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'A　dwarf！　'　said　Haldir。　'That　is　not　well。　We　have　not　had　dealings　with　the　Dwarves　since　the　Dark　Days。　They　are　not　permitted　in　our　land。　I　cannot　allow　him　to　pass。'

'But　he　is　from　the　Lonely　Mountain；　one　of　Dáin's　trusty　people；　and　friendly　to　Elrond；'　said　Frodo。　'Elrond　himself　chose　him　to　be　one　of　our　panions；　and　he　has　been　brave　and　faithful。'

The　Elves　spoke　together　in　soft　voices；　and　questioned　Legolas　in　their　own　tongue。　'Very　good；'　said　Haldir　at　last。　'We　will　do　this；　though　it　is　against　our　liking。　If　Aragorn　and　Legolas　will　guard　him；　and　answer　for　him；　he　shall　pass；　but　he　must　go　blindfold　through　Lothlórien。

'But　now　we　must　debate　no　longer。　Your　folk　must　not　remain　on　the　ground。　We　have　been　keeping　watch　on　the　rivers；　ever　since　we　saw　a　great　troop　of　Orcs　going　north　toward　Moria；　along　the　skirts　of　the　mountains；　many　days　ago。　Wolves　are　howling　on　the　wood's　borders。　If　you　have　indeed　e　from　Moria；　the　peril　cannot　be　far　behind。　Tomorrow　early　you　must　go　on。

'The　four　hobbits　shall　climb　up　here　and　stay　with　uswe　do　not　fear　them！　There　is　another　talan　in　the　next　tree。　There　the　others　must　take　refuge。　You；　Legolas；　must　answer　to　us　for　them。　Call　us；　if　anything　is　amiss！　And　have　an　eye　on　that　dwarf！'

Legolas　at　once　went　down　the　ladder　to　take　Haldir's　message；　and　soon　afterwards　Merry　and　Pippin　clambered　up　on　to　the　high　flet。　They　were　out　of　breath　and　seemed　rather　scared。

'There！'　said　Merry　panting。　'We　have　lugged　up　your　blankets　as　well　as　our　own。　Strider　has　hidden　all　the　rest　of　the　baggage　in　a　deep　drift　of　leaves。'

'You　had　no　need　of　your　burdens；'　said　Haldir。　'It　is　cold　in　the　tree　tops　in　winter；　though　the　wind　tonight　is　in　the　South；　but　we　have　food　and　drink　to　give　you　that　will　drive　away　the　nightchill；　and　we　have　skins　and　cloaks　to　spare。'

The　hobbits　accepted　this　second　（and　far　better）　supper　very　gladly。　Then　they　wrapped　themselves　warmly；　not　only　in　the　furcloaks　of　the　Elves；　but　in　their　own　blankets　as　well；　and　tried　to　go　to　sleep。　But　weary　as　they　were　only　Sam　found　that　easy　to　do。　Hobbits　do　not　like　heights；　and　do　not　sleep　upstairs；　even　when　they　have　any　stairs。　The　flet　was　not　at　all　to　their　liking　as　a　bedroom。　It　had　no　walls。　not　even　a　rail；　only　on　one　side　was　there　a　light　plaited　screen；　which　could　be　moved　and　fixed　in　different　places　according　to　the　wind。

Pippin　went　on　talking　for　a　while。　'I　hope；　if　I　do　go　to　sleep　in　this　bedloft；　that　I　shan't　roll　off；'　he　said。

'Once　I　do　get　to　sleep；'　said　Sam；　'i　shall　go　on　sleeping；　whether　I　roll　off　or　no。　And　the　less　said；　the　sooner　I'll　drop　off；　if　you　take　my　meaning。'

Frodo　lay　for　some　time　awake；　and　looked　up　at　the　stars　glinting　through　the　pale　roof　of　quivering　leaves。　Sam　was　snoring　at　his　side　long　before　he　himself　closed　his　eyes。　He　could　dimly　see　the　grey　forms　of　two　elves　sitting　motionless　with　their　arms　about　their　knees；　speaking　in　whispers。　The　other　had　gone　down　to　take　up　his　watch　on　one　of　the　lower　branches。　At　last　lulled　by　the　wind　in　the　boughs　above；　and　the　sweet　murmur　of　the　falls　of　Nimrodel　below；　Frodo　fell　asleep　with　the　song　of　Legolas　running　in　his　mind。

Late　in　the　night　he　awoke。　The　other　hobbits　were　asleep。　The　Elves　were　gone。　The　sickle　Moon　was　gleaming　dimly　among　the　leaves。　The　wind　was　still。　A　little　way　off　he　heard　a　harsh　laugh　and　the　tread　of　many　feet　on　the　ground　below。　There　was　a　ring　of　metal。　The　sounds　died　slowly　away；　and　seemed　to　go　southward；　on　into　the　wood。

A　head　appeared　suddenly　through　the　hole　in　the　flet。　Frodo　sat　up　in　alarm　and　saw　that　it　was　a　greyhooded　Elf。　He　looked　towards　the　hobbits。

