Robin knew nothing in those days about the old proverb of jumping
out of the frying-pan into the fire, but he felt something of the
kind as he found himself face to face with the marauders who had
seized upon the bales of cloth and put his aunt's servants to
flight, and without a moment's hesitation he turned and began to
hurry back, but ran into the arms of a huge fellow who caught him
up as if he had been a baby.
[Illustration: Robin ran into the arms of a huge fellow, who caught
him up as if he had been a baby.]
"Hullo, giant!" cried the big man, "who are you?" And the party of
men with him, armed with long bows and arrows, began to laugh
merrily.
"Let me go--let me go!" cried the boy, struggling angrily.
"Steady, steady, my little Cock Robin," said the man, in his big
bluff way; "don't fight, or you'll ruffle your feathers."
The boy ceased struggling directly.
"How did you know my name was Robin?" he said.
"Guessed it, little one. There, I shan't hurt you. Where do you
come from?"
"Ellton," said the boy.
"But what are you doing here in the forest?"
"You came and fought David, and frightened him and the men away,
and those are our mules and the cloth.
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