with wonder of what was to come, so that a great cloud of flour flew
down
his throat, setting him a-coughing till he could scarcely stand.
Then, while all four stumbled about, roaring with the smart of the
meal in their eyeballs, and while they rubbed their eyes till the tears
made great channels on their faces through the meal, the Miller seized
another handful of flour and another and another, throwing it in their
faces, so that even had they had a glimmering of light before they were
now as blind as ever a beggar in Nottinghamshire, while their hair and
beards and clothes were as white as snow.
Then catching up his great crabstaff, the Miller began laying about him
as though he were clean gone mad. This way and that skipped the four,
like peas on a drumhead, but they could see neither to defend them-
selves nor to run away. Thwack! thwack! went the Miller's cudgel across
their backs, and at every blow great white clouds of flour rose in the air
from their jackets and went drifting down the breeze.
"Stop!" roared Robin at last. "Give over, good friend, I am Robin
Hood!"
"Thou liest, thou knave," cried the Miller, giving him a rap on the ribs
that sent up a great cloud of flour like a puff of smoke. "Stout Robin nev-
er robbed an honest tradesman. Ha! thou wouldst have my money,
wouldst thou?" And he gave him another blow. "Nay, thou art not get-
ting thy share, thou long-legged knave. Share and share alike." And he
smote Little John across the shoulders so that he sent him skipping half
across the road. "Nay, fear not, it is thy turn now, black beard." And he
gave the Tanner a crack that made him roar for all his coughing. "How
now, red coat, let me brush the dust from thee!" cried he, smiting Will
Scarlet. And so he gave them merry words and blows until they could
scarcely stand, and whenever he saw one like to clear his eyes he threw
more flour in his face. At last Robin Hood found his horn and clapping it
to
his lips, blew three loud blasts upon it.
Now it chanced that Will Stutely and a party of Robin's men were in
the glade not far from where this merry sport was going forward. Hear-
ing the hubbub of voices, and blows that sounded like the noise of a flail
in the barn in wintertime, they stopped, listening and wondering what
was toward. Quoth Will Stutely, "Now if I mistake not there is some
stout battle with cudgels going forward not far hence. I would fain see
this pretty sight." So saying, he and the whole party turned their steps
whence the noise came. When they had come near where all the tumult
sounded they heard the three blasts of Robin's bugle horn.
97
"Quick!" cried young David of Doncaster. "Our master is in sore need!"
So, without stopping a moment, they dashed forward with might and
main and burst forth from the covert into the highroad.
But what a sight was that which they saw! The road was all white with
meal, and five men stood there also white with meal from top to toe, for
much of the barley flour had fallen back upon the Miller.
"What is thy need, master?" cried Will Stutely. "And what doth all this
mean?"
"Why," quoth Robin in a mighty passion, "yon traitor felt low hath
come as nigh slaying me as e'er a man in all the world. Hadst thou not
come quickly,
good Stutely, thy master had been dead."
Hereupon, while he and the three others rubbed the meal from their
eyes, and Will Stutely and his men brushed their clothes clean, he told
them all; how that he had meant to pass a jest upon the Miller, which
same had turned so grievously upon them.
"Quick, men, seize the vile Miller!" cried Stutely, who was nigh chok-
ing with laughter as were the rest; whereupon several ran upon the stout
fellow and seizing him, bound his arms behind his back with
bowstrings.
"Ha!" cried Robin, when they brought the trembling Miller to him.
"Thou wouldst murder me, wouldst thou? By my faith"—Here he
stopped and stood glaring upon the, Miller grimly. But Robin's anger
could not hold, so first his eyes twinkled, and then in spite of all he broke
into a laugh.
Now when they saw their master laugh, the yeomen who stood
around could contain themselves no longer, and a mighty shout of
laughter went up from all. Many could not stand, but rolled upon the
ground from pure merriment.
"What is thy name, good fellow?" said Robin at last to the Miller, who
stood gaping and as though he were in amaze.
"Alas, sir,
I am Midge, the Miller's son," said he in a frightened voice.
"I make my vow," quoth merry Robin, smiting him upon the shoulder,
"thou art the mightiest Midge that e'er mine eyes beheld. Now wilt thou
leave thy dusty mill and come and join my band? By my faith, thou art
too stout a man to spend thy days betwixt the hopper and the till."
"Then truly, if thou dost forgive me for the blows I struck, not know-
ing
who thou wast, I will
join with thee right merrily," said the Miller.
"Then have I gained this day," quoth Robin, "the three stoutest yeomen
in all Nottinghamshire. We will get us away to the greenwood tree, and
there hold a merry feast in honor of our new friends, and mayhap a cup
98