“Content you, sir!” answered Robin. “Think you I would leave behind good booty? Yonder come ten noble coursers laden with ten goodly armours the same won a-jousting to-day by this right wondrous Fool, my good gossip—”
“Thy gossip, forsooth!” snorted Sir Pertinax. “But tell me, presumptuous fellow, how shall these ten steeds come a-galloping hither!”
“Marry, on this wise, Sir Simple Innocence—these steeds do gallop for sufficient reason, namely—they are to gallop bidden being ridden, bestridden and chidden by whip and spur applied by certain trusty men o' my company, which men go habited, decked, dressed, clad, guised and disguised as smug, sleek citizens, Sir Innocent Simplicity—”
“Par Dex!” exclaimed Sir Pertinax, scowling. “And who 'rt thou, sirrah, with men at thy beck and call?”
“Behold!” said Robin, unhelming. “Behold the king of all masterless rogues, and thy fellow gallow's-bird, Sir High Mightiness!”
“Ha, is 't thou?” cried Sir Pertinax. “Now a plague on thy kingdom and thee for an unhanged, thieving rogue—”
“E'en as thyself,” nodded Robin, “thou that flaunted thy unlovely carcass in stolen armour.”
“Ha!” roared Sir Pertinax, clapping hand on sword. “A pest—a murrain! This to me, thou dog's-meat? Malediction! Now will I crack thy numbskull for a pestilent malapert—”
“Nay, Sir Grim-and-gory,” laughed Robin, “rather will I now use thee as thou would'st ha' served me on a day but for this generous and kindly Fool, my good comrade!” And speaking, Robin sprang nimbly to the great oak tree and thrusting long arm within the jagged fissure that gaped therein drew forth a hunting-horn and winded it loud and shrill. And presently was a stir, a rustle amid the surrounding brushwood and all about them were outlaws, wild men and fierce of aspect, and each and every grasped long-bow with arrow on string and every arrow was aimed at scowling Sir Pertinax.
“Per Dex!” quoth he, “and is this death, then?”