I like ill to
let this fellow pass from my hands, but as I have promised, thou shalt
have him."
"I thank thee right heartily for thy gift," cried Robin. "Take the
rogue down from the horse, men, and lean him against yonder tree, while
I show you how we stick a porker whence I come!"
At these words some of the Sheriff's men shook their heads; for, though
they cared not a whit whether Little John were hanged or not, they hated
to see him butchered in cold blood. But the Sheriff called to them in a
loud voice, ordering them to take the yeoman down from the horse and
lean him against the tree, as the other bade.
While they were doing this Robin Hood strung both his bow and that of
Guy of Gisbourne, albeit none of them took notice of his doing so.
Then, when Little John stood against the tree, he drew Guy of
Gisbourne's sharp, double-edged dagger. "Fall back! fall back!" cried
he. "Would ye crowd so on my pleasure, ye unmannerly knaves? Back, I
say! Farther yet!" So they crowded back, as he ordered, many of them
turning their faces away, that they might not see what was about to
happen.
Pages:
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469