"How do you know that?" said Much. "After you had gone we all did aim again, and very marvellous was my shooting. For sure, I should have had the prize, even as I told you, had not Hubert already made off with it."
"Is this so?" asked Robin, doubtfully, looking from one to the other of the Lincoln men. Those in front had now stopped also; and Master Carfax came ambling back to see what had occasioned the delay. So soon as he espied Robin his face took a joyful look. "Here, Master Ford," he called, clapping his hands. "Hither--come hither! Here is your quarry found for you. Now you can fight it out, fair and square, whilst we watch to see fair play!"
Ford turned about and glanced at Robin; but he did not like the notion of such a battle. So he affected not to recognize him. "Nay, this is but some vagrant fellow," said he, hesitatingly. "Let us push on, Master Simeon; "tis near the hour when we are to meet with him whom you know."
He added these words in a low voice, and made a gesture indicating the Copmanhurst road.
Carfax"s face took a diabolical expression. He had begun to answer Ford, when the whole party were suddenly disturbed by the rush of a great herd of Royal deer.
These beasts, driven by someone from out of their pastures, came scattering blindly adown the track; and men and horses moved quickly to one side to avoid a devastating collision.
After they had pa.s.sed, Carfax began again. "Form a ring, friends," cried he, coaxingly. "Let neither of these fellows escape. They shall yield us some sport, in any event, whether Ford be right or I."
A solitary stag at this instant appeared before them. He stood, as if carved from stone, in the center of the road, at three hundred paces"
distance. He was clearly uncertain whether to dash through these his usual enemies, in an attempt to rejoin the herd, or fly backward to that unknown danger which had first startled them all.
""Tis a fine beast," hiccoughed Much. "Now had I a steady hand!"
Simeon Carfax interrupted him. "By the Lord Harry, here is the very thing," he said, in whispered excitement. "Now, fellow, you shall prove me right and this forester wrong. I say you are Robin of Locksley, who did split the Norman"s arrow at the tourney. Fly a shaft now at yon mark; surely none but such a bowman as yourself might dare hope to reach it."
Robin fell into the very palpable trap set for him. Without answering Carfax, he fitted an arrow to his bow, and sent speeding death to the trembling stag. It fell, pierced cleanly to the heart. Robin eyed Ford triumphantly.
But Master Carfax now held up his hands in horror. "See what you have done, wicked youth," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed he, as if quite overcome with dismay. "I bade you shoot at yon birch-tree shimmering there to the left of the deer. Did I not say: "Fly at yon mark"? And now you have killed one of the King"s deer."
"I do hear that this fellow has slain others about Locksley," said Ford, meanly. "You are right, Master Simeon; he is, in sooth, Robin of Locksley; your eyes are wiser than mine. Seize him, my men."
At once the foresters sprang upon Robin and Stuteley, and a fierce battle was commenced. Despite a valiant resistance, Robin and Will Stuteley were soon overcome and bound hard and fast.
"You villains," panted Stuteley. "And you, most treacherous," he called to Carfax, "I wish you joy of so contemptible a trick."
"All"s fair in war, friend," answered Carfax. "Now, Master Ford, fulfil your duty. You know the law; that if one be found killing the King"s deer in the Royal Forest of Sherwood, he or she may be summarily hanged when caught upon the nearest tree."
"It must be _in flagrante delicto_, Master Simeon," said Ford, uneasy again.
"Could there be a plainer case?" cried Carfax, rubbing his hands. "We all did see this fellow shoot the deer. Tis the clearest case; and I do counsel you to deal lawfully in it, Master Ford. Remember that he also is suspected of being an outlaw, in that you saw him once use a peac.o.c.ked arrow. Although I am but a layman, as it were, friend," he added, meaningly, "yet I do know the law, and shall be forced to quit my conscience with the Prince when I return to Nottingham. Wherefore, seeing that your appointment to Locksley still lacks his confirmation----"
"I would rather bring the rogue to Master Monceux, as he did command me," argued Ford, who could not quite brace himself to this. "Besides, we have no leisure at this moment to carry out the law," he went on.
"You know that your master the Prince did start us on this journey with two errands upon our shoulders."
"One was to deal with Robin of Locksley," said Carfax, snarlingly, and without yielding his point.
"To take him to Nottingham, master, I say," put in Much. "I do not think that the Prince meant you to harm him."
"Be silent, knave!" snapped the lean-faced man, sharply. "Who gave you the right to question me? Shut your mouth, or I will have you accounted as accomplice with these fellows, and put a noose about your bull-neck also!"
"Why, harkee, master," said Much, very wrathful. "This is a game where two can play or more. I do forthwith range myself with the gipsy; and you, Midge," he added, turning to one of his company, "surely you will follow?"
