"Clayton Emery - Robin Hood's Treasure" - читать интересную книгу автора (Emery Clayton)

"Oh, that's right." Will nodded at the soldiers. "Do we rob them?"
Little John answered. "No. We're too cowardly to go near fighting men.
Besides, anyone takes up soldierin' needs money bad." The sheriff's
eight men fidgeted in their saddles, but said nothing. He told the sheriff,
"That's all. You can go. Oh, did you hear about four knights robbed the
widow of Three Oaks? We're hunting for them."
Nicholas grit his teeth. "I heard. I met her. We're hunting too."
"Oh, good."
The sheriff's eyes blazed at the foresters. "One of these days... I'm
going to catch you lot and hang you all!"
Simon was stunned. Stutly was smug. Will Scarlett nodded. "Fair
enough."
Nicholas, High Sheriff of Nottingham, stalked back to the last man in
line. "Get off that animal, you idiot! I need it!" The soldier got down and
the sheriff mounted. "Start walking!" Head high, he led his troop down
the road. The dismount soldier walked around the outlaws and the dead
horse, swinging his arms.
Little John laid his staff down in the road, broke the laces on the saddle
bags, and dumped out the money. He whistled at the bushes.
"Alphonse! Come here!"
The widow's son crept out of the bush. He looked at the retreating
entourage. "Is that always the way you rob people? The sheriff?"
Scarlett stacked coins in piles of ten. "No. Sometimes we make fun of
him. Look at this, son. How much did your mother lose?"
Alphonse gulped. "Near to ninety marks, is what she said to say."
"But how much did she lose?"
"Uh..."
Scarlett glanced at Little John. The giant shrugged. "Count out ninety
and give it him. Near enough is close enough."
But when it was counted out, there were only eighty marks in gold and
its equivalent in silver.
Little John straightened up. "Eighty's almost ninety. Good." He squinted
at the sun, scratched the base of his braid. "Not yet noon and we've
recovered most of the widow's money. Robin will be pleased."
Scarlett grinned. "We're one up on Rob."
"This ain't a contest, I tell you. Alphonse, why don't you get along
home? Your mother'll be frantic over the loss of that money, and glad to
see this. We'll chase after those knights, but they could be anywhere.
We'll send word if we get lucky."
"What will you do if you catch 'em?"
Little John kept pulling at his braid where it caught on the bowstring.
"Depends what they do. If they surrender, we'll... march 'em into
Nottingham for the sheriff, I guess. If they act up, we'll stack 'em by the
side of the road for the wolves. You lot ready?"
Scarlett said, "You're the one talking and fussing with your hair."
Little John frowned. "I see what happened. Robin was born first and got
all the brains in the family."
Will grinned. "That's right. I got all the looks."
"Must be one ugly family. Let's walk."
Alphonse went west, and they set off south.