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〃I have said all；〃 quoth Robin； 〃and now； if thou wilt give me thy purse；
I will let thee go thy way without let or hindrance so soon as I shall see
what it may hold。 I will take none from thee if thou hast but little。〃
〃Alas！ It doth grieve me much；〃 said the other； 〃that I cannot do as thou
dost wish。 I have nothing to give thee。 Let me go my way； I prythee。
I have done thee no harm。〃
〃Nay； thou goest not；〃 quoth Robin； 〃till thou hast shown me thy purse。〃
〃Good friend；〃 said the other gently； 〃I have business elsewhere。
I have given thee much time and have heard thee patiently。
Prythee； let me depart in peace。〃
〃I have spoken to thee； friend；〃 said Robin sternly； 〃and I now tell
thee again； that thou goest not one step forward till thou hast done
as I bid thee。〃 So saying； he raised his quarterstaff above his head
in a threatening way。
〃Alas！〃 said the stranger sadly； 〃it doth grieve me that this thing
must be。 I fear much that I must slay thee； thou poor fellow！〃
So saying； he drew his sword。
〃Put by thy weapon；〃 quoth Robin。 〃I would take no vantage of thee。
Thy sword cannot stand against an oaken staff such as mine。
I could snap it like a barley straw。 Yonder is a good oaken thicket
by the roadside； take thee a cudgel thence and defend thyself fairly；
if thou hast a taste for a sound drubbing。〃
First the stranger measured Robin with his eye； and then
he measured the oaken staff。 〃Thou art right； good fellow；〃
said he presently； 〃truly； my sword is no match for that
cudgel of thine。 Bide thee awhile till I get me a staff。〃
So saying； he threw aside the rose that he had been holding all
this time； thrust his sword back into the scabbard； and； with a
more hasty step than he had yet used； stepped to the roadside
where grew the little clump of ground oaks Robin had spoken of。
Choosing among them； he presently found a sapling to his liking。
He did not cut it； but； rolling up his sleeves a little way； he laid hold
of it； placed his heel against the ground； and； with one mighty pull；
plucked the young tree up by the roots from out the very earth。
Then he came back； trimming away the roots and tender stems
with his sword as quietly as if he had done nought to speak of。
Little John and the Tanner had been watching all that passed；
but when they saw the stranger drag the sapling up from the earth；
and heard the rending and snapping of its roots； the Tanner
pursed his lips together； drawing his breath between them
in a long inward whistle。
〃By the breath of my body！〃 said Little John； as soon as he
could gather his wits from their wonder； 〃sawest thou that； Arthur？ Marry； I
think our poor master will stand but an ill chance with yon fellow。
By Our Lady； he plucked up yon green tree as it were a barley straw。〃
Whatever Robin Hood thought； he stood his ground； and now he and the stranger
in scarlet stood face to face。
Well did Robin Hood hold his own that day as a mid…country yeoman。
This way and that they fought； and back and forth；
Robin's skill against the stranger's strength。
The dust of the highway rose up around them like a cloud；
so that at times Little John and the Tanner could see nothing；
but only hear the rattle of the staves against one another。
Thrice Robin Hood struck the stranger； once upon the arm and twice
upon the ribs； and yet had he warded all the other's blows；
only one of which； had it met its mark； would have laid
stout Robin lower in the dust than he had ever gone before。
At last the stranger struck Robin's cudgel so fairly in the middle
that he could hardly hold his staff in his hand； again he struck；
and Robin bent beneath the blow； a third time he struck；
and now not only fairly beat down Robin's guard； but gave him
such a rap； also； that down he tumbled into the dusty road。
〃Hold！〃 cried Robin Hood； when he saw the stranger raising his staff
once more。 〃I yield me！〃
〃Hold！〃 cried Little John； bursting from his cover； with the Tanner
at his heels。 〃Hold！ give over； I say！〃
〃Nay；〃 answered the stranger quietly； 〃if there be two more of you；
and each as stout as this good fellow； I am like to have my hands full。
Nevertheless； come on； and I will strive my best to serve you all。〃
〃Stop！〃 cried Robin Hood； 〃we will fight no more。 I take my vow；
this is an ill day for thee and me； Little John。 I do verily
believe that my wrist； and eke my arm； are palsied by the jar
of the blow that this stranger struck me。〃
Then Little John turned to Robin Hood。 〃Why； how now；
good master；〃 said he。 〃Alas！ Thou art in an ill plight。
Marry； thy jerkin is all befouled with the dust of the road。
Let me help thee to arise。〃
〃A plague on thy aid！〃 cried Robin angrily。 〃I can get to my feet
without thy help； good fellow。〃
〃Nay； but let me at least dust thy coat for thee。 I fear thy
poor bones are mightily sore；〃 quoth Little John soberly；
but with a sly twinkle in his eyes。
〃Give over； I say！〃 quoth Robin in a fume。 〃My coat hath been dusted
enough already； without aid of thine。〃 Then； turning to the stranger；
he said； 〃What may be thy name； good fellow？〃
〃My name is Gamwell；〃 answered the other。
〃Ha！〃 cried Robin； 〃is it even so？ I have near kin of that name。
Whence camest thou； fair friend？〃
〃From Maxfield Town I come；〃 answered the stranger。
〃There was I born and bred； and thence I come to seek my mother's
young brother； whom men call Robin Hood。 So； if perchance thou
mayst direct me〃
〃Ha！ Will Gamwell！〃 cried Robin； placing both hands upon
the other's shoulders and holding him off at arm's length。
〃Surely； it can be none other！ I might have known thee by that
pretty maiden air of thinethat dainty； finicking manner of gait。
Dost thou not know me； lad？ Look upon me well。〃
〃Now； by the breath of my body！〃 cried the other； 〃I do believe from
my heart that thou art mine own Uncle Robin。 Nay； certain it is so！〃
And each flung his arms around the other； kissing him upon the cheek。
Then once more Robin held his kinsman off at arm's length and
scanned him keenly from top to toe。 〃Why； how now；〃 quoth he；
〃what change is here？ Verily； some eight or ten years ago I left
thee a stripling lad； with great joints and ill…hung limbs； and lo！
here thou art； as tight a fellow as e'er I set mine eyes upon。
Dost thou not remember； lad； how I showed thee the proper way
to nip the goose feather betwixt thy fingers and throw out thy bow
arm steadily？ Thou gayest great promise of being a keen archer。
And dost thou not mind how I taught thee to fend and parry
with the cudgel？〃
〃Yea；〃 said young Gamwell； 〃and I did so look up to thee； and thought thee
so above all other men that； I make my vow； had I known who thou wert；
I would never have dared to lift hand against thee this day。
I trust I did thee no great harm。〃
〃No； no；〃 quoth Robin hastily； and looking sideways at Little John；
〃thou didst not harm me。 But say no more of that； I prythee。
Yet I will say； lad； that I hope I may never feel again such a blow
as thou didst give me。 By'r Lady； my arm doth tingle yet from
fingernail to elbow。 Truly； I thought that I was palsied for life。
I tell thee；