“I waited a bit, and then stepped out to him, and what do you think he did?  He strung his bow, fitted an arrow to it before I knew where I was, and drew it to the head as if he was going to shoot me.  ‘Do you know where Nottingham is?’ I said, and he lowered his bow.  ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘of course.  Do you know my father?’ ’Do I know the Sheriff?’ I said; ‘of course.’  ’Are you going there soon?’ he cried, and I nodded.  ‘Then you go to my father,’ he cried, ’and tell him to tell aunt that I’m quite well, and that some day I’m coming home.”

The man stopped, for just then the Sheriff closed his eyes again and said something very softly, which Robin’s aunt heard, and she sank upon her knees and covered her face with her hands.

Then the Sheriff sprang to his feet, looking quite a different man.

“Here,” he said to the bringer of the news, and he gave him some gold pieces.  “Could you find your way back to the outlaws’ camp in the forest?”

“Oh! yes, Master Sheriff, that I could, though they did bind a cloth over my face when they brought me away.”

“And you could lead me and a strong body of fighting men right to the outlaws’ camp?”

“I could, Master Sheriff,” said the man, beginning slowly to lay the gold pieces back one by one upon the table; “but I can’t do evil for good.”

“What?” cried the Sheriff angrily.  “They are robbers and outlaws, and every subject of the King has a right to slay them.”

“May be, Master Sheriff,” said the man drily; “but I’m not going to fly at the throat of one who did nothing but good to me.  They tell me that Robin Hood’s a noble earl who offended the King, and had to fly for his life.  What I say is, he’s a noble kind-hearted gentleman, and if it was my boy he had there, looking as happy as the day is long, I’d go to him without any fighting men.”

“How, then?” cried the Sheriff.

“Just like a father should, master, and ask him for my boy like a man.”

“That will do,” said the Sheriff.  “You can go.”

The man turned to leave the room, when the Sheriff said sharply: 

“Stop!  You are leaving the gold pieces I gave you.”

“Yes, I can’t take pay to lead anyone to fight against Robin Hood and his men.”

“Those pieces were for the news you brought me,” said the Sheriff.  “Yes, take them, for you have behaved like an honest man.”

But the Sheriff did not take the man’s advice, neither did he listen to the appeal of young Robin’s aunt.  For, as Sheriff of Nottingham, he said to himself that it was his duty to destroy or scatter the band of outlaws who had lived in Sherwood Forest for so long a time.

So he gathered a strong body of crossbow-men, and others with spears and swords, besides asking for the help of two gallant knights who came with their esquires mounted and in armour with their men.