eft　the　Blue　Boar　I　heard　that　he　should　be　hanged　tomorrow　day。〃
  〃He　shall　not　be　hanged　tomorrow　day；〃　cried　Robin；　〃or；　if　he　be；　full　many　a　one　shall　gnaw　the　sod；　and　many　shall　have　cause　to　cry　Alack…a…day！〃
  Then　he　clapped　his　horn　to　his　lips　and　blew　three　blasts　right　loudly；　and　presently　his　good　yeomen　came　running　through　the　greenwood　until　sevenscore　bold　blades　were　gathered　around　him。
  〃Now　hark　you　all！〃　cried　Robin。　　〃Our　dear　companion　Will　Stutely　hath　been　taken　by　that　vile　Sheriff's　men；　therefore　doth　it　behoove　us　to　take　bow　and　brand　in　hand　to　bring　him　off　again；　for　I　wot　that　we　ought　to　risk　life　and　limb　for　him；　as　he　hath　risked　life　and　limb　for　us。　　Is　it　not　so；　my　merry　men　all？〃　Then　all　cried；　〃Ay！〃　with　a　great　voice。
  So　the　next　day　they　all　wended　their　way　from　Sherwood　Forest；　but　by　different　paths；　for　it　behooved　them　to　be　very　crafty；　so　the　band　separated　into　parties　of　twos　and　threes；　which　were　all　to　meet　again　in　a　tangled　dell　that　lay　near　to　Nottingham　Town。　　Then；　when　they　had　all　gathered　together　at　the　place　of　meeting；　Robin　spoke　to　them　thus：
  〃Now　we　will　lie　here　in　ambush　until　we　can　get　news；　for　it　doth　behoove　us　to　be　cunning　and　wary　if　we　would　bring　our　friend　Will　Stutely　off　from　the　Sheriff's　clutches。〃
  So　they　lay　hidden　a　long　time；　until　the　sun　stood　high　in　the　sky。　The　day　was　warm　and　the　dusty　road　was　bare　of　travelers；　except　an　aged　palmer　who　walked　slowly　along　the　highroad　that　led　close　beside　the　gray　castle　wall　of　Nottingham　Town。　　When　Robin　saw　that　no　other　wayfarer　was　within　sight；　he　called　young　David　of　Doncaster；　who　was　a　shrewd　man　for　his　years；　and　said　to　him；　〃Now　get　thee　forth；　young　David；　and　speak　to　yonder　palmer　that　walks　beside　the　town　wall；　for　he　hath　come　but　now　from　Nottingham　Town；　and　may　tell　thee　news　of　good　Stutely；　perchance。〃
  So　David　strode　forth；　and　when　he　came　up　to　the　pilgrim；　he　saluted　him　and　said；　〃Good　morrow；　holy　father；　and　canst　thou　tell　me　when　Will　Stutely　will　be　hanged　upon　the　gallows　tree？　I　fain　would　not　miss　the　sight；　for　I　have　come　from　afar　to　see　so　sturdy　a　rogue　hanged。〃
  〃Now；　out　upon　thee；　young　man；〃　cried　the　Palmer；　〃that　thou　shouldst　speak　so　when　a　good　stout　man　is　to　be　hanged　for　nothing　but　guarding　his　own　life！〃　　And　he　struck　his　staff　upon　the　ground　in　anger。　　〃Alas；　say　I；　that　this　thing　should　be！　For　even　this　day；　toward　evening；　when　the　sun　falleth　low；　he　shall　be　hanged；　fourscore　rods　from　the　great　town　gate　of　Nottingham；　where　three　roads　meet；　for　there　the　Sheriff　sweareth　he　shall　die　as　a　warning　to　all　outlaws　in　Nottinghamshire。　　But　yet；　I　say　again；　Alas！　　For；　though　Robin　Hood　and　his　band　may　be　outlaws；　yet　he　taketh　only　from　the　rich　and　the　strong　and　the　dishonest　man；　while　there　is　not　a　poor　widow　nor　a　peasant　with　many　children；　nigh　to　Sherwood；　but　has　barley　flour　enough　all　the　year　long　through　him。　　It　grieves　my　heart　to　see　one　as　gallant　as　this　Stutely　die；　for　I　have　been　a　good　Saxon　yeoman　in　my　day；　ere　I　turned　palmer；　and　well　I　know　a　stout　hand　and　one　that　smiteth　shrewdly　at　a　cruel　Norman　or　a　proud　abbot　with　fat　moneybags。　Had　good　Stutely's　master　but　known　how　his　man　was　compassed　about　with　perils；　perchance　he　might　send　succor　to　bring　him　out　of　the　hand　of　his　enemies。
