of the merry jest that had been played upon the Sheriff, and of the
adventures that had befallen each member of the band in his disguise.
But when the feast was done, Robin Hood took Little John apart and said,
"Truly am I vexed in my blood, for I heard the Sheriff say today, 'Thou
shootest better than that coward knave Robin Hood, that dared not show
his face here this day.' I would fain let him know who it was who won
the golden arrow from out his hand, and also that I am no coward such as
he takes me to be."

Then Little John said, "Good master, take thou me and Will Stutely, and
we will send yon fat Sheriff news of all this by a messenger such as he
doth not expect."

That day the Sheriff sat at meat in the great hall of his house
at Nottingham Town. Long tables stood down the hall, at which sat
men-at-arms and household servants and good stout villains,(1) in all
fourscore and more. There they talked of the day's shooting as they ate
their meat and quaffed their ale. The Sheriff sat at the head of the
table upon a raised seat under a canopy, and beside him sat his dame.

(1) Bond-servants.

"By my troth," said he, "I did reckon full roundly that that knave Robin
Hood would be at the game today. I did not think that he was such a
coward. But who could that saucy knave be who answered me to my beard
so bravely? I wonder that I did not have him beaten; but there was
something about him that spoke of other things than rags and tatters."

Then, even as he finished speaking, something fell rattling among the
dishes on the table, while those that sat near started up wondering