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In this way she conquered distance steadily, and with very little noise. The air, and the light, and the beauty of the mountains were a sudden joy to me. In front of us all strode Sampson Gundry, clearing all tangles with a short, sharp axe, and mounting steep places as if twoscore were struck off his threescore years and five.
But before he could settle himself he saw the trail across the cañon alive with moving men and beasts. In ones, twos, and threes they came. Some rode singly and without outfit, while others urged on pack animals. But one and all were in a hurry. He counted more than twoscore travelers who dropped into Shoestring within an hour and a half. Then there was a pause in the rush.
There were many new buildings of a good sort, and of wood as well as stone; when we came to Grosetto, where we had spent a memorable night after being overturned in the Ombrone, in the attempt of our diligence to pass its flood, we were aware, in the evening light, of a prosperity which, if not excessive for the twoscore years that had passed, was still very noticeable.
"Fetch either of the twain to Bertragh, dead or alive, and you have the loan of twoscore men for three months, free. Is it a pact?" "It is a pact," answered Brian, and at that the other galloped back to his men. Brian swung his sword and flung it high into the air; before it had flashed down to nestle in his palm again, his men were scrambling into the road.
To Robin was give the purse containing twoscore golden pounds; to Little John the twoscore silver pennies; and to Allan-a-Dale the fine inlaid bugle, much to his delight, for he was skilled at blowing sweet tunes upon the horn hardly less than handling the harp strings.
That same evening within a forest glade a group of men some twoscore clad in Lincoln green sat round a fire roasting venison and making merry. Suddenly a twig crackled and they sprang to their feet and seized their weapons. "I look for the widow's sons," a clear voice said, "and I come alone." Instantly the three men stepped forward. "Tis Rob!" they cried; "welcome to Sherwood Forest, Rob!"
Following him came an escort of twoscore horsemen; they in the full panoply of war; and behind them, on foot, in procession extending like a gigantic snake down the Rhine road, an army of at least three thousand men, the setting sun flashing fire from the points of their spears. Here and there, down the line, floated above them silken flags, and Roland recognized the device on the foremost one.
A melancholy silence seemed to signalize the despair of the twoscore patients, each occupying a cot screened from the rest by thin canvas curtains. Double lines of sentries guarded each opening of the marqueé, so that no one could pass in or out without the rigidly viséd order of the surgeon-in-chief.
Furthermore, to him that first meeteth with Robin Hood shall one hundred pounds of silver money be given, if he be brought to me dead or alive; and to him that meeteth with any of his band shall twoscore pounds be given, if such be brought to me dead or alive. So, be ye bold and be ye crafty."
And this was the indescribable ceremony nipped in the bud by our young lieutenant and his twoscore men, to whose energy, courage, and skill Major Berry gave all credit, though Garrett claimed it "in the name of my troop." All night had they faced a furious and clamorous band chiefs, warriors, and women shouting denunciation, demanding their prey, and threatening attack in tremendous force.
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