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Frodo　and　Sam　stopped　dead；　but　Pippin　walked　on　a　few　paces。　The　gate　opened　and　three　huge　dogs　came　pelting　out　into　the　lane；　and　dashed　towards　the　travellers；　barking　fiercely。　They　took　no　notice　of　Pippin；　but　Sam　shrank　against　the　wall；　while　two　wolvishlooking　dogs　sniffed　at　him　suspiciously；　and　snarled　if　he　moved。　The　largest　and　most　ferocious　of　the　three　halted　in　front　of　Frodo；　bristling　and　growling。

Through　the　gate　there　now　appeared　a　broad　thickset　hobbit　with　a　round　red　face。　'Hallo！　Hallo！　And　who　may　you　be；　and　what　may　you　be　wanting？'　he　asked。

'Good　afternoon；　Mr。　Maggot！'　said　Pippin。

The　farmer　looked　at　him　closely。　'Well；　if　it　isn't　Master　Pippin　。　Mr。　Peregrin　Took；　I　should　say！'　he　cried；　changing　from　a　scowl　to　a　grin。　'It's　a　long　time　since　I　saw　you　round　here。　It's　lucky　for　you　that　I　know　you。　I　was　just　going　out　to　set　my　dogs　on　any　strangers。　There　are　some　funny　things　going　on　today。　Of　course；　we　do　get　queer　folk　wandering　in　these　parts　at　times。　Too　near　the　River；'　he　said；　shaking　his　head。　'But　this　fellow　was　the　most　outlandish　I　have　ever　set　eyes　on。　He　won't　cross　my　land　without　leave　a　second　time；　not　if　I　can　stop　it。'

'What　fellow　do　you　mean？'　asked　Pippin。

'Then　you　haven't　seen　him？'　said　the　farmer。　'He　went　up　the　lane　towards　the　causeway　not　a　long　while　back。　He　was　a　funny　customer　and　asking　funny　questions。　But　perhaps　you'll　e　along　inside；　and　we'll　pass　the　news　more　fortable。　I've　a　drop　of　good　ale　on　tap；　if　you　and　your　friends　are　willing；　Mr。　Took。'

It　seemed　plain　that　the　farmer　would　tell　them　more；　if　allowed　to　do　it　in　his　own　time　and　fashion；　so　they　all　accepted　the　invitation。　'What　about　the　dogs？'　asked　Frodo　anxiously。

The　farmer　laughed。　'They　won't　harm　you　。　not　unless　I　tell　'em　to。　Here；　Grip！　Fang！　Heel！'　he　cried。　'Heel；　Wolf！'　To　the　relief　of　Frodo　and　Sam；　the　dogs　walked　away　and　let　them　go　free。

Pippin　introduced　the　other　two　to　the　farmer。　'Mr。　Frodo　Baggins；'　he　said。　'You　may　not　remember　him；　but　he　used　to　live　at　Brandy　Hall。'　At　the　name　Baggins　the　farmer　started；　and　gave　Frodo　a　sharp　glance。　For　a　moment　Frodo　thought　that　the　memory　of　stolen　mushrooms　had　been　aroused；　and　that　the　dogs　would　be　told　to　see　him　off。　But　Farmer　Maggot　took　him　by　the　arm。

'Well；　if　that　isn't　queerer　than　ever？'　he　exclaimed。　'Mr。　Baggins　is　it？　e　inside！　We　must　have　a　talk。'

They　went　into　the　farmer's　kitchen；　and　sat　by　the　wide　fireplace。　Mrs。　Maggot　brought　out　beer　in　a　huge　jug；　and　filled　four　large　mugs。　It　was　a　good　brew；　and　Pippin　found　himself　more　than　pensated　for　missing　the　Golden　Perch。　Sam　sipped　his　beer　suspiciously。　He　had　a　natural　mistrust　of　the　inhabitants　of　other　parts　of　the　Shire；　and　also　he　was　not　disposed　to　be　quick　friends　with　anyone　who　had　beaten　his　master；　however　long　ago。

After　a　few　remarks　about　the　weather　and　the　agricultural　prospects　（which　were　no　worse　than　usual）；　Farmer　Maggot　put　down　his　mug　and　looked　at　them　all　in　turn。

'Now；　Mr。　Peregrin；'　he　said；　'where　might　you　be　ing　from；　and　where　might　you　be　going　to？　Were　you　ing　to　visit'　me？　For；　if　so；　you　had　gone　past　my　gate　without　my　seeing　you。'

'Well；　no；'　answered　Pippin。　'To　tell　you　the　truth；　since　you　have　guessed　it；　we　got　into　the　lane　from　the　other　end：　we　had　e　over　your　fields。　But　that　was　quite　by　accident。　We　lost　our　way　in　the　woods；　back　near　Woodhall；　trying　to　take　a　short　cut　to　the　Ferry。'

'If　you　were　in　a　hurry；　the　road　would　have　served　you　better；'　said　the　farmer。　'But　I　wasn't　worrying　about　that。　You　have　leave　to　walk　over　my　land；　if　you　have　a　mind；　Mr。　Peregrin。　And　you；　Mr。　Baggins　。　though　I　daresay　you　still　like　mushrooms。'　He　laughed。　'Ah　yes；　I　recognized　the　name。　I　recollect　the　time　when　young　Frodo　Baggins　was　one　of　the　worst　young　rascals　of　Buckland。　But　it　wasn't　mushrooms　I　was　thinking　of。　I　had　just　heard　the　name　Baggins　before　you　turned　up。　What　do　you　think　that　funny　customer　asked　me？'

