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of　large　size。　As　they　passed　overhead；　in　so　dense　a　throng　that　their　shadow　followed　them　darkly　over　the　ground　below；　one　harsh　croak　was　heard。

Not　until　they　had　dwindled　into　the　distance；　north　and　west；　and　the　sky　was　again　clear　would　Aragorn　rise。　Then　he　sprang　up　and　went　and　wakened　Gandalf。

'Regiments　of　black　crows　are　flying　over　all　the　land　between　the　Mountains　and　the　Greyflood；'　he　said；　'and　they　have　passed　over　Hollin。　They　are　not　natives　here；　they　are　crebain　out　of　Fangorn　and　Dunland。　I　do　not　know　what　they　are　about：　possibly　there　is　some　trouble　away　south　from　which　they　are　fleeing；　but　I　think　they　are　spying　out　the　land。　I　have　also　glimpsed　many　hawks　flying　high　up　in　the　sky。　I　think　we　ought　to　move　again　this　evening。　Hollin　is　no　longer　wholesome　for　us：　it　is　being　watched。'

'And　in　that　case　so　is　the　Redhorn　Gate；'　said　Gandalf；　'and　how　we　can　get　over　that　without　being　seen；　I　cannot　imagine。　But　we　will　think　of　that　when　we　must。　As　for　moving　as　soon　as　it　is　dark；　I　am　afraid　that　you　are　right。'

'Luckily　our　fire　made　little　smoke；　and　had　burned　low　before　the　crebain　came；'　said　Aragorn。　'It　must　be　put　out　and　not　lit　again。'

'Well　if　that　isn't　a　plague　and　a　nuisance！'　said　Pippin。　The　news：　no　fire；　and　a　move　again　by　night；　had　been　broken　to　him；　as　soon　as　he　woke　in　the　late　afternoon。　'All　because　of　a　pack　of　crows！　I　had　looked　forward　to　a　real　good　meal　tonight：　something　hot。'

'Well；　you　can　go　on　looking　forward；'　said　Gandalf。　'There　may　be　many　unexpected　feasts　ahead　for　you。　For　myself　I　should　like　a　pipe　to　smoke　in　fort；　and　warmer　feet。　However；　we　are　certain　of　one　thing　at　any　rate：　it　will　get　warmer　as　we　get　south。'

'Too　warm；　I　shouldn't　wonder；'　muttered　Sam　to　Frodo。　'But　I'm　beginning　to　think　it's　time　we　got　a　sight　of　that　Fiery　Mountain　and　saw　the　end　of　the　Road；　so　to　speak。　I　thought　at　first　that　this　here　Redhorn；　or　whatever　its　name　is；　might　be　it；　till　Gimli　spoke　his　piece。　A　fair　jawcracker　dwarflanguage　must　be！'　Maps　conveyed　nothing　to　Sam's　mind；　and　all　distances　in　these　strange　lands　seemed　so　vast　that　he　was　quite　out　of　his　reckoning。

All　that　day　the　pany　remained　in　hiding。　The　dark　birds　passed　over　now　and　again；　but　as　the　westering　Sun　grew　red　they　disappeared　southwards。　At　dusk　the　pany　set　out；　and　turning　now　half　east　they　steered　their　course　towards　Caradhras；　which　far　away　still　glowed　faintly　red　in　the　last　light　of　the　vanished　Sun。　One　by　one　white　stars　sprang　forth　as　the　sky　faded。

Guided　by　Aragorn　they　struck　a　good　path。　It　looked　to　Frodo　like　the　remains　of　an　ancient　road；　that　had　once　been　broad　and　well　planned；　from　Hollin　to　the　mountainpass。　The　Moon；　now　at　the　full；　rose　over　the　mountains；　and　cast　a　pale　light　in　which　the　shadows　of　stones　were　black。　Many　of　them　looked　to　have　been　worked　by　hands；　though　now　they　lay　tumbled　and　ruinous　in　a　bleak；　barren　land。

It　was　the　cold　chill　hour　before　the　first　stir　of　dawn；　and　the　moon　was　low。　Frodo　looked　up　at　the　sky。　Suddenly　he　saw　or　felt　a　shadow　pass　over　the　high　stars；　as　if　for　a　moment　they　faded　and　then　flashed　out　again。　He　shivered。

'Did　you　see　anything　pass　over？'　he　whispered　to　Gandalf；　who　was　just　ahead。

'No；　but　I　felt　it；　whatever　it　was；'　he　answered。　'It　may　be　nothing；　only　a　wisp　of　thin　cloud。'

'It　was　moving　fast　then；'　muttered　Aragorn；　'and　not　with　the　wind。'

Nothing　further　happened　that　night。　The　next　morning　dawned　even　brighter　than　before。　But　the　air　was　chill　again；　already　the　wind　was　turning　back　towards　the　east。　For　two　more　nights　they　marched　on；　climbing　steadily　but　ever　more　slowly　as　their　road　wound　up　into　the　hills；　and　the　mountains　towered　up；　nearer　and　nearer。　On　the　third　morning　Caradhras　rose　before　them；　a　mighty　peak；　tipped　with　snow　like　silver；　but　with　sheer　naked　sides；　dull　red　as　if　stained　with　blood。

There　was　a　black　look　in　the　sky；　and　the　sun　was　wan。　The　wind　had　gone　now　round　to　the　northeast。　Gandalf　snuffed　the　air　and　looked　back。

