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'Look！'　he　said；　clutching　Frodo　by　the　arm。　They　all　looked；　and　on　the　edge　high　above　them　they　saw　against　the　sky　a　horse　standing。　Beside　it　stooped　a　black　figure。

They　at　once　gave　up　any　idea　of　going　back。　Frodo　led　the　way；　and　plunged　quickly　into　the　thick　bushes　beside　the　stream。　'Whew！'　he　said　to　Pippin。　'We　were　both　right！　The　short　cut　has　gone　crooked　already；　but　we　got　under　cover　only　just　in　time。　You've　got　sharp　ears；　Sam：　can　you　hear　anything　ing？'

They　stood　still；　almost　holding　their　breath　as　they　listened；　but　there　was　no　sound　of　pursuit。　'I　don't　fancy　he　would　try　bringing　his　horse　down　that　bank；'　said　Sam。　'But　I　guess　he　knows　we　came　down　it。　We　had　better　be　going　on。'

Going　on　was　not　altogether　easy。　They　had　packs　to　carry；　and　the　bushes　and　brambles　were　reluctant　to　let　them　through。　They　were　cut　off　from　the　wind　by　the　ridge　behind；　and　the　air　was　still　and　stuffy。　When　they　forced　their　way　at　last　into　more　open　ground；　they　were　hot　and　tired　and　very　scratched；　and　they　were　also　no　longer　certain　of　the　direction　in　which　they　were　going。　The　banks　of　the　stream　sank；　as　it　reached　the　levels　and　became　broader　and　shallower；　wandering　off　towards　the　Marish　and　the　River。

'Why；　this　is　the　Stockbrook！'　said　Pippin。　'If　we　are　going　to　try　and　get　back　on　to　our　course；　we　must　cross　at　once　and　bear　right。'

They　waded　the　stream；　and　hurried　over　a　wide　open　space；　rushgrown　and　treeless；　on　the　further　side。　Beyond　that　they　came　again　to　a　belt　of　trees：　tall　oaks；　for　the　most　part；　with　here　and　there　an　elm　tree　or　an　ash。　The　ground　was　fairly　level；　and　there　was　little　undergrowth；　but　the　trees　were　loo　close　for　them　to　see　far　ahead。　The　leaves　blew　upwards　in　sudden　gusts　of　wind；　and　spots　of　rain　began　to　fall　from　the　overcast　sky。　Then　the　wind　died　away　and　the　rain　came　streaming　down。　They　trudged　along　as　fast　as　they　could；　over　patches　of　grass；　and　through　thick　drifts　of　old　leaves；　and　all　about　them　the　rain　pattered　and　trickled。　They　did　not　talk；　but　kept　glancing　back；　and　from　side　to　side。

After　half　an　hour　Pippin　said：　'I　hope　we　have　not　turned　too　much　towards　the　south；　and　are　not　walking　longwise　through　this　wood！　It　is　not　a　very　broad　belt　I　should　have　said　no　more　than　a　mile　at　the　widest　。　and　we　ought　to　have　been　through　it　by　now。'

'It　is　no　good　our　starting　to　go　in　zigzags；'　said　Frodo。　'That　won't　mend　matters。　Let　us　keep　on　as　we　are　going！　I　am　not　sure　that　I　want　to　e　out　into　the　open　yet。'

They　went　on　for　perhaps　another　couple　of　miles。　Then　the　sun　gleamed　out　of　ragged　clouds　again　and　the　rain　lessened。　It　was　now　past　midday；　and　they　felt　it　was　high　time　for　lunch。　They　halted　under　an　elm　tree：　its　leaves　though　fast　turning　yellow　were　still　thick；　and　the　ground　at　its　feel　was　fairly　dry　and　sheltered。　When　they　came　to　make　their　meal；　they　found　that　the　Elves　had　filled　their　bottles　with　a　clear　drink；　pale　golden　in　colour：　it　had　the　scent　of　a　honey　made　of　many　flowers；　and　was　wonderfully　refreshing。　Very　soon　they　were　laughing；　and　snapping　their　fingers　at　rain；　and　at　Black　Riders。　The　last　few　miles；　they　felt；　would　soon　be　behind　them。

Frodo　propped　his　back　against　the　treetrunk；　and　closed　his　eyes。　Sam　and　Pippin　sat　near；　and　they　began　to　hum；　and　then　to　sing　softly：

Ho！　Ho！　Ho！　to　the　bottle　I　go
To　heal　my　heart　and　drown　my　woe。
Rain　may　fall　and　wind　may　blow；
And　many　miles　be　still　to　go；
But　under　a　tall　tree　I　will　lie；
And　let　the　clouds　go　sailing　by。

Ho！　Ho！　Ho！　they　began　again　louder。　They　stopped　short　suddenly。　Frodo　sprang　to　his　feet。　A　longdrawn　wail　came　down　the　wind；　like　the　cry　of　some　evil　and　lonely　creature。　It　rose　and　fell；　and　ended　on　a　high　piercing　note。　Even　as　they　sat　and　stood；　as　if　suddenly　frozen；　it　was　answered　by　another　cry；　fainter　and　further　off；　but　no　less　chilling　to　the　blood。　There　was　then　a　silence；　broken　only　by　the　sound　of　the　wind　in　the　leaves。