They　waited　anxiously　for　him　to　go　on。　'Well；'　the　farmer　continued；　approaching　his　point　with　slow　relish；　'he　came　riding　on　a　big　black　horse　in　at　the　gate；　which　happened　to　be　open；　and　right　up　to　my　door。　All　black　he　was　himself；　too；　and　cloaked　and　hooded　up；　as　if　he　did　not　want　to　be　known。　〃Now　what　in　the　Shire　can　he　want？〃　I　thought　to　myself。　We　don't　see　many　of　the　Big　Folk　over　the　border；　and　anyway　I　had　never　heard　of　any　like　this　black　fellow。

'　〃Goodday　to　you！〃　I　says；　going　out　to　him。　〃This　lane　don't　lead　anywhere；　and　wherever　you　may　be　going；　your　quickest　way　will　be　back　to　the　road。〃　I　didn't　like　the　looks　of　him；　and　when　Grip　came　out；　he　took　one　sniff　and　let　out　a　yelp　as　if　he　had　been　slung：　he　put　down　his　tail　and　bolted　off　howling。　The　black　fellow　sat　quite　still。

'　〃I　e　from　yonder；〃　he　said；　slow　and　stifflike；　pointing　back　west；　over　my　fields；　if　you　please。　〃Have　you　seen　Baggins？〃　he　asked　in　a　queer　voice；　and　bent　down　towards　me。　I　could　not　see　any　face；　for　his　hood　fell　down　so　low；　and　I　felt　a　sort　of　shiver　down　my　back。　But　I　did　not　see　why　he　should　e　riding　over　my　land　so　bold。

'　〃Be　off！〃　I　said。　〃There　are　no　Bagginses　here。　You're　in　the　wrong　part　of　the　Shire。　You　had　better　go　back　west　to　Hobbiton　。　but　you　can　go　by　road　this　time。〃

'　〃Baggins　has　left；〃　he　answered　in　a　whisper。　〃He　is　ing。　He　is　not　far　away。　I　wish　to　find　him。　If　he　passes　will　you　tell　me？　I　will　e　back　with　gold。〃

'　〃No　you　won't；〃　I　said。　〃You'll　go　back　where　you　belong；　double　quick。　I　give　you　one　minute　before　I　call　all　my　dogs。〃

'He　gave　a　sort　of　hiss。　It　might　have　been　laughing；　and　it　might　not。　Then　he　spurred　his　great　horse　right　at　me；　and　I　jumped　out　of　the　way　only　just　in　time。　I　called　the　dogs；　but　he　swung　off；　and　rode　through　the　gate　and　up　the　lane　towards　the　causeway　like　a　bolt　of　thunder。　What　do　you　think　of　that？'

Frodo　sat　for　a　moment　looking　at　the　fire；　but　his　only　thought　was　how　on　earth　would　they　reach　the　Ferry。　'I　don't　know　what　to　think；'　he　said　at　last。

'Then　I'll　tell　you　what　to　think；'　said　Maggot。　'You　should　never　have　gone　mixing　yourself　up　with　Hobbiton　folk；　Mr。　Frodo。　Folk　are　queer　up　there。'　Sam　stirred　in　his　chair；　and　looked　at　the　farmer　with　an　unfriendly　eye。　'But　you　were　always　a　reckless　lad。　When　I　heard　you　had　left　the　Brandybucks　and　gone　off　to　that　old　Mr。　Bilbo；　I　said　that　you　were　going　to　find　trouble。　Mark　my　words；　this　all　es　of　those　strange　doings　of　Mr。　Bilbo's。　His　money　was　got　in　some　strange　fashion　in　foreign　parts；　they　say。　Maybe　there　is　some　that　want　to　know　what　has　bee　of　the　gold　and　jewels　that　he　buried　in　the　hill　of　Hobbiton；　as　I　hear？'

Frodo　said　nothing：　the　shrewd　guesses　of　the　farmer　were　rather　disconcerting。

'Well；　Mr。　Frodo；'　Maggot　went　on；　'I'm　glad　that　you've　had　the　sense　to　e　back　to　Buckland。　My　advice　is：　stay　there！　And　don't　get　mixed　up　with　these　outlandish　folk。　You'll　have　friends　in　these　parts。　If　any　of　these　black　fellows　e　after　you　again；　I'll　deal　with　them。　I'll　say　you're　dead；　or　have　left　the　Shire；　or　anything　you　like。　And　that　might　be　true　enough；　for　as　like　as　not　it　is　old　Mr。　Bilbo　they　want　news　of。'

'Maybe　you're　right；'　said　Frodo；　avoiding　the　farmer's　eye　and　staring　at　the　fire。

Maggot　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。　'Well；　I　see　you　have　ideas　of　your　own；'　he　said。　'It　is　as　plain　as　my　nose　that　no　accident　brought　you　and　that　rider　here　on　the　same　afternoon；　and　maybe　my　news　was　no　great　news　to　you；　after　all。　I　am　not　asking　you　to　tell　me　anything　you　have　a　mind　to　keep　to　yourself；　but　I　see　you　are　in　some　kind　of　trouble。　Perhaps　you　are　thinking　it　won't　be　too　easy　to　get　to　the　Ferry　without　being　caught？'

'I　was　thinking　so；'　said　Frodo。　'But　we　have　got　to　try　and　get　there；　and　it　won't　be　done　by　sitting　and　thinking。　So　I　am　afraid　we　must　be　going。　Thank　you　very　much　indeed　for　your　kindness！　I've　been　in　terror　of　you　and　your　dogs　for　over　thirty　years；　Farmer　Maggot；　though　you　may　laugh　to　hear　it。　It's　a　pity：　for　I've　missed　a　good　friend。　And　now　I'm　sorry　to　lea