Приключения Робин Гуда

           ThenRobinHoodandGilbertoftheWhiteHandtossedafarthingalofttoseewhoshouldleadintheshooting,andthelotfelltoGilbert’sside;thereuponhecalleduponHubertofSuffolktolead.

           Huberttookhisplace,plantedhisfootfirmly,andfittedafair,smootharrow;then,breathinguponhisfingertips,hedrewthestringslowlyandcarefully.Thearrowspedtrue,andlodgedinthewhite;againheshot,andagainhehittheclout;athirdshafthesped,butthistimefailedofthecenter,andbutstrucktheblack,yetnotmorethanafinger’s-breadthfromthewhite.Atthisashoutwentup,foritwasthebestshootingthatHuberthadyetdonethatday.

           MerryRobinlaughed,andquothhe,"Thouwilthaveanilltimebetteringthatround,Will,foritisthyturnnext.Bracethythews,lad,andbringnotshameuponSherwood."

           ThenWillScarlettookhisplace;but,becauseofovercaution,hespoiledhistargetwiththeveryfirstarrowthathesped,forhehitthenextringtotheblack,thesecondfromthecenter.AtthisRobinbithislips."Lad,lad,"quothhe,"holdnotthestringsolong!HaveInotoftentoldtheewhatGafferSwantholdsayeth,that‘overcautionspilleththemilk’?"TothisWillScarlettookheed,sothenextarrowheshotlodgedfairlyinthecenterring;againheshot,andagainhesmotethecenter;but,forallthat,stoutHuberthadoutshothim,andshowedthebettertarget.