Colin Meets an Emu (7 page)

“Aye, that's about right, Grulph.”

“Oh, no, no, no, no, no!” roared the merchant. “You are lying! The abbot is lying, or his spy in St. Weynolf's is lying. I owe you and him nothing! Nothing! Do you hear? Nothing!”

At that point Colin and Olivia had crept near enough through the trees to see the three men. The merchant was the only one wearing a hat. He also had a fine black cloak around his shoulders. He was faced by one very tall, very thin man and one, who was short and stocky. Both were wearing monks' brown robes tied with a cord round the middle. The tall one was obviously Grulph, and he was doing most of the talking.

“Enough of this idle talk!” he snapped. “Thou rich varlet, my patience is at an end. Hand over that moneybag. The abbot expects…”

“Far too much,” said Colin, stepping out from between the trees.

“Egad! What knave is this?” Grulph also stepped forward. Urquart merely growled something under his breath. It sounded like a curse. Then he spoke up. “Tis but a pipsqueak from the band that infests this place. See. He is dressed in green.”

“Verily,” responded Grulph. “Begone, sirrah, forthwith.”

Colin answered him coolly. “I think not, for I am from another place and another time. Leave this man be. He has clearly done nothing wrong.”

Grulph advanced menacingly towards Colin, who stood his ground. Sammy gave a little growl. Olivia waited with him. She trusted Colin would know what to do.

“Begone, I say,” repeated Grulph, “or you will have us and all the abbot's men to answer to.”

“Oh, that's no problem,” laughed Colin, grabbing the boastful Grulph by the wrists, “no problem at all” and he spun round five times in ever faster circles so that the skinny monk was parallel to the ground. Then, timing it perfectly, just like a hammer-thrower in an athletics event, he released him so that he flew through the air with great force and crashed unerringly into the open-mouthed Urquart. Both monks rolled over and over in a heap on the ground, where they lay groaning.

 

Olivia came out from behind the trees. She clapped her hands in delight. Sammy barked joyfully, as if he were applauding too.

Colin glared at the two breathless monks. “No, it is you, who must away,” he declared. “Tell your master the abbot that he will no longer demand money for himself from other people. Tell him that I, Colin, have said so. I say again, away with you! Begone!”

With fearful glances behind them Grulph and Urquart scurried away into the woods. Now the merchant, who had remained silent, felt confident enough to speak up. He swept off his hat and bowed. “Thank you, thank you, Sir Colin,” he said. He had assumed that his rescuer was a man of some importance and power.

“No, no,” laughed Colin. “I am not a knight. I am an ordinary man like yourself.”

“Prithee, I must disagree. You seem a most
extraordinary
man.”

“Yes, he is,” smiled Olivia.

The merchant beamed at her. “My lady, I am Lucius Silver. I am honoured to make your acquaintance.” He bowed again. “I am a merchant tailor in Nottingham. I am not a rich man. Neither am I poor, but I make a living where I can, and I have just visited an old lady, who lives in a cottage in these woods. She bought some good cloth from me. Now I am off to my house to fetch some cloaks like this one that the Sheriff of Nottingham wishes to purchase. Forgive me, but I must rush away now, for I am already late. You will find me, if you ask at the Boar's Head Inn. Good day, Sir Colin. Good day, my lady.”

After another extravagant bow he was off, hurrying through the trees.

Olivia laughed. “I know where we are, Colin. I've known for a while. I guessed, when I saw what we are wearing – your green outfit and my green dress – and also from the way people speak here. Besides the forest is a bit of a give-away.”

“O.K.” said Colin. “But don't spoil my surprise for you completely. Come on, Sammy. You know where we are too. Find the way to our friends.” He felt the bookmark glow again extra warmly, as Sammy set off, sniffing his way along another path through the trees. The sunlight still shone through the leaves of the highest branches, making dappled patterns on the ground.

 

As they were following Sammy, Olivia said suddenly,”You know, I don't trust that man Silver.”

Colin agreed. “No, I don't either. I know what he is. He's not a bad man, but he's not completely honest. He is a fence. He buys and sells stolen things.”

