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seven　years　longer　for　Bag　End　than　she　once　hoped；　and　she　was　now　a　hundred　years　old。　Anyway；　she　had　e　to　see　that　nothing　she　had　paid　for　had　been　carried　off；　and　she　wanted　the　keys。　It　took　a　long　while　to　satisfy　her；　as　she　had　brought　a　plete　inventory　with　her　and　went　right　through　it。　In　the　end　she　departed　with　Lotho　and　the　spare　key　and　the　promise　that　the　other　key　would　be　left　at　the　Gamgees'　in　Bagshot　Row。　She　snorted；　and　showed　plainly　that　she　thought　the　Gamgees　capable　of　plundering　the　hole　during　the　night。　Frodo　did　not　offer　her　any　tea。

He　took　his　own　tea　with　Pippin　and　Sam　Gamgee　in　the　kitchen。　It　had　been　officially　announced　that　Sam　was　ing　to　Buckland　'to　do　for　Mr。　Frodo　and　look　after　his　bit　of　garden'；　an　arrangement　that　was　approved　by　the　Gaffer；　though　it　did　not　console　him　for　the　prospect　of　having　Lobelia　as　a　neighbour。

'Our　last　meal　at　Bag　End！'　said　Frodo；　pushing　back　his　chair。　They　left　the　washing　up　for　Lobelia。　Pippin　and　Sam　strapped　up　their　three　packs　and　piled　them　in　the　porch。　Pippin　went　out　for　a　last　stroll　in　the　garden。　Sam　disappeared。

The　sun　went　down。　Bag　End　seemed　sad　and　gloomy　and　dishevelled。　Frodo　wandered　round　the　familiar　rooms；　and　saw　the　light　of　the　sunset　fade　on　the　walls；　and　shadows　creep　out　of　the　corners。　It　grew　slowly　dark　indoors。　He　went　out　and　walked　down　to　the　gate　at　the　bottom　of　the　path；　and　then　on　a　short　way　down　the　Hill　Road。　He　half　expected　to　see　Gandalf　e　striding　up　through　the　dusk。

The　sky　was　clear　and　the　stars　were　growing　bright。　'It's　going　to　be　a　fine　night；'　he　said　aloud。　'That's　good　for　a　beginning。　I　feel　like　walking。　I　can't　bear　any　more　hanging　about。　I　am　going　to　start；　and　Gandalf　must　follow　me。'　He　turned　to　go　back；　and　then　slopped；　for　he　heard　voices；　just　round　the　corner　by　the　end　of　Bagshot　Row。　One　voice　was　certainly　the　old　Gaffer's；　the　other　was　strange；　and　somehow　unpleasant。　He　could　not　make　out　what　it　said；　but　he　heard　the　Gaffer's　answers；　which　were　rather　shrill。　The　old　man　seemed　put　out。

'No；　Mr。　Baggins　has　gone　away。　Went　this　morning；　and　my　Sam　went　with　him：　anyway　all　his　stuff　went。　Yes；　sold　out　and　gone；　I　tell'ee。　Why？　Why's　none　of　my　business；　or　yours。　Where　to？　That　ain't　no　secret。　He's　moved　to　Bucklebury　or　some　such　place；　away　down　yonder。　Yes　it　is　。　a　tidy　way。　I've　never　been　so　far　myself；　they're　queer　folks　in　Buckland。　No；　I　can't　give　no　message。　Good　night　to　you！'

Footsteps　went　away　down　the　Hill。　Frodo　wondered　vaguely　why　the　fact　that　they　did　not　e　on　up　the　Hill　seemed　a　great　relief。　'I　am　sick　of　questions　and　curiosity　about　my　doings；　I　suppose；'　he　thought。　'What　an　inquisitive　lot　they　all　are！'　He　had　half　a　mind　to　go　and　ask　the　Gaffer　who　the　inquirer　was；　but　he　thought　better　（or　worse）　of　it；　and　turned　and　walked　quickly　back　to　Bag　End。

Pippin　was　sitting　on　his　pack　in　the　porch。　Sam　was　not　there。　Frodo　stepped　inside　the　dark　door。　'Sam！'　he　called。　'Sam！　Time！'

'ing；　sir！'　came　the　answer　from　far　within；　followed　soon　by　Sam　himself；　wiping　his　mouth。　He　had　been　saying　farewell　to　the　beerbarrel　in　the　cellar。

'All　aboard；　Sam？'　said　Frodo。

'Yes；　sir。　I'll　last　for　a　bit　now；　sir。'

Frodo　shut　and　locked　the　round　door；　and　gave　the　key　to　Sam。　'Run　down　with　this　to　your　home；　Sam！'　he　said。　'Then　cut　along　the　Row　and　meet　us　as　quick　as　you　can　at　the　gate　in　the　lane　beyond　the　meadows。　We　are　not　going　through　the　village　tonight。　Too　many　ears　pricking　and　eyes　prying。'　Sam　ran　off　at　full　speed。

'Well；　now　we're　off　at　last！'　said　Frodo。　They　shouldered　their　packs　and　took　up　their　sticks；　and　walked　round　the　corner　to　the　west　side　of　Bag　End。　'Goodbye！'　said　Frodo；　looking　at　the　dark　blank　windows。　He　waved　his　hand；　and　then　turned　and　（following　Bilbo；　if　he　had　known　it）　hurried　after　Peregrin　down　the　gardenpath。　They　jumped　over　the　low　place　in　the　hedge　at　the　bottom　and　took　to　the　fields；　passing　into　the　darkness　like　a　rustle　in　the　grasses。