"Right instantly," answered the one called Midge, a little ferret of a man.
"And I also." "And I, Master Much"--so spoke the remaining Lincoln men.
"So are we six, then," said Much. He tumbled off his horse, and the other three of them did the like; and then strode over to where Robin stood. "Release him," said the miller, determinedly; and he promptly knocked two of the foresters sprawling.
This was the signal for a general encounter, and all threw themselves very heartily into the melee.
The miller and his men struggled to release Robin and Stuteley so that these might help in the fray; but the foresters were too many for them.
Twice did Much get his hands upon Robin"s bonds, only to be plucked violently backward. The men tumbled one upon the other in the fight, pummelling, clutching, and tearing at each other in a wild confusion.
They made little noise, all being too desperately in earnest. Ford encouraged his foresters by word and gesture; and Carfax kept himself as far out of it as possible. Presently three of the foresters overpowered the good-natured, still half-tipsy miller, and held him down.
Then Master Carfax sprang from his horse and rushed in upon the prostrate miller. Seizing one of the foresters" pikes the lean-faced man foully swung it down upon Much"s pate with a sounding thwack. The miller gave a groan and became limp in the hands of his a.s.sailants.
"Now, surely, that is the meanest of all the mean deeds which you have done!" cried Robin. He tore at his bonds fiercely and vainly--biting at the cord about his wrists with his teeth. Carfax ran to his horse. In an instant he had returned with a cord taken from under his saddle. "I had a notion that this might be useful to me when I set out this morn," he said. "Put it about his neck soon as a noose is fashioned. Now fling the end of it over this branch. Now draw it tight. Steadily, I pray you; be not over-quick. The prisoner has the right to speak a prayer ere he be hanged. Say it then, Robin of Locksley."
Robin caught sight at this instant of poor Stuteley"s face. He had been knocked down in the fight, and, being bound, had lain where he had fallen. His eyes met Robin"s in an anguished glance, and his lips trembled in attempt at speech.
Robin strove to smile at him; but his own soul was sick within his body.
He felt the cord tighten again about his throat, but even as the world reeled black, Robin heard dully the sound of a horn. In familiar tones it came in upon his fainting brain. Next instant came a jerk at the rope, futile, if infuriated; then, suddenly, contact with a body falling heavily against his own.
As he fell he knew that something warm and horrid trickled upon his hands. Then followed a vast confusion of noise: and, in the midst of it, sweet peace.
CHAPTER XIII
When Robin came to his senses he found himself surrounded by the outlaw band. On this occasion they appeared as friends, however--and welcome ones to boot; for it had been a near matter that Robin"s history had been ended by Master Carfax on this day.
Now were the tables turned, and very completely. The foresters had been overcome by Will and his outlaws, thanks to the diversion brought about by the Lincoln men. Much was sitting up with a more rueful countenance than he had when Robin had first spied him on this morning; and little sharp-nosed Midge was busy bathing and binding his cracked poll.
Some half-score of the foresters, with Master Ford, had escaped along the road towards Locksley: the rest were bound, and their horses confiscated by the outlaws.
Master Simeon, with rage and terror depicted plainly upon his countenance, lay writhing at Robin"s feet, bound with the very cord with which he had sought to end young Fitzooth"s life. His enemies had trussed him across a quarter-staff, and had tied the knots large and tight about him.
"Well, Locksley, how now?" asked Will o" th" Green, with gruff kindliness. "Are the vapors pa.s.sed? Can you twiddle your bow again?"
"Not skilfully enough now to take place against you, Will," smiled Robin, recovering himself more and more. "I am atrembling yet. I had thought to see the blue sky no more----"
"Ay, my man"s arrow was not too soon, Locksley," said Will, gravely.
"This fellow"s hand was upon the rope, and another moment might have seen you gallows-fruit upon this tree." He paused to bend over a forester lying p.r.o.ne near them, with his face buried in the gra.s.s. Robin saw that the man"s body was transfixed by an arrow.
"He is no more," Will told them, looking up presently; "your aim was a shrewd one, Hal," he went on, addressing himself to one of his band.
"Is he indeed _dead_?" asked Robin, in an awestruck voice.
""Twas his life or yours," answered Will o" th" Green, grimly. He turned to his men. "Now, comrades," cried he, "have you searched our prisoners and prepared them? "Tis well. Are they bound together, then, by the arms, twos and threes, as is appointed in our rules; and is the right leg and left leg of each villain shackled together?... Stand them up, then, with their faces toward Nottingham, and bid them march."
"There is yet this one, captain," said one of the men, indicating Carfax. "What shall we do with him?"