Olivia's surprise showed on her face. “How do you know that?”

“Oh, I've never met him before, but I'm sure I've met the old lady he mentioned.”

Suddenly Sammy gave a joyful little bark and dashed into a clearing. Olivia saw a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair crouching down and making a fuss of the little dog.

“Hello, Marion,” said Colin. “I'd like you to meet Olivia. We are to wed soon.”

With a gasp of delight Marion stood up and flung her arms around Colin to give him a big hug and then she did the same to Olivia. She called out to a young man dressed in red, who was on the other side of the clearing, “Will, go and fetch Robin. There is someone here he will want to meet.” Then, taking Olivia by both hands, she led her to the middle of the clearing and the next moment Robin Hood appeared, closely followed by Will Scarlet and most of the Merry Men.

“Big Colin!” cried Robin. “I did not think we would ever meet again.” His eyes lit up, when he saw Olivia. “And who is this delightful fair maiden?” he asked.

“Robin, this is Olivia,” replied Marion. She is betrothed to Colin.”

Robin swept off his hat and bowed to Olivia. Then, turning to Colin, he gave him a double handshake and clapped him cheerfully on the back. “Methinks thou art a fellow of extreme good fortune.”

Colin smiled, and gripping Olivia's hand, said to her, “And these are some of my
oldest
and
most recent
friends.”

The other outlaws gathered round, eager to be introduced to Olivia.

“Where is Little John?” asked Robin.

“Oh he is tracking those two meddlesome monks,” answered Marion.

“What monks?” asked Olivia. “We met two on our way here. They were trying to get money from a merchant, only they were not begging. They were threatening him, but Colin scared them away.”

Marion nodded. “Oh, they're the ones Little John is looking for. You see, we get blamed for what they do. “They are Abbot Abbott's men.”

“Aye. Abbot Abbott.” Said Robin. “We call him Bot-Bot. He is fat and greedy and claims to collect money for his church, but methinks he spends it all on himself. He can be a charming rogue and very funny. He has at least twenty men at his abbey, but we are not sure they are all monks. They dress like monks, but behave like soldiers and thieves. Anyway, my friends, come, let us sit down. Will, would you fetch some drinks for our guests? And for Sammy of course.” The little dog sitting in Marion's arms was licking Robin's face.

What has brought you back here, Colin?” asked Marion.

“Oh, several reasons. First I wanted to see you all again and for you to meet Olivia. Secondly I have brought you a gift.” He stooped down and unzipped the long bag he had carried with him, but it had not occurred to him that the outlaws would be fascinated by the zip. Quite soon all of them had had a turn at unzipping and zipping up the bag. At last Colin was able to remove the contents.

“I hope you will like this. I thought perhaps Olivia and I could teach you how to play cricket.”

“Cricket? You spoke of that before,” said Robin.

 

Soon Olivia and Colin were organising the Merry Men's first game. To everyone's surprise the best player was Marion, who had a very good eye, could bat, bowl and catch with great agility. Much the miller's son could hit the ball very hard and Friar Tuck made a very good wicket-keeper, as he was so wide that not much could get past him. They all liked this new game and it was still going on, when Little John arrived back, escorting a rather large, round, blindfolded captive. Little John was delighted to see his newest, youngest friend Big Colin and clasping Olivia's hands in his large fingers, bent forward his bearded face to give her a kiss on the cheek. Nor did he need any persuading to join in the game of cricket, and he was able to hit the ball much further than Much.

Whilst running between the wickets he explained that he had captured Abbot Abbott, who had caused the outlaws so much trouble.

Suddenly a loud voice rang out. “Ho! Ho! What have we here? Methinks ‘tis a strange new sport.” One of the outlaws had removed the blindfold.

“All right, Bot-Bot, you can bat,” laughed Robin.

 

Soon Abbot Abbott was hitting the ball well. For a fat man he was surprisingly light on his feet, but he did not bother to run between the wickets. After twenty minutes he decided to have a rest. He had very quickly picked up how the game was played. Sweat was running down his brow, but he was grinning from ear to ear, sitting drinking a tankard of mead offered to him by Marion.

