"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.
"Come!" cried Little John.