Page 58 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

all gathered together at the place of meeting, Robin spoke
to them thus:
‘Now we will lie here in ambush until we can get news,
for it doth behoove us to be cunning and wary if we would
bring our friend Will Stutely off from the Sheriff’s clutch-
es.’
So they lay hidden a long time, until the sun stood high
in the sky. The day was warm and the dusty road was bare of
travelers, except an aged palmer who walked slowly along
the highroad that led close beside the gray castle wall of
Nottingham Town. When Robin saw that no other wayfarer
was within sight, he called young David of Doncaster, who
was a shrewd man for his years, and said to him, ‘Now get
thee forth, young David, and speak to yonder palmer that
walks beside the town wall, for he hath come but now from
Nottingham Town, and may tell thee news of good Stutely,
perchance.’
So David strode forth, and when he came up to the pil-
grim, he saluted him and said, ‘Good morrow, holy father,
and canst thou tell me when Will Stutely will be hanged
upon the gallows tree? I fain would not miss the sight, for I
have come from afar to see so sturdy a rogue hanged.’
‘Now, out upon thee, young man,’ cried the Palmer,
‘that thou shouldst speak so when a good stout man is to
be hanged for nothing but guarding his own life!’ And he
struck his staff upon the ground in anger. ‘Alas, say I, that
this thing should be! For even this day, toward evening,
when the sun falleth low, he shall be hanged, fourscore rods
from the great town gate of Nottingham, where three roads