“That was exceedingly good, Robin. If you will let me free, as I'm sure you will, I will challenge you to a game between my men and yours. It will be an excuse for a feast.”

“Well…” Robin was not sure.

“Oh and it could be at the Abbey Meadow. How about the day after tomorrow? And I will arrange the feast afterwards. What say you? I will tell my men to make stumps and bats, and I will show them how to play. It seems quite easy.” He paused with an enquiring smile on his chubby face.

The outlaws were charmed by Bot-Bot's sunny personality. Even Little John smiled his approval. Then Marion had an idea. “We could challenge you every summer. The winner of the game could have a prize.”

“Really?” Olivia was not as trusting as the rest. Colin, however, felt the bookmark pulse reassuringly in his pocket. He winked at Olivia, who smiled uncertainly back.

Abbot Abbott sat there beaming expectantly and looking around at all the faces of the outlaws.

Marion was hopping up and down excitedly. “Oh, go on, Robin,” she cried.

Robin made up his mind. “Agreed,” he said. “The prize will be a silver chalice, which I am sure I can purchase from someone, who lives nearby.”

Colin whispered to Olivia, “That'll be his grandma. She is a fence too.”

Then, as always in Colin's adventures, time seemed to pass very quickly and the weather remained fine. On the morning of the match it was hot and sunny. Robin's team of cricketers, including Marion and Olivia, who were two of the quickest players, set out on foot to walk the three miles to the abbey at Carlton Cragg. Sammy scampered along with them.

 

When they arrived, Abbot Abbott came out to greet them and led them to the Abbey Field, where stumps had already been set up in the short grass. The scene was picturesque. Tall trees surrounded the meadow. At one end Bot-Bot had put up a large tent with seats for the teams, and a monk stood ready to serve refreshments. Robin placed the small silver chalice he had bought from his grandmother, via Lucius Silver of course, on a table just inside the entrance.

“Don't worry. Nobody will steal it,” grinned Abbot Abbott. “They wouldn't dare.”

The match began and was quite jolly and uneventful. The abbot's team batted first. It was quite funny seeing two monks in their brown robes running between the wickets. Olivia and a monk called Friar Balsam were keeping the score. Nobody had scored more than 20, when Bot-Bot came in to bat. Whereas wicket-keeper Friar Tuck was so wide that nothing could get past him, the abbot was equally wide, and so the ball never got past the wicket. With mighty swings of his bat Bot-Bot soon reached 50. Little John shook his head in amazement, as his fastest deliveries were hit to the boundaries. As before, Bot-Bot did not bother to run between the wickets. He did not need to. However, his side was all out, when he ran out of partners. He had scored 84 out of his team's total of 159.

As they trooped into the tent Robin remarked,” Thou played well, Bot-Bot. Methinks we should now call you Bat-Bat!”

Abbot Abbott laughed. He looked at the chalice. “That will soon be mine,” he boasted merrily.

 

When it was Robin's turn to bat, he made 21 runs. Then a slow delivery from Bot-Bot flattened his wicket. Robin had nearly collapsed laughing seeing the fat monk waddling up to bowl at him and had lost sight of the ball.

Marion, their best player, was very nimble and very clever at hitting the ball between the fielders. She had already scored 65, when Colin came in to bat. The surly Urquart was bowling. As he ran up to the wicket, the bookmark in Colin's pocket seemed to flash him a warning. The ball hurtled straight at his head. Only it wasn't a ball. It was a small rock! Instinctively Colin smashed it with his bat back towards the bowler. It hit Urquart just on the side of his jaw and he dropped unconscious to the ground.

“Seize them!” roared Grulph, and out from the trees rushed a squad of soldiers wearing the Sheriff of Nottingham's emblem, two stags supporting a shield. Grulph was now pointing and shouting orders. “That's Robin Hood and that's Friar Tuck!” However, he was deliberately pointing at Abbot Abbott!