But bear in mind that thou hast pledged thy promise for the safety of these good yeomen for forty days." "I will keep my promise," said the King, in a deep voice that showed the anger in his heart, "but when these forty days are gone let this outlaw look to himself, for mayhap things will not go so smoothly with him as he would like." Then he turned to his archers, who stood near the Sherwood yeomen, listening and wondering at all that passed.

Quoth he, "Gilbert, and thou, Tepus, and thou, Hubert, I have pledged myself that ye shall shoot against these three fellows.

If ye outshoot the knaves I will fill your caps with silver pennies; if ye fail ye shall lose your prizes that ye have won so fairly, and they go to them that shoot against you, man to man.

Do your best, lads, and if ye win this bout ye shall be glad of it to the last days of your life.

Go, now, and get you gone to the butts." Then the three archers of the King turned and went back to their booths, and Robin and his men went to their places at the mark from which they were to shoot.