  〃Ay；　marry；　that　is　true；〃　cried　the　young　man。　　〃If　Robin　and　his　men　be　nigh　this　place；　I　wot　right　well　they　will　strive　to　bring　him　forth　from　his　peril。　　But　fare　thee　well；　thou　good　old　man；　and　believe　me；　if　Will　Stutely　die；　he　shall　be　right　well　avenged。〃
  Then　he　turned　and　strode　rapidly　away；　but　the　Palmer　looked　after　him；　muttering；　〃I　wot　that　youth　is　no　country　hind　that　hath　come　to　see　a　good　man　die。　　Well；　well；　perchance　Robin　Hood　is　not　so　far　away　but　that　there　will　be　stout　doings　this　day。〃　So　he　went　upon　his　way；　muttering　to　himself。
  When　David　of　Doncaster　told　Robin　Hood　what　the　Palmer　had　said　to　him；　Robin　called　the　band　around　him　and　spoke　to　them　thus：
  〃Now　let　us　get　straightway　into　Nottingham　Town　and　mix　ourselves　with　the　people　there；　but　keep　ye　one　another　in　sight；　pressing　as　near　the　prisoner　and　his　guards　as　ye　can；　when　they　come　outside　the　walls。　Strike　no　man　without　need；　for　I　would　fain　avoid　bloodshed；　but　if　ye　do　strike；　strike　hard；　and　see　that　there　be　no　need　to　strike　again。　Then　keep　all　together　until　we　come　again　to　Sherwood；　and　let　no　man　leave　his　fellows。〃
  The　sun　was　low　in　the　western　sky　when　a　bugle　note　sounded　from　the　castle　wall。　　Then　all　was　bustle　in　Nottingham　Town　and　crowds　filled　the　streets；　for　all　knew　that　the　famous　Will　Stutely　was　to　be　hanged　that　day。　　Presently　the　castle　gates　opened　wide　and　a　great　array　of　men…at…arms　came　forth　with　noise　and　clatter；　the　Sheriff；　all　clad　in　shining　mail　of　linked　chain；　riding　at　their　head。　In　the　midst　of　all　the　guard；　in　a　cart；　with　a　halter　about　his　neck；　rode　Will　Stutely。　　His　face　was　pale　with　his　wound　and　with　loss　of　blood；　like　the　moon　in　broad　daylight；　and　his　fair　hair　was　clotted　in　points　upon　his　forehead；　where　the　blood　had　hardened。　When　he　came　forth　from　the　castle　he　looked　up　and　he　looked　down；　but　though　he　saw　some　faces　that　showed　pity　and　some　that　showed　friendliness；　he　saw　none　that　he　knew。　　Then　his　heart　sank　within　him　like　a　plummet　of　lead；　but　nevertheless　he　spoke　up　boldly。
  〃Give　a　sword　into　my　hand；　Sir　Sheriff；〃　said　he；　〃and　wounded　man　though　I　be；　I　will　fight　thee　and　all　thy　men　till　life　and　strength　be　gone。〃
  〃Nay；　thou　naughty　varlet；〃　quoth　the　Sheriff；　turning　his　head　and　looking　right　grimly　upon　Will　Stutely；　〃thou　shalt　have　no　sword　but　shall　die　a　mean　death；　as　beseemeth　a　vile　thief　like　thee。〃
  〃Then　do　but　untie　my　hands　and　I　will　fight　thee　and　thy　men　with　no　weapon　but　only　my　naked　fists。　　I　crave　no　weapon；　but　let　me　not　be　meanly　hanged　this　day。〃
  Then　the　Sheriff　laughed　aloud。　　〃Why；　how　now；〃　quoth　he；　〃is　thy　proud　stomach　quailing？　　Shrive　thyself；　thou　vile　knave；　for　I　mean　that　thou　shalt　hang　this　day；　and　that　where　three　roads　meet；　so　that　all　men　shall　see　thee　hang；　for　carrion　crows　and　daws　to　peck　at。〃