At　the　bottom　of　the　Hill　on　its　western　side　they　came　to　the　gate　opening　on　to　a　narrow　lane。　There　they　halted　and　adjusted　the　straps　of　their　packs。　Presently　Sam　appeared；　trotting　quickly　and　breathing　hard；　his　heavy　pack　was　hoisted　high　on　his　shoulders；　and　he　had　put　on　his　head　a　tall　shapeless　fell　bag；　which　he　called　a　hat。　In　the　gloom　he　looked　very　much　like　a　dwarf。

'I　am　sure　you　have　given　me　all　the　heaviest　stuff；'　said　Frodo。　'I　pity　snails；　and　all　that　carry　their　homes　on　their　backs。'

'I　could　take　a　lot　more　yet；　sir。　My　packet　is　quite　light；'　said　Sam　stoutly　and　untruthfully。

'No；　you　don't；　Sam！'　said　Pippin。　'It　is　good　for　him。　He's　got　nothing　except　what　he　ordered　us　to　pack。　He's　been　slack　lately；　and　he'll　feel　the　weight　less　when　he's　walked　off　some　of　his　own。'

'Be　kind　to　a　poor　old　hobbit！'　laughed　Frodo。　'I　shall　be　as　thin　as　a　willowwand；　I'm　sure；　before　I　get　to　Buckland。　But　I　was　talking　nonsense。　I　suspect　you　have　taken　more　than　your　share；　Sam；　and　I　shall　look　into　it　at　our　next　packing。'　He　picked　up　his　stick　again。　'Well；　we　all　like　walking　in　the　dark；'　he　said；　'so　let's　put　some　miles　behind　us　before　bed。'

For　a　short　way　they　followed　the　lane　westwards。　Then　leaving　it　they　turned　left　and　took　quietly　to　the　fields　again。　They　went　in　single　file　along　hedgerows　and　the　borders　of　coppices；　and　night　fell　dark　about　them。　In　their　dark　cloaks　they　were　as　invisible　as　if　they　all　had　magic　rings。　Since　they　were　all　hobbits；　and　were　trying　to　be　silent；　they　made　no　noise　that　even　hobbits　would　hear。　Even　the　wild　things　in　the　fields　and　woods　hardly　noticed　their　passing。

After　some　time　they　crossed　the　Water；　west　of　Hobbiton；　by　a　narrow　plankbridge。　The　stream　was　there　no　more　than　a　winding　black　ribbon；　bordered　with　leaning　aldertrees。　A　mile　or　two　further　south　they　hastily　crossed　the　great　road　from　the　Brandywine　Bridge；　they　were　now　in　the　Tookland　and　bending　southeastwards　they　made　for　the　Green　Hill　Country。　As　they　began　to　climb　its　first　slopes　they　looked　back　and　saw　the　lamps　in　Hobbiton　far　off　twinkling　in　the　gentle　valley　of　the　Water。　Soon　it　disappeared　in　the　folds　of　the　darkened　land；　and　was　followed　by　Bywater　beside　its　grey　pool。　When　the　light　of　the　last　farm　was　far　behind；　peeping　among　the　trees；　Frodo　turned　and　waved　a　hand　in　farewell。

'I　wonder　if　I　shall　ever　look　down　into　that　valley　again；'　he　said　quietly。

When　they　had　walked　for　about　three　hours　they　rested。　The　night　was　clear；　cool；　and　starry；　but　smokelike　wisps　of　mist　were　creeping　up　the　hillsides　from　the　streams　and　deep　meadows。　Thinclad　birches；　swaying　in　a　light　wind　above　their　heads；　made　a　black　　against　the　pale　sky。　They　ate　a　very　frugal　supper　（for　hobbits）；　and　then　went　on　again。　Soon　they　struck　a　narrow　road；　that　went　rolling　up　and　down；　fading　grey　into　the　darkness　ahead：　the　road　to　Woodhall；　and　Stock；　and　the　Bucklebury　Ferry。　It　climbed　away　from　the　main　road　in　the　Watervalley；　and　wound　over　the　skirts　of　the　Green　Hills　towards　WoodyEnd；　a　wild　corner　of　the　Eastfarthing。

After　a　while　they　plunged　into　a　deeply　cloven　track　between　tall　trees　that　rustled　their　dry　leaves　in　the　night。　It　was　very　dark。　At　first　they　talked；　or　hummed　a　tune　softly　together；　being　now　far　away　from　inquisitive　ears。　Then　they　marched　on　in　silence；　and　Pippin　began　to　lag　behind。　At　last；　as　they　began　to　climb　a　steep　slope；　he　stopped　and　yawned。

'I　am　so　sleepy；'　he　said；　'that　soon　I　shall　fall　down　on　the　road。　Are　you　going　to　sleep　on　your　legs？　It　is　nearly　midnight。'

'I　thought　you　liked　walking　in　the　dark；'　said　Frodo。　'But　there　is　no　great　hurry。　Merry　expects　us　some　time　the　day　after　tomorrow；　but　that　leaves　us　nearly　two　days　more。　We'll　halt　at　the　first　likely　spot。'

'The　wind's　in　the　West；'　said　Sam。　'If　we　get　to　the　other　side　of　this　hill；　we　shall　find　a　spot　that　is　sheltered　and　snug　enough；　sir。　There　is　a　dry　firwood　just　ahead；　if　I　remember　rightly。'　Sam　knew　the　land　well　within　twenty　miles　of　Hobbiton；　but　that　was　the　limit　of　his　geography。