Page 306 - the-merry-adventures-of-robin-hood

But when the King’s archers went to their tents, they told
their friends all that had passed, and how that these four
men were the famous Robin Hood and three of his band,
to wit, Little John, Will Scarlet, and Allan a Dale. The news
of this buzzed around among the archers in the booths, for
there was not a man there that had not heard of these great
mid-country yeomen. From the archers the news was taken
up by the crowd that looked on at the shooting, so that at
last everybody stood up, craning their necks to catch sight
of the famous outlaws.
Six fresh targets were now set up, one for each man that
was to shoot; whereupon Gilbert and Tepus and Hubert
came straightway forth from the booths. Then Robin Hood
and Gilbert of the White Hand tossed a farthing aloft to see
who should lead in the shooting, and the lot fell to Gilbert’s
side; thereupon he called upon Hubert of Suffolk to lead.
Hubert took his place, planted his foot firmly, and fitted
a fair, smooth arrow; then, breathing upon his fingertips,
he drew the string slowly and carefully. The arrow sped
true, and lodged in the white; again he shot, and again he
hit the clout; a third shaft he sped, but this time failed of the
center, and but struck the black, yet not more than a finger’s-
breadth from the white. At this a shout went up, for it was
the best shooting that Hubert had yet done that day.
Merry Robin laughed, and quoth he, ‘Thou wilt have an
ill time bettering that round, Will, for it is thy turn next.
Brace thy thews, lad, and bring not shame upon Sherwood.’
Then Will Scarlet took his place; but, because of over-
caution, he spoiled his target with the very first arrow that

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