Here is episode 3 of our Robin Hood series. Please comment and share your thoughts! Hope you enjoy!

Robin Hood

Series 4, Episode 3

Now You See It, Now You Don't

"Archer!"

Archer jumped, sending a spasm of pain down his half-healed leg, which he had broken a few weeks ago.

It was Djaq calling him. She noticed his jump, then peered at him suspiciously. "Are you working on another one of your tricks?"

Archer looked at her with an innocent expression. "Of course not! How dare you accuse me, a poor crippled man! There's no way I could be the one doing all those pranks that have been going on around here."

Djaq's eyes narrowed. "You have a partner in your deeds, and I will find out who, and then all this madness will stop." She nodded firmly. She then looked around, smiled slightly, and leaned in closer to whisper, "Though, that one you pulled on Will was brilliant."

"I heard that." Her husband spoke as he came closer. "It was not funny at all."

Djaq couldn't stop the laughter that burst forth. "You should have seen the look on your face when you found that vine in your bed!"

"It had thorns!"

"You thought it was a snake, admit it!"

Will groaned and shook his head.

At this sound, Much took it upon himself to save Will's dignity. "What do you all want for supper? There's chicken or bread…or that porridge we had this morning."

"Chicken," Robin looked at Much. "Just make sure there are no bugs in it this time."

"That was Archer!" Much said, pointing his knife accusingly at him.

"Must I point out, again, that I can barely hobble a few steps, let alone do these things you think me guilty of!"

"A few steps is enough," Much grumbled to himself as he portioned some chicken onto several plates, giving each piece a quick inspection. He handed the food a little more roughly to Archer than the others.

"What are you hiding, Archer?" Robin asked suddenly.

Archer brought his hand back up from under his blanket, pretending to just have been wiping his hands clean on his pants. "What? Nothing."

Robin gave him a disbelieving look. Kate came over and quickly snatched the hidden object away before Archer could stop her.

"What's this?" Kate examined the small cylinder composed of braided strips of tough parchment.

Archer shrugged. "Something from the Orient. I saw it some time ago, and I've been trying to figure out how to make it. It's easier when you have a lot of time on your hands."

John took the cylinder from Kate's hands. "What does it do?" He placed his fingers in either end and tugged on it. His fingers wouldn't budge.

Archer shrugged. "I don't know. I just saw it in the market one day. I think it was a toy of sorts."

John was no longer listening to the other man. He was pulling his fingers as hard as he could, and they wouldn't come out of the two small holes. Suddenly he looked up and glared at Archer. "How do I get them out?"

Robin interrupted. "Your fingers are stuck?"

Little John winced as he gave them an extra hard tug. "No. I'll figure it out." He turned away from the rest, struggling fiercely with the cylinder.

Djaq glanced at Will with a slight smirk on her face which she was obviously trying to conceal. Tuck rolled his eyes and glanced at Archer knowingly. Kate made no attempt to hide her grin, and Much walked over to John, making little suggestions.

"Pull harder. No, not that hard. Maybe pull with only one finger. Try pushing, then pulling. Not like that!"

"Much!" Growled Little John, frustrated.

"Oh John, ye of little strength. Can't you just rip it? It's only paper!" Archer's eyes twinkled with delight.

Little John growled menacingly.

"Oh yes, I remember now. I saw the same thing happen in the Orient."

"Well, do you remember how to get them off?" John glared threateningly at him. Archer got the feeling that, if he could have, John would have reached for his heavy staff.

"I'll tell you if you say please."

John growled darkly.

"Good enough." Archer grinned and formed his hands into the same positions as John's trapped ones. "Just push your fingers in, use your thumb and middle finger to hold the ends there, and twist your fingers free." Archer did the motion and John copied, sliding his fingers clear of the cylinder.

"There now! That was simple!"

John glared at Archer and held his palm out with the paper cylinder in it as if to give it back to Archer. But before Archer could take it back, John made a tight fist, crumpling the finger trap into a ball, and then threw it harshly at Archer.

"Hey! I worked for weeks on that!" Archer called to John's retreating back as he walked out of the camp.

Robin laughed. "You'd best watch your back for the next few days, Archer."