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rth　under　his　toes。　Suddenly　something　caught　his　sight：　at　first　he　stared　at　it　listlessly；　then　he　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes；　but　when　he　looked　again　he　could　not　see　it　any　more。

That　night　they　camped　on　a　small　eyot　close　to　the　western　bank。　Sam　lay　rolled　in　blankets　beside　Frodo。　'I　had　a　funny　dream　an　hour　or　two　before　we　stopped；　Mr。　Frodo；'　he　said。　'Or　maybe　it　wasn't　a　dream。　Funny　it　was　anyway。'

'Well；　what　was　it？　'　said　Frodo；　knowing　that　Sam　would　not　settle　down　until　he　had　told　his　tale；　whatever　it　was。　'I　haven't　seen　or　thought　of　anything　to　make　me　smile　since　we　left　Lothlórien。'

'It　wasn't　funny　that　way；　Mr。　Frodo。　It　was　queer。　All　wrong；　if　it　wasn't　a　dream。　And　you　had　best　hear　it。　It　was　like　this：　I　saw　a　log　with　eyes！'

'The　log's　all　right；'　said　Frodo。　'There　are　many　in　the　River。　But　leave　out　the　eyes！'

'That　I　won't；'　said　Sam。　'　'Twas　the　eyes　as　made　me　sit　up；　so　to　speak。　I　saw　what　I　took　to　be　a　log　floating　along　in　the　halflight　behind　Gimli's　boat；　but　I　didn't　give　much　heed　to　it。　Then　it　seemed　as　if　the　log　was　slowly　catching　us　up。　And　that　was　peculiar；　as　you　might　say；　seeing　as　we　were　all　floating　on　the　stream　together。　Just　then　I　saw　the　eyes：　two　pale　sort　of　points；　shinylike；　on　a　hump　at　the　near　end　of　the　log。　What's　more；　it　wasn't　a　log；　for　it　had　paddlefeet；　like　a　swan's　almost；　only　they　seemed　bigger；　and　kept　dipping　in　and　out　of　the　water。

'That's　when　I　sat　right　up　and　rubbed　my　eyes；　meaning　to　give　a　shout；　if　it　was　still　there　when　I　had　rubbed　the　drowse　out　of　my　head。　For　the　whateveritwas　was　ing　along　fast　now　and　getting　close　behind　Gimli。　But　whether　those　two　lamps　spotted　me　moving　and　staring；　or　whether　I　came　to　my　senses；　I　don't　know。　When　I　looked　again；　it　wasn't　there。　Yet　I　think　I　caught　a　glimpse　with　the　tail　ofmy　eye；　as　the　saying　is；　of　something　dark　shooting　under　the　shadow　of　the　bank。　I　couldn't　see　no　more　eyes　though。

'I　said　to　myself：　〃dreaming　again；　Sam　Gamgee；〃　I　said：　and　I　said　no　more　just　then。　But　I've　been　thinking　since。　and　now　I'm　not　so　sure。　What　do　you　make　of　it；　Mr。　Frodo？　'

'I　should　make　nothing　of　it　but　a　log　and　the　dusk　and　sleep　in　your　eyes　Sam；　said　Frodo；　if　this　was　the　first　time　that　those　eyes　had　been　seen。　But　it　isn't。　I　saw　them　away　back　north　before　we　reached　Lórien。　And　I　saw　a　strange　creature　with　eyes　climbing　to　the　flet　that　night。　Haldir　saw　it　too。　And　do　you　remember　the　report　of　the　Elves　that　went　after　the　orc　band？　'

'Ah；'　said　Sam。　'I　do；　and　I　remember　more　too。　I　don't　like　my　thoughts；　but　thinking　of　one　thing　and　another；　and　Mr。　Bilbo's　stories　and　all；　I　fancy　I　could　put　a　name　on　the　creature；　at　a　guess。　A　nasty　name。　Gollum；　maybe？　'

'Yes；　that　is　what　I　have　feared　for　some　time；'　said　Frodo。　'Ever　since　the　night　on　the　flet。　I　suppose　he　was　lurking　in　Moria；　and　picked　up　our　trail　then；　but　I　hoped　that　our　stay　in　Lórien　would　throw　him　off　the　scent　again。　The　miserable　creature　must　have　been　hiding　in　the　woods　by　the　Silverlode；　watching　us　start　off！'

'That's　about　it；'　said　Sam。　'And　we'd　better　be　a　bit　more　watchful　ourselves；　or　we'll　feel　some　nasty　fingers　round　our　necks　one　of　these　nights；　if　we　ever　wake　up　to　feel　anything。　And　that's　what　I　was　leading　up　to。　No　need　to　trouble　Strider　or　the　others　tonight。　I'll　keep　watch。　I　can　sleep　tomorrow；　being　no　more　than　luggage　in　a　boat；　as　you　might　say。'

'I　might；'　said　Frodo；　'and　I　might　say　〃luggage　with　eyes〃。　You　shall　watch；　but　only　if　you　promise　to　wake　me　halfway　towards　morning；　if　nothing　happens　before　then。'

In　the　dead　hours　Frodo　came　out　of　a　deep　dark　sleep　to　find　Sam　shaking　him。　'It's　a　shame　to　wake　you；'　whispered　Sam；　'but　that's　what　you　said。　There's　nothing　to　tell；　or　not　much。　I　thought　I　heard　some　soft　plashing　and　a　sniffing　noise；　a　while　back；　but　you　hear　a　lot　of　such　queer　sounds　by　a　river　at　night。'

