Part 22 (1/2)

This second coed Carfax second in command, had an easy conquest, however, of Sherwood and Barnesdale--for none challenged thes in any respect Nor was there sign left in the woods of Robin or the outlaws--they were vanished so utterly that Carfax conceived them all to have either died of their wounds or fled disconsolate frohborhood

In either event this waspatrolled the forest and searched it indifferently well, thefolk had no one, banished--and the King's forest was now safe of passage to all

Carfax, poking here and there, found the fresh grave of his own fellows, and disturbed it htily He bade Hubert disinter thenize each one Here was the arch-rebel Will of Cloudesley--this one was the secondRobin Fitzooth, as dead as mutton--and here was his fellow Stuteley So Master Simeon went on, to his own satisfaction and to Hubert's, who foresaw large rewards to be paid for these poor dishonored bodies

They brought three of them back, with every circumstance of i the last remains of Will Cloudesley, Robin Fitzooth, and Hall the Outlaell-known marauder in Will's company

Prince John forthwith praised the pikereat rewards--a thing which vexed the h the forest in a great hunt of the Royal deer, graciously attended by the Prince hi quite recovered all his old self-esteeer was appointed at Locksley; and another house was found for hiainst all outlaws and freebooters having been issued and signed with many flourishes by John, he betook his Royal person to York, carrying lean-faced, s Carfax with hiies forthwith towards the undoing of the ainst whom she yet nursed much spite

The Prince stayed at Gae Montfichet, although the latter's dislike of his Royal guest was only too thinly veiled Then John took farewell of Nottingha an easy business of it Monceux had ridden out on this h Locksley to the borders

Outside the gates of Gamewell John delivered hiesses, and citizens of Nottingham, who had inquisitively followed the Sheriff

”We will not forget your hospitality, friends all,” said he, in his slightly swaggering and yet withal effeminate way; ”and see, in some measure of return for it, we leave you our Sherwood free from pestilent robbers and evil defiers of the law When we caham there were these and others; but now they are all driven out of our Royal forest--many slain with the arrows of my Hubert, or beaten with the staves of your own fellows This surely is soift--see to it that you keep well that which we have secured for you”

Then he rode forth as of the crowd, Hubert and his followers scattering largesses as they rode

CHAPTER XVI

All through that long winter Robin had lain hidden in the Barnesdale caves with the reun with Will of Cloudesley's advent and nigh ended with his death At first there had been sost them as to who should be the new captain

There were, with Robin and his three recruits, twenty and two men all told These had decided upon many tests between themselves in order to settle who should lead; and when there were tests of archery Robin had beaten them all

Yet he had no wish to set hi sped his arrows so well ood bowers are upon his weapon So he had said modestly that they ladly obey the man the others should choose

Then there had been fresh bickerings, and they were once nearly discovered by the Sheriff's foresters, who by soes

The winter brought with it th to leave Barnesdale and go into the county of Lincoln They 's Foresters as they could and then set out

One thing had been agreed on: that they must have some new clothes and induce other bold spirits to join with them: else Sherould be lost to them for ever

Robin had quite decided to cast in his lot with these men He felt that they would be loyal to each other, and he knew that the only traitors which this band had knoere now noCarfax and of Royalty, as personified by the unjust, indolent Prince, had moulded Robin's character into steel, as it were

Robin had counselled this journey to Lincoln In the secret caves about Barnesdale, Will of Cloudesley had amassed and stored away hao in to the market and buy sufficient Lincoln cloth and needles and thread to fit theht also be obtained; and some shi+rts of chain-mail, nes and new arrows

The band started away under cover of a crisp February night, and had coht of Lincoln within three days They had just finished theirmeal of the third day when they were overtaken by a stoutishwas of the most remarkable description He wore a cloak which was so clouted and patched that the first part of it hung about him in a dozen folds He had on his head three hats, one rahtly over the other, so that he cared neither for wind nor rain On his back was a bag held by a thong of strong leather about his neck In his right hand was a long crooked stick

The outlaws had naturally hidden theo by, and passed jests between theht be allowed to play a joke upon the fellow

”Go after him by all means, if you will,” said Robin; ”but be polite, for I have it in my mind that this is a man known to me I would that I could hear him speak”