Page 290 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

Partington, ‘thou wilt do great service to him and great
pleasure to our royal Queen by aiding me to find him.’
Then up spake the other yeoman, who was a handsome
fellow with sunburned face and nut-brown, curling hair,
‘Thou hast an honest look, Sir Page, and our Queen is kind
and true to all stout yeomen. Methinks I and my friend here
might safely guide thee to Robin Hood, for we know where
he may be found. Yet I tell thee plainly, we would not for all
merry England have aught of harm befall him.’
‘Set thy mind at ease; I bring nought of ill with me,’ quoth
Richard Partington. ‘I bring a kind message to him from
our Queen, therefore an ye know where he is to be found, I
pray you to guide me thither.’
Then the two yeomen looked at one another again, and
the tall man said, ‘Surely it were safe to do this thing, Will”;
whereat the other nodded. Thereupon both arose, and the
tall yeoman said, ‘We think thou art true, Sir Page, and
meanest no harm, therefore we will guide thee to Robin
Hood as thou dost wish.’
Then Partington paid his score, and the yeomen coming
forward, they all straightway departed upon their way.
Under the greenwood tree, in the cool shade that spread
all around upon the sward, with flickering lights here and
there, Robin Hood and many of his band lay upon the soft
green grass, while Allan a Dale sang and played upon his
sweetly sounding harp. All listened in silence, for young
Allan’s singing was one of the greatest joys in all the world
to them; but as they so listened there came of a sudden the
sound of a horse’s feet, and presently Little John and Will