　thy　knave's　pate　for　thee！〃　Then　he　took　up　his　cudgel　and　looked　at　the　landlord　as　though　he　would　smite　him　where　he　stood。
  〃Nay；〃　cried　the　host；　throwing　up　his　elbow；　for　h