ten ells farther off. The third target was to be removed yet farther,
until the winner was proved. The winner was to receive the golden arrow,
and a place with the King's Foresters. He it was also who crowned the
queen of the day.

The trumpet sounded again, and the archers prepared to shoot. Rob looked
to his string, while the crowd smiled and whispered at the odd figure
he cut, with his vari-colored legs and little cape. But as the first man
shot, they grew silent.

The target was not so far but that twelve out of the twenty contestants
reached its inner circle. Rob shot sixth in the line and landed fairly,
being rewarded by an approving grunt from the man with the green
blinder, who shot seventh, and with apparent carelessness, yet true to
the bull's-eye.

The mob cheered and yelled themselves hoarse at this even marksmanship.
The trumpet sounded again, and a new target was set up at forty ells.

The first three archers again struck true, amid the loud applause of the
onlookers; for they were general favorites and expected to win. Indeed
'twas whispered that each was backed by one of the three dignitaries
of the day. The fourth and fifth archers barely grazed the center. Rob
fitted his arrow quietly and with some confidence sped it unerringly
toward the shining circle.

"The beggar! the beggar!" yelled the crowd; "another bull for the
beggar!" In truth his shaft was nearer the center than any of the
others. But it was not so near that "Blinder," as the mob had promptly
christened his neighbor, did not place his shaft just within the mark.