MAY 67 



had been inordinately difficult to persuade any of 

 the young men to join in the mumming. Jack 

 Curtice, however, being himself a young man and 

 knowing the ways of young men, had persuaded 

 two rustic youths to accept the parts of Robin Hood 

 and Little John by himself acting that of Friar 

 Tuck, and chiefest and most potent argument by 

 promising that in the Flax Piece adjoining The 

 Butts there should lie concealed in a hollow oak a 

 four-and-a-half-gallon cask of ale for the actors' 

 refreshment. Unluckily Robin Hood and Little 

 John had managed to broach this cask early in the 

 day and without permission, and the consequences 

 were obvious. 



Jack Curtice walked Little John up and down 

 the green-room while one of the bandsmen threw 

 water at intervals into the young swain's face. 

 Another bandsman had given up Robin Hood as 

 hopeless, and rolled him into a corner. 



" We med as well leave en in the earner till he 

 comes to," he said ; "he wun't do no Robin Hoodin' 

 to-day." 



And eventually Little John went to share his 

 corner, and for want of the two principal actors the 

 play was declared off. 



Time would fail me to tell of the day's catas- 

 trophes of the ox, brought to draw the maypole to 

 its place, which tried to gore Tommy Sandford, 

 and did indeed ruin his best jacket, which Jim had 

 to pay for ; of the tale of ducks and hens and a pig 

 or two which fell to the bows and arrows of marks- 

 men who were not satisfied with their legitimate 

 target ; and of half a dozen other items not in the 



