“‘Blow till thy cheeks crack,’ returned the friar. ‘Think’st thou I fear
a bugle blast?’ The outlaw sounded the horn thrice, so loudly that the
friar clapped his hands to his ears, and beat a retreat for several
yards. The signal was immediately returned, and apparently from close at
hand. In two minutes more a tall yeoman leaped from the adjacent wood,
and followed by fifty young foresters, with bows ready in their hands,
ran to the side of their commander.
“‘Whose men are these?’ asked the friar, greatly surprised at this sudden
reinforcement.
“‘They’re Robin Hood’s bold foresters,’ said the outlaw; ‘and I am Robin
Hood. Wilt join our merry troop? Thou’rt the bravest friar that e’er wore
cowl, and if thou canst let fly an arrow as well as thou canst wield a
quarter-staff, thou’rt a match for my boldest man.’
“‘Let’s have a bout,’ said friar Tuck, unwilling to fight against such
odds as were opposed to him. ‘If there’s an archer here that can beat me
at the long-bow, I’ll be thy man. If I’m the best, swear that thou wilt
leave me free in mine own woods.’
“‘Agreed!’ cried the outlaw. ‘Stand forth, brave Little John, and for the
credit of Robin Hood choose thy truest shaft.’
“‘Ne’er fear me,’ replied the tall forester, as he carelessly advanced.
‘Shoot on, my brave fellow, and at what mark you may, only for St.
Hubert’s sake, let it be some five hundred feet or so from us.’
“‘Seest thou yon bird?’ said the friar, pointing to a hawk that, with
fluttering wings, hovered at a considerable height above a neighbouring
brake. ‘I will kill it. If thou canst strike it again ere it reaches the
earth, I’ll say thou art a better man than friar Tuck.’ Drawing an arrow
from his quiver, with apparent ease he shot the ill-fated bird, which
instantly fell to the earth, but not before a second shaft had transfixed
its body. A young forester darted away, and quickly returned with the
prize, when it appeared that the friar’s arrow had pinioned the hawk’s
wings to its sides, and that Little John’s had pierced through from its
breast to its back.
“‘Well done, my brave archers,’ cried the outlaws’ chief; ‘there’s many a
bowman in merry England would give his best weapon to shoot like ye. What
says my gallant friar? will he keep his promise?’
‘What I have said, that will I do,’ replied the priest; ‘but first I must
return to my hut, and possess myself of its valuable contents.’ Robin
Hood offered to accompany him, and dismissing his followers, he and the
friar by turns rode upon the horse, first to the hut and then to the
green woods of Sherwood.