He　lay　down；　and　Frodo　sat　up；　huddled　in　his　blankets；　and　fought　off　his　sleep。　Minutes　or　hours　passed　slowly；　and　nothing　happened。　Frodo　was　just　yielding　to　the　temptation　to　lie　down　again　when　a　dark　shape；　hardly　visible；　floated　close　to　one　of　the　moored　boats。　A　long　whitish　hand　could　be　dimly　seen　as　it　shot　out　and　grabbed　the　gunwale；　two　pale　lamplike　eyes　shone　coldly　as　they　peered　inside；　and　then　they　lifted　and　gazed　up　at　Frodo　on　the　eyot。　They　were　not　more　than　a　yard　or　two　away；　and　Frodo　heard　the　soft　hiss　of　intaken　breath。　He　stood　up；　drawing　Sting　from　its　sheath；　and　faced　the　eyes。　Immediately　their　light　was　shut　off。　There　was　another　hiss　and　a　splash；　and　the　dark　logshape　shot　away　downstream　into　the　night。　Aragorn　stirred　in　his　sleep；　turned　over；　and　sat　up’

'What　is　it？　'　he　whispered；　springing　up　and　ing　to　Frodo。　'I　felt　something　in　my　sleep。　Why　have　you　drawn　your　sword？　'

'Gollum；'　answered　Frodo。　'Or　at　least；　so　I　guess。'

'Ah！'　said　Aragorn。　'So　you　know　about　our　little　footpad；　do　you？　He　padded　after　us　all　through　Moria　and　right　down　to　Nimrodel。　Since　we　took　to　boats；　he　has　been　lying　on　a　log　and　paddling　with　hands　and　feet。　I　have　tried　to　catch　him　once　or　twice　at　night；　but　he　is　slier　than　a　fox；　and　as　slippery　as　a　fish。　I　hoped　the　rivervoyage　would　beat　him；　but　he　is　too　clever　a　waterman。

'We　shall　have　to　try　going　faster　tomorrow。　You　lie　down　now；　and　I　will　keep　watch　for　what　is　left　of　the　night。　I　wish　I　could　lay　my　hands　on　the　wretch。　We　might　make　him　useful。　But　if　I　cannot；　we　shall　have　to　try　and　lose　him。　He　is　very　dangerous。　Quite　apart　from　murder　by　night　on　his　own　account；　he　may　put　any　enemy　that　is　about　on　our　track。'

The　night　passed　without　Gollum　showing　so　much　as　a　shadow　again。　After　that　the　pany　kept　a　sharp　lookout；　but　they　saw　no　more　of　Gollum　while　the　voyage　lasted。　If　he　was　still　following；　he　was　very　wary　and　cunning。　At　Aragorn's　bidding　they　paddled　now　for　long　spells；　and　the　banks　went　swiftly　by。　But　they　saw　little　of　the　country；　for　they　journeyed　mostly　by　night　and　twilight；　resting　by　day；　and　lying　as　hidden　as　the　land　allowed。　In　this　way　the　time　passed　without　event　until　the　seventh　day。

The　weather　was　still　grey　and　overcast；　with　wind　from　the　East；　but　as　evening　drew　into　night　the　sky　away　westward　cleared；　and　pools　of　faint　light；　yellow　and　pale　green；　opened　under　the　grey　shores　of　cloud。　There　the　white　rind　of　the　new　Moon　could　be　seen　glimmering　in　the　remote　lakes。　Sam　looked　at　it　and　puckered　his　brows。

The　next　day　the　country　on　either　side　began　to　change　rapidly。　The　banks　began　to　rise　and　grow　stony。　Soon　they　were　passing　through　a　hilly　rocky　land；　and　on　both　shores　there　were　steep　slopes　buried　in　deep　brakes　of　thorn　and　sloe；　tangled　with　brambles　and　creepers。　Behind　them　stood　low　crumbling　cliffs；　and　chimneys　of　grey　weathered　stone　dark　with　ivy；　and　beyond　these　again　there　rose　high　ridges　crowned　with　windwrithen　firs。　They　were　drawing　near　to　the　grey　hillcountry　of　the　Emyn　Muil；　the　southern　march　of　Wilderland。

There　were　many　birds　about　the　cliffs　and　the　rockchimneys；　and　all　day　high　in　the　air　flocks　of　birds　had　been　circling；　black　against　the　pale　sky。　As　they　lay　in　their　camp　that　day　Aragorn　watched　the　flights　doubtfully；　wondering　if　Gollum　had　been　doing　some　mischief　and　the　news　of　their　voyage　was　now　moving　in　the　wilderness。　Later　as　the　sun　was　setting；　and　the　pany　was　stirring　and　getting　ready　to　start　again；　he　descried　a　dark　spot　against　the　fading　light：　a　great　bird　high　and　far　off；　now　wheeling；　now　flying　on　slowly　southwards。

'What　is　that；　Legolas？　'　he　asked；　pointing　to　the　northern　sky。　'Is　it；　as　I　think。　an　eagle？　'

'Yes。'　said　Legolas。　'It　is　an　eagle；　a　hunting　eagle。　I　wonder　what　that　forebodes。　It　is　far　from　the　mountains。'

'We　will　not　start　until　it　is　fully　dark；'　said　Aragorn。

The　eighth　night　of　their　journey　came。　It　was　silent　and　windless；　the　grey　east　wind　had　passed　away。　The　thin　crescent　of　the　Moon　had　fallen　early　into　the　pale　sunset；　but　the　sky　was　clear　above；　and　though　far　away　in　the　South　there　were　great　ranges　of　cl