"Yea," quoth Robin Hood, to whom she spake, "I will do my best for thy sake, and, if I fail, I make my vow never to finger bowstring more."
An there lived a man that would not do his best for thee--I will say nought, only I would like to have the cracking of his knave's pate!
Do your best, lads, and if ye win this bout ye shall be glad of it to the last days of your life.
Then they strung their bows and made themselves ready, looking over their quivers of arrows, and picking out the roundest and the best feathered.
At this a shout went up, for it was the best shooting that Hubert had yet done that day.
At this no sound of shouting was heard, for, although it was the best shooting that had been done that day, the folk of London Town did not like to see the stout Tepus overcome by a fellow from the countryside, even were he as famous as Little John.
"I make my vow, thou art one of the best archers that ever mine eyes beheld.
They shall shoot again, and still again, till either he or that knave Robin Hood cometh off the best. Go thou, Sir Hugh, and bid them shoot another round, and another, until one or the other is overcome." Then Sir Hugh, seeing how wroth the King was, said never a word, but went straightway to do his bidding; so he came to where Robin Hood and the other stood, and told them what the King had said.
Then up spake Robin, and quoth he, "This silver bugle I keep in honor of this shooting match; but thou, Gilbert, art the best archer of all the King's guard, and to thee I freely give this purse of gold.
"Now, I thank thee, good fellow, for thou hast done me greater service than thou knowest of this day." Then he called his three yeomen together and told them privately that they had best be jogging, as it was like to be ill for them so nigh merry London Town.