15. Scathelok And Stutely Are Set Free

As the townspeople roared their approval, Robin cut down Will Stutely with his knife.
Drawing his sword, the Sheriff rushed towards the outlaw leader, but Will Scarlet, carrying a forester’s quarter staff, sent the Sheriff’s sword spinning out of his hand.
The square was now filling with acrid smoke and undercover of all this, some of Robin’s men released the unconscious Scathelok.
From the steps of his house, the Sheriff watched the outlaws riding away and called angrily for his foresters. But the townspeople now began to show their contempt, by pelting him with vegetables from the various stalls.
“Drive the cattle out of the square!” He commanded. His foresters moved forward and attempted to force the angry townsfolk back. But the arrival of a grim faced Prince John dispersed the crowd almost immediately.
“Where is the force of a hundred new foresters you’ve been boasting about?” The Prince asked the stunned Sheriff.
“Throughout the countryside,” he replied, “gathering the tax money it takes to maintain them.”
“Meanwhile,” the Prince raged, “a handful of outlaws dare to enter Nottingham in broad daylight, mock our justice and shames us before the townsmen!”
The Sheriff paused for a moment, “my lord, I have been guilty of holding this Robin Hood too lightly. On the morrow, I myself will lead a full force against him. Before I return, I will rid Sherwood Forest of the outlaw and every last one of his band.”