'Winter　deepens　behind　us；'　he　said　quietly　to　Aragorn。　'The　heights　away　north　are　whiter　than　they　were；　snow　is　lying　far　down　their　shoulders。

Tonight　we　shall　be　on　our　way　high　up　towards　the　Redhorn　Gate。　We　may　well　be　seen　by　watchers　on　that　narrow　path；　and　waylaid　by　some　evil；　but　the　weather　may　prove　a　more　deadly　enemy　than　any。　What　do　you　think　of　your　course　now；　Aragorn？'

Frodo　overheard　these　words；　and　understood　that　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　were　continuing　some　debate　that　had　begun　long　before。　He　listened　anxiously。

'I　think　no　good　of　our　course　from　beginning　to　end；　as　you　know　well；　Gandalf；'　answered　Aragorn。　'And　perils　known　and　unknown　will　grow　as　we　go　on。　But　we　must　go　on；　and　it　is　no　good　our　delaying　the　passage　of　the　mountains。　Further　south　there　are　no　passes；　till　one　es　to　the　Gap　of　Rohan。　I　do　not　trust　that　way　since　your　news　of　Saruman。　Who　knows　which　side　now　the　marshals　of　the　Horselords　serve？'

'Who　knows　indeed！'　said　Gandalf。　'But　there　is　another　way；　and　not　by　the　pass　of　Caradhras：　the　dark　and　secret　way　that　we　have　spoken　of。'

'But　let　us　not　speak　of　it　again！　Not　yet。　Say　nothing　to　the　others　I　beg；　not　until　it　is　plain　that　there　is　no　other　way。'

'We　must　decide　before　we　go　further；'　answered　Gandalf。

'Then　let　us　weigh　the　matter　in　our　minds；　while　the　others　rest　and　sleep；'　said　Aragorn。

In　the　late　afternoon；　while　the　others　were　finishing　their　breakfast；　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　went　aside　together　and　stood　looking　at　Caradhras。　Its　sides　were　now　dark　and　sullen；　and　its　head　was　in　grey　cloud。　Frodo　watched　them；　wondering　which　way　the　debate　would　go。　When　they　returned　to　the　pany　Gandalf　spoke；　and　then　he　knew　that　it　had　been　decided　to　face　the　weather　and　the　high　pass。　He　was　relieved。　He　could　not　guess　what　was　the　other　dark　and　secret　way；　but　the　very　mention　of　it　had　seemed　to　fill　Aragorn　with　dismay；　and　Frodo　was　glad　that　it　had　been　abandoned。

'From　signs　that　we　have　seen　lately；'　said　Gandalf；　'I　fear　that　the　Redhorn　Gate　may　be　watched；　and　also　I　have　doubts　of　the　weather　that　is　ing　up　behind。　Snow　may　e。　We　must　go　with　all　the　speed　that　we　can。　Even　so　it　will　take　us　more　than　two　marches　before　we　reach　the　top　of　the　pass。　Dark　will　e　early　this　evening。　We　must　leave　as　soon　as　you　can　get　ready。'

'I　will　add　a　word　of　advice；　if　I　may；'　said　Boromir。　'I　was　born　under　the　shadow　of　the　White　Mountains　and　know　something　of　journeys　in　the　high　places。　We　shall　meet　bitter　cold；　if　no　worse；　before　we　e　down　on　the　other　side。　It　will　not　help　us　to　keep　so　secret　that　we　are　frozen　to　death。　When　we　leave　here；　where　there　are　still　a　few　trees　and　bushes；　each　of　us　should　carry　a　faggot　of　wood；　as　large　as　he　can　bear。'

'And　Bill　could　take　a　bit　more；　couldn't　you　lad？'　said　Sam。　The　pony　looked　at　him　mournfully。

'Very　well；'　said　Gandalf。　'But　we　must　not　use　the　wood　。　not　unless　it　is　a　choice　between　fire　and　death。'

The　pany　set　out　again　with　good　speed　at　first；　but　soon　their　way　became　steep　and　difficult。　The　twisting　and　climbing　road　had　in　many　places　almost　disappeared；　and　was　blocked　with　many　fallen　stones。　The　night　grew　deadly　dark　under　great　clouds。　A　bitter　wind　swirled　among　the　rocks。　By　midnight　they　had　climbed　to　the　knees　of　the　great　mountains。　The　narrow　path　now　wound　under　a　sheer　wall　of　cliffs　to　the　left；　above　which　the　grim　flanks　of　Caradhras　towered　up　invisible　in　the　gloom；　on　the　right　was　a　gulf　of　darkness　where　the　land　fell　suddenly　into　a　deep　ravine。

Laboriously　they　climbed　a　sharp　slope　and　halted　for　a　moment　at　the　top。　Frodo　felt　a　soft　touch　on　his　face。　He　put　out　his　arm　and　saw　the　dim　white　flakes　of　snow　settling　on　his　sleeve。

They　went　on。　But　before　long　the　snow　was　falling　fast；　filling　all　the　air；　and　swirling　into　Frodo's　eyes。　The　dark　bent　shapes　of　Gandalf　and　Aragorn　only　a　pace　or　two　ahead　could　hardly　be　seen。

'I　don't　like　this　at　all；'　panted　Sam　just　behind。　'Snow's　all　right　on　a　fine　morning；　but　I　like　to　be　in　bed　while　it's　falling。