“As he emerged from the thicket upon a little plain, on which the noon-day sun was permitted to shine unobscured by the deep foliage that on all sides surrounded him, the traveller’s heart leapt with joy at the sight of a herd of deer grazing quietly at the other end of the verdant glade.
“‘The fattest among ye,’ quoth he, loud enough for the outlaw to over-hear him, ‘shall serve my dinner to-day:’ and drawing an arrow from his quiver, he fixed it upon his bow, and discharged the weapon with such keen velocity that the noblest animal among the herd fell dead at the distance of forty yards.
“‘Well shot! well shot, my friend!’ cried Robin Hood, advancing from his concealment. ‘Would’st like to be a forester in this merry green-wood?’
“‘Where springest thou from?’ said the stranger, turning round sharply at the sound of a voice: ‘Go thou thine own way; I’ll go mine.’
“‘If thou’lt accept the place,’ returned the outlaw, unheeding this angry reply, ‘I’ll make thee a bold yeoman, and give thee livery of mine.’
“‘Livery!’ cried the other. ‘By St. George, an thou dost not take to thine heels, I’ll give thee such a buffet as shall make thine ears ring for many a mile.’
“Robin Hood drew back a step, and bent his ever-ready bow, and at the same time the stranger, quick as thought, drew another arrow from his quiver, and pointed it at the outlaw.
“‘Hold! hold!’ cried the latter. ‘This is cowards’ play. Take thy sword, man, and let’s fight it out under yonder tree.’
“‘With all my heart,’ replied the traveller; ‘and by my faith I will not leave thee till thou dost cry “‘a mercy.”’ Then laying aside their bows, each drew his sword, and stepping beneath the shade of a broad old oak, began the combat in right good earnest. The bold outlaw, seizing an unguarded moment, laid a blow upon the shoulder of his opponent that made him wince again; but, in retaliation, the stranger rushed furiously at Robin Hood, and struck him so violently upon the head that the blood ran trickling down from every hair.
“‘Mercy, good fellow—mercy,’ he cried, dropping his sword’s point to the earth, and leaning himself against the tree; ‘thou hast fairly beaten me. Tell me,—who art thou? and what seek’st thou here?’