Page 128 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

help thee to arise.’
‘A plague on thy aid!’ cried Robin angrily. ‘I can get to my
feet without thy help, good fellow.’
‘Nay, but let me at least dust thy coat for thee. I fear thy
poor bones are mightily sore,’ quoth Little John soberly, but
with a sly twinkle in his eyes.
‘Give over, I say!’ quoth Robin in a fume. ‘My coat hath
been dusted enough already, without aid of thine.’ Then,
turning to the stranger, he said, ‘What may be thy name,
good fellow?’
‘My name is Gamwell,’ answered the other.
‘Ha!’ cried Robin, ‘is it even so? I have near kin of that
name. Whence camest thou, fair friend?’
‘From Maxfield Town I come,’ answered the stranger.
‘There was I born and bred, and thence I come to seek my
mother’s young brother, whom men call Robin Hood. So, if
perchance thou mayst direct me—‘
‘Ha! Will Gamwell!’ cried Robin, placing both hands
upon the other’s shoulders and holding him off at arm’s
length. ‘Surely, it can be none other! I might have known
thee by that pretty maiden air of thine—that dainty, finick-
ing manner of gait. Dost thou not know me, lad? Look upon
me well.’
‘Now, by the breath of my body!’ cried the other, ‘I do
believe from my heart that thou art mine own Uncle Robin.
Nay, certain it is so!’ And each flung his arms around the
other, kissing him upon the cheek.
Then once more Robin held his kinsman off at arm’s
length and scanned him keenly from top to toe. ‘Why, how

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