  〃O　thou　dastard　heart！〃　cried　Will　Stutely；　gnashing　his　teeth　at　the　Sheriff。　　〃Thou　coward　hind！　　If　ever　my　good　master　meet　thee　thou　shalt　pay　dearly　for　this　day's　work！　He　doth　scorn　thee；　and　so　do　all　brave　hearts。　　Knowest　thou　not　that　thou　and　thy　name　are　jests　upon　the　lips　of　every　brave　yeoman？　　Such　a　one　as　thou　art；　thou　wretched　craven；　will　never　be　able　to　subdue　bold　Robin　Hood。〃
  〃Ha！〃　cried　the　Sheriff　in　a　rage；　〃is　it　even　so？　Am　I　a　jest　with　thy　master；　as　thou　callest　him？　Now　I　will　make　a　jest　of　thee　and　a　sorry　jest　withal；　for　I　will　quarter　thee　limb　from　limb；　after　thou　art　hanged。〃　Then　he　spurred　his　horse　forward　and　said　no　more　to　Stutely。
  At　last　they　came　to　the　great　town　gate；　through　which　Stutely　saw　the　fair　country　beyond；　with　hills　and　dales　all　clothed　in　verdure；　and　far　away　the　dusky　line　of　Sherwood's　skirts。　Then　when　he　saw　the　slanting　sunlight　lying　on　field　and　fallow；　shining　redly　here　and　there　on　cot　and　farmhouse；　and　when　he　heard　the　sweet　birds　singing　their　vespers；　and　the　sheep　bleating　upon　the　hillside；　and　beheld　the　swallows　flying　in　the　bright　air；　there　came　a　great　fullness　to　his　heart　so　that　all　things　blurred　to　his　sight　through　salt　tears；　and　he　bowed　his　head　lest　the　folk　should　think　him　unmanly　when　they　saw　the　tears　in　his　eyes。　Thus　he　kept　his　head　bowed　till　they　had　passed　through　the　gate　and　were　outside　the　walls　of　the　town。　　But　when　he　looked　up　again　he　felt　his　heart　leap　within　him　and　then　stand　still　for　pure　joy；　for　he　saw　the　face　of　one　of　his　own　dear　companions　of　merry　Sherwood；　then　glancing　quickly　around　he　saw　well…known　faces　upon　all　sides　of　him；　crowding　closely　upon　the　men…at…arms　who　were　guarding　him。　　Then　of　a　sudden　the　blood　sprang　to　his　cheeks；　for　he　saw　for　a　moment　his　own　good　master　in　the　press　and；　seeing　him；　knew　that　Robin　Hood　and　all　his　band　were　there。　Yet　betwixt　him　and　them　was　a　line　of　men…at…arms。
  〃Now；　stand　back！〃　cried　the　Sheriff　in　a　mighty　voice；　for　the　crowd　pressed　around　on　all　sides。　　〃What　mean　ye；　varlets；　that　ye　push　upon　us　so？　Stand　back；　I　say！〃
  Then　came　a　bustle　and　a　noise；　and　one　strove　to　push　between　the　men…at…arms　so　as　to　reach　the　cart；　and　Stutely　saw　that　it　was　Little　John　that　made　all　that　stir。
  〃Now　stand　thou　back！〃　cried　one　of　the　men…at…arms　whom　Little　John　pushed　with　his　elbows。
  〃Now　stand　thou　back　thine　own　self；〃　quoth　Little　John；　and　straightway　smote　the　man　a　buffet　beside　his　head　that　felled　him　as　a　butcher　fells　an　ox；　and　then　he　leaped　to　the　cart　where　Stutely　sat。
  〃I　pray　thee　take　leave　of　thy　friends　ere　thou　diest；　Will；〃　quoth　he；　〃or　maybe　I　will　die　with　thee　if　thou　must　die；　for　I　could　never　have　better　company。〃　　Then　with　one　stroke　he　cut　the　bonds　that　bound　the　other's　arms　and　legs；　and　Stutely　leaped　straightway　from　the　cart。
  〃Now　as　I　live；〃　cried　the　Sheriff；　〃yon　varlet　I　know　right　w