Miguel Bunol succeeded after much effort in tearing his a.s.sailant from his back and striking him down. Then the Spaniard fled from the room and down the stairs.

Bunol's companions had been surprised and attacked. On account of the boldness of the a.s.sailants, they believed the force much larger than it was, and they lost no time in seeking to get away.

The light in the room was dashed out, and in the darkness the fight continued.

Aaron had singled out Rob MacLane, but the ruffian escaped by another door, and the little man followed him to the wall, where took place the encounter witnessed by Professor Gunn.

Marsh and Durbin had been fortunate in getting away in the dark pa.s.sages of the old castle, and Buckhart followed Aaron in his pursuit of MacLane. Brad witnessed the peril of the little man, and fired to save him from being dashed from the wall. Following the shot, both men fell.

Buckhart retraced his steps and heard d.i.c.k calling to him. Guided by Merriwell's voice, he came upon d.i.c.k, who was supporting Budthorne with one hand and holding a torch with the other.

"Perhaps we had better get out of here before those chaps recover and realize there are so few of us," said d.i.c.k. "I think Budthorne is all right, and we've had great luck."

"Luck!" cried the fighting Texan. "No luck about it, pard! I opine it was a case of pure sand, and we won the game on our merits."

He then told what had happened on the old wall.

They lost no time in getting outside and aiding Budthorne to the spot where the terrified professor waited with the boat.

"But we're not going away without finding out what has happened to Aaron," said d.i.c.k. "Come on, Brad."

They went in search of the little man and found him under the wall, his leg broken. Near at hand lay another man, who had something worse than a broken leg, for a bullet had pierced his shoulder and his neck had been broken when he struck the ground.

Innocent persons in that part of the country would never more be terrorized by Rob MacLane.

After a long consultation with Budthorne and his sister, it was decided, on d.i.c.k's advice, that Dunbar and Nadia should quietly leave Scotland for Italy. d.i.c.k and Brad promised to meet them, if possible, after they had visited several points of interest in England, upon which the professor insisted.

CHAPTER X.

THE HAUNTS OF ROBIN HOOD.

"Well, boys," said Professor Gunn, "we are at last in the very heart of Sherwood Forest, the haunt of Robin Hood, the outlaw."

"There certain is a right good stretch of timber and some of the biggest trees I ever saw," confessed Brad Buckhart; "but it doesn't seem to me that it should have been such a mighty hard thing to hunt an old outlaw out of a place like this."

"Times were different then, and you must not forget that, while Robin plundered the rich, legends have it that he was always kind to the poor, and, therefore, he had many friends who warned him of danger and gave him protection."

d.i.c.k Merriwell, Brad Buckhart, and Professor Gunn were being driven in an open carriage through the n.o.ble and famous forest. All around them stood the mighty oaks, some of which, it was said, had withstood the storms of seven centuries. The westering sun of what had been an ideal autumn day gleamed through the branches on which the brown leaves rustled and where the squirrels chattered. The frozen ground was bestrewn with fallen leaves, which rustled in little flocks along the hard road when stirred by a pa.s.sing breeze, seeming like startled birds.

Earlier in the day they had visited Newstead Abbey, the home of Byron, where two hours were spent. On leaving they drove through the ever-thickening forest to a little wayside inn, where they lunched.

After a rest, they resumed their drive, it being their object to stop for the night at Robin Hood's Tavern, an inn of which they had been told by their c.o.c.kney driver.

"Is it really true, professor," asked d.i.c.k, "that Robin Hood was of n.o.ble birth?"

The old pedagogue shrugged his shoulders and smiled a withered smile.

"That is a question no one can answer," he declared. "It has been said that he was the outlawed Earl of Huntingdon, but such a tale may have come from the fact that the really n.o.ble qualities he betrayed seemed quite unnatural for a robber and outlaw, and were supposed to be possessed only by those of gentle birth. But here in this forest he roamed with Friar Tuck, Little John, Will Scarlett, Allen-a-Dale, and Maid Marion. Here he made merry and lived such a life of adventure, and ease, and pleasure, that he has been the envy of every romantic youngster to this day."

"Did he live long?" questioned Buckhart.

"Tradition says he lived his roving, careless, jolly life until he became a very old man."

"And how did he die? Was he executed?"

"Oh, no. Being somewhat ill, he trusted himself to the prioress of Kirkley to be bled, and she treacherously let him bleed to death."

"Do you believe there really was a Robin Hood, professor?"

"Why not?"

"Well, you know the story has been doubted by students of history, many of whom a.s.sert that the story of his life is purely legendary."

"Hum! haw! Haw! hum!" coughed Zenas. "Some of these students of history are cranks and doubters on principle. They think they impress people with their great knowledge, ac.u.men and judgment by doubting everything there is any chance of doubting. You can doubt anything that happened say a century ago if you wish to. No matter how strong the proofs may be, you can say they were manufactured. Do either of you boys doubt the story of Paul Revere's ride?"

"Of course not!" exclaimed d.i.c.k.

"I should rise to remark that we don't," burst from Brad.

"Well, I once heard a man, an educated man, a scholar, declaring that the whole yarn had been manufactured out of moonshine. He didn't deny there had lived such a person as Paul Revere, for Paul Revere's descendants still live; but he insisted and maintained that the tale of his midnight ride had been elaborated and cooked up to please those who wished to make a hero of a very commonplace man."

"Great tarantulas!" growled Brad. "That gent certain deserved to be shot up some for making such foolish talk!"

"Do you really believe there was a Robin Hood, professor?" asked d.i.c.k, once more.

"I think there is no doubt that such a man lived," answered the old man stiffly. "Perhaps he did not pa.s.s through all the stirring adventures credited to him, but I am satisfied that there was a Robin Hood. He was pa.s.sionately attached to the chase, and he was bold enough to make free with the king's deer, which angered the king, who summoned him to London. Thinking himself far safer here in this forest, which was then much more vast, having since been cut away to a great extent, he simply ignored the summons, upon which the king p.r.o.nounced him an outlaw."

The sun was low in the west, and the long shadows deepened in Sherwood Forest. Soon the sun set and night spread its wing over the ancient haunts of Robin Hood.

"How much farther to the tavern, driver?" asked Professor Gunn.

"Not hover four mile, sir," was the answer.

Behind them on the hard road there sounded the clatter of hoofs and rumble of wheels. Looking round, they saw a closed carriage, drawn by two horses, rapidly approaching.

"Some one drives in a great hurry," said d.i.c.k.

The horses were steaming as they whipped past at a favorable place for doing so. The curtains of the carriage were closely drawn, and not a soul save the m.u.f.fled driver was to be seen.

"Those horses have been pushed right hard," observed Buckhart. "Wonder who's inside the old hea.r.s.e."

They crossed a stone bridge and followed the winding road on into a still deeper portion of the forest. The sun went down and darkness gathered.

At last a light glimmered cheerfully in the distance and a dog barked.