'And　what　do　you　think　that　was？'　Pippin　asked　at　last；　trying　to　speak　lightly；　but　quavering　a　little。　'If　it　was　a　bird；　it　was　one　that　I　never　heard　in　the　Shire　before。'

'It　was　not　bird　or　beast；'　said　Frodo。　'It　was　a　call；　or　a　signal　。　there　were　words　in　that　cry；　though　I　could　not　catch　them。　But　no　hobbit　has　such　a　voice。'

No　more　was　said　about　it。　They　were　all　thinking　of　the　Riders；　but　no　one　spoke　of　them。　They　were　now　reluctant　either　to　stay　or　go　on；　but　sooner　or　later　they　had　got　to　get　across　the　open　country　to　the　Ferry；　and　it　was　best　to　go　sooner　and　in　daylight。　In　a　few　moments　they　had　shouldered　their　packs　again　and　were　off。

Before　long　the　wood　came　to　a　sudden　end。　Wide　grasslands　stretched　before　them。　They　now　saw　that　they　had；　in　fact；　turned　too　much　to　the　south。　Away　over　the　flats　they　could　glimpse　the　low　hill　of　Bucklebury　across　the　River；　but　it　was　now　to　their　left。　Creeping　cautiously　out　from　the　edge　of　the　trees；　they　set　off　across　the　open　as　quickly　as　they　could。

At　first　they　felt　afraid；　away　from　the　shelter　of　the　wood。　Far　back　behind　them　stood　the　high　place　where　they　had　breakfasted。　Frodo　half　expected　to　see　the　small　distant　figure　of　a　horseman　on　the　ridge　dark　against　the　sky；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　one。　The　sun　escaping　from　the　breaking　clouds；　as　it　sank　towards　the　hills　they　had　left；　was　now　shining　brightly　again。　Their　fear　left　them；　though　they　still　felt　uneasy。　But　the　land　became　steadily　more　tame　and　wellordered。　Soon　they　came　into　well　tended　fields　and　meadows：　there　were　hedges　and　gates　and　dikes　for　drainage。　Everything　seemed　quiet　and　peaceful；　just　an　ordinary　corner　of　the　Shire。　Their　spirits　rose　with　every　step。　The　line　of　the　River　grew　nearer；　and　the　Black　Riders　began　to　seem　like　phantoms　of　the　woods　now　left　far　behind。

They　passed　along　the　edge　of　a　huge　turnipfield；　and　came　to　a　stout　gate。　Beyond　it　a　rutted　lane　ran　between　low　welllaid　hedges　towards　a　distant　clump　of　trees。　Pippin　stopped。

'I　know　these　fields　and　this　gate！'　he　said。　'This　is　Bamfurlong；　old　Farmer　Maggot's　land。　That's　his　farm　away　there　in　the　trees。'

'One　trouble　after　another！'　said　Frodo；　looking　nearly　as　much　alarmed　as　if　Pippin　had　declared　the　lane　was　the　slot　leading　to　a　dragon's　den。　The　others　looked　at　him　in　surprise。

'What's　wrong　with　old　Maggot？'　asked　Pippin。　'He's　a　good　friend　to　all　the　Brandy　bucks。　Of　course　he's　a　terror　to　trespassers；　and　keeps　ferocious　dogs　。　but　after　all；　folk　down　here　are　near　the　border　and　have　to　be　more　on　their　guard。'

'I　know；'　said　Frodo。　'But　all　the　same；'　he　added　with　a　shamefaced　laugh；　'I　am　terrified　of　him　and　his　dogs。　I　have　avoided　his　farm　for　years　and　years。　He　caught　me　several　times　trespassing　after　mushrooms；　when　I　was　a　youngster　at　Brandy　Hall。　On　the　last　occasion　he　beat　me；　and　then　took　me　and　showed　me　to　his　dogs。　〃See；　lads；〃　he　said；　〃next　time　this　young　varmint　sets　foot　on　my　land；　you　can　eat　him。　Now　see　him　off！〃　They　chased　me　all　the　way　to　the　Ferry。　I　have　never　got　over　the　fright　。　though　I　daresay　the　beasts　knew　their　business　and　would　not　really　have　touched　me。'

Pippin　laughed。　'Well；　it's　time　you　made　it　up。　Especially　if　you　are　ing　back　to　live　in　Buckland。　Old　Maggot　is　really　a　stout　fellow　。　if　you　leave　his　mushrooms　alone。　Let's　get　into　the　lane　and　then　we　shan't　be　trespassing。　If　we　meet　him；　I'll　do　the　talking。　He　is　a　friend　of　Merry's；　and　I　used　to　e　here　with　him　a　good　deal　at　one　time。'

They　went　along　the　lane；　until　they　saw　the　thatched　roofs　of　a　large　house　and　farmbuildings　peeping　out　among　the　trees　ahead。　The　Maggots；　and　the　Puddifoots　of　Stock；　and　most　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　Marish；　were　housedwellers；　and　this　farm　was　stoutly　built　of　brick　and　had　a　high　wall　all　round　it。　There　was　a　wide　wooden　gate　opening　out　of　the　wall　into　the　lane。

Suddenly　as　they　drew　nearer　a　terrific　baying　and　barking　broke　out；　and　a　loud　voice　was　heard　shouting：　'Grip！　Fang！　Wolf！　e　on；　lads！'

Frodo　and　Sam　stopped　dead；　but　Pippin　walked　on　a　few　paces。　The　gate　opened　and　three　huge　dog