good half hour, nor thinking of crying "Enough!" though some chance blow
seemed likely to knock one or the other off the narrow foot-bridge. The
giant's face was getting red, and his breath came snorting forth like
a bull's. He stepped forward with a furious onslaught to finish this
audacious fellow. Robin dodged his blows lightly, then sprang in swiftly
and unexpectedly and dealt the stranger such a blow upon the short ribs
that you would have sworn the tanner was trimming down his hides for
market.

The stranger reeled and came within an ace of falling, but regained his
footing right quickly.

"By my life, you can hit hard!" he gasped forth, giving back a blow
almost while he was yet staggering.

This blow was a lucky one. It caught Robin off his guard. His stick had
rested a moment while he looked to see the giant topple into the water,
when down came the other upon his head, whack! Robin saw more stars
in that one moment than all the astronomers have since discovered, and
forthwith he dropped neatly into the stream.

The cool rushing current quickly brought him to his senses, howbeit he
was still so dazed that he groped blindly for the swaying reeds to
pull himself up on the bank. His assailant could not forbear laughing
heartily at his plight, but was also quick to lend his aid. He thrust
down his long staff to Robin crying, "Lay hold of that, an your fists
whirl not so much as your head!"

Robin laid hold and was hauled to dry land for all the world like
a fish, except that the fish would never have come forth so wet and