Only the Sheriff was grave and thinking hard.  He was a greedy old man, and he was saying to himself, “This silly young fellow evidently does not know the value of things.  If he has any cattle I might buy them from him for very little.  I could sell them again to the butchers for a good price.  In that way I should make a lot of money.”

After dinner he took Robin by the arm and led him aside.

“See here, young man,” he said, “I like your looks.  But you seem new to this business.  Now, don’t you trust these men,” pointing to the butchers.  “They are all as ready as can be to cheat you.  You take my advice.  If you have any cattle to sell, come to me.  I’ll give you a good price.”

“Thank you,” said Robin, “it is most kind of you.”

  “Hast thou any horned beasts, the Sheriff then said,
     Good fellow, to sell to me? 
   Yes, that I have, good master Sheriff,
     I have hundreds two or three.

  “And a hundred acres of good free land,
     If you please it for to see;
  And I’ll make you as good assurance of it,
     As ever my father did me.”

The Sheriff nearly danced for joy when he heard that Robin had so many horned cattle for sale.  He had quite made up his mind that it would be very easy to cheat this silly young fellow.  Already he began to count the money he would make.  He was such a greedy old man.  But there was a wicked twinkle in Robin’s eye.

“Now, young man, when can I see these horned beasts of yours?” asked the Sheriff.  “I can’t buy a pig in a poke, you know.  I must see them first.  And the land too, and the land too,” he added, rubbing his hands, and jumping about in excitement.

“The sooner the better,” said Robin.  “I start for home to-morrow morning.  If you like to ride with me I will show you the horned beasts and the land too.”

“Capital, capital,” said the Sheriff.  “To-morrow morning then, after breakfast, I go with you.  And see here, young man,” he added, catching hold of Robin’s coat-tails as he was going away, “you won’t go and sell to any one else in the meantime?  It is a bargain, isn’t it?”

“Oh, certainly.  I won’t even speak of it to any one,” replied Robin; and he went away, laughing heartily to himself.

That night the Sheriff went into his counting-house and counted out three hundred pounds in gold.  He tied it up in three bags, one hundred pounds in each bag.

“It’s a lot of money,” he said to himself, “a lot of money.  Still, I suppose, I must pay him something for his cattle.  But it is a lot of money to part with,” and he heaved a big sigh.

He put the gold underneath his pillow in case any one should steal it during the night.  Then he went to bed and tried to sleep.  But he was too excited; besides the gold under his pillow made it so hard and knobby that it was most uncomfortable.

At last the night passed, and in the morning.