“‘Then I’ll have a bout with him,’ cried the tall forester, and see if he will beat me too;’ and with a staff in his hand he stepped before the stranger.
“‘Nay nay,’ said his captain, interfering, ‘that must not be; he is my own dear sister’s son, and next to thee shall be my chief yeoman.’
“‘Welcome, my friend, to merry Sherwood,’ exclaimed Little John, shaking the new comer by the hand. ‘We’ll have a rare feast for thee to-night. But by what name shall we call thee among our jovial comrades?’
“‘His name is Gamwell,’ replied Robin Hood; ‘but we had better re-christen him as we did thee; he has forsooth a fine scarlet doublet, and Will Scarlet shall be his name.’ Then again taking his bugle, he set it to his lips, and winded it till
“‘The warbling echoes wak’d from every dale and hill.’
“More than a hundred tall yeomen, clad in Lincoln green, soon attended this summons, bounding among the trees like so many playful deer.
“Will Scarlet, frightened at the sight of so many men, all armed with bows, cried to his uncle to fly from them, and was himself starting off at his full speed, when Robin Hood caught him by the arm, and laughing heartily at his terror, bade him behold his future companions.
“‘What want’st thou, good master?’ said Will Stutely, the leader of the band. ‘Thy bugle sounded so shrill we thought there had been work for us.’
“‘The danger’s over now,’ replied Robin Hood; ‘but welcome your new comrade; he is my own sister’s son, and has proved himself a gallant youth, for he has given me a famous beating.’
“The foresters set up a simultaneous shout, and each advancing in his turn took the hand of the delighted youth. The rest of the day was spent in feasting and sporting, till the departing rays of the sun warned them to their caves and bowers.”