'What　is　it？　'　said　Frodo。

'Yrch！'　said　the　Elf　in　a　hissing　whisper；　and　cast　on　to　the　flet　the　ropeladder　rolled　up。

'Orcs！　'　said　Frodo。　'What　are　they　doing？　'　But　the　Elf　had　gone。

There　were　no　more　sounds。　Even　the　leaves　were　silent；　and　the　very　falls　seemed　to　be　hushed。　Frodo　sat　and　shivered　in　his　wraps。　He　was　thankful　that　they　had　not　been　caught　on　the　ground；　but　he　felt　that　the　trees　offered　little　protection；　except　concealment。　Orcs　were　as　keen　as　hounds　on　a　scent；　it　was　said；　but　they　could　also　climb。　He　drew　out　Sting：　it　flashed　and　glittered　like　a　blue　flame　and　then　slowly　faded　again　and　grew　dull。　In　spite　of　the　fading　of　his　sword　the　feeling　of　immediate　danger　did　not　leave　Frodo；　rather　it　grew　stronger。　He　got　up　and　crawled　to　the　opening　and　peered　down。　He　was　almost　certain　that　he　could　hear　stealthy　movements　at　the　tree's　foot　far　below。

Not　Elves；　for　the　woodland　folk　were　altogether　noiseless　in　their　movements。　Then　he　heard　faintly　a　sound　like　sniffing：　and　something　seemed　to　be　scrabbling　on　the　bark　of　the　treetrunk。　He　stared　down　into　the　dark；　holding　his　breath。

Something　was　now　climbing　slowly；　and　its　breath　came　like　a　soft　hissing　through　closed　teeth。　Then　ing　up；　close　to　the　stem；　Frodo　saw　two　pale　eyes。　They　stopped　and　gazed　upward　unwinking。　Suddenly　they　turned　away；　and　a　shadowy　figure　slipped　round　the　trunk　of　the　tree　and　vanished。

Immediately　afterwards　Haldir　came　climbing　swiftly　up　through　the　branches。　'There　was　something　in　this　tree　that　I　have　never　seen　before；'　he　said。　'It　was　not　an　orc。　It　fled　as　soon　as　I　touched　the　treestem。　It　seemed　to　be　wary；　and　to　have　some　skill　in　trees；　or　I　might　have　thought　that　it　was　one　of　you　hobbits。

'I　did　not　shoot；　for　I　dared　not　arouse　any　cries：　we　cannot　risk　battle。　A　strong　pany　of　Orcs　has　passed。　They　crossed　the　Nimrodelcurse　their　foul　feet　in　its　clean　water！and　went　on　down　the　old　road　beside　the　river。　They　seemed　to　pick　up　some　scent；　and　they　searched　the　ground　for　a　while　near　the　place　where　you　halted。　The　three　of　us　could　not　challenge　a　hundred；　so　we　went　ahead　and　spoke　with　feigned　voices；　leading　them　on　into　the　wood。

'Orophin　has　now　gone　in　haste　back　to　our　dwellings　to　warn　our　people。　None　of　the　Orcs　will　ever　return　out　of　Lórien。　And　there　will　be　many　Elves　hidden　on　the　northern　border　before　another　night　falls。　But　you　must　take　the　road　south　as　soon　as　it　is　fully　light。'

Day　came　pale　from　the　East。　As　the　light　grew　it　filtered　through　the　yellow　leaves　of　the　mallorn；　and　it　seemed　to　the　hobbits　that　the　early　sun　of　a　cool　summer's　morning　was　shining。　Paleblue　sky　peeped　among　the　moving　branches。　Looking　through　an　opening　on　the　south　side　of　the　flet　Frodo　saw　all　the　valley　of　the　Silverlode　lying　like　a　sea　of　fallow　gold　tossing　gently　in　the　breeze。

The　morning　was　still　young　and　cold　when　the　pany　set　out　again；　guided　now　by　Haldir　and　his　brother　Rúmil。　'Farewell；　sweet　Nimrodel！　'　cried　Legolas。　Frodo　looked　back　and　caught　a　gleam　of　white　foam　among　the　grey　treestems。　'Farewell；'　he　said。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　would　never　hear　again　a　running　water　so　beautiful；　for　ever　blending　its　innumerable　notes　in　an　endless　changeful　music。

They　went　back　to　the　path　that　still　went　on　along　the　west　side　of　the　Silverlode；　and　for　some　way　they　followed　it　southward。　There　were　the　prints　of　orcfeet　in　the　earth。　But　soon　Haldir　turned　aside　into　the　trees　and　halted　on　the　bank　of　the　river　under　their　shadows。

'There　is　one　of　my　people　yonder　across　the　stream；'　he　said　'though　you　may　not　see　him。'　He　gave　a　call　like　the　low　whistle　of　a　bird；　and　out　of　a　thicket　of　young　trees　an　Elf　stepped；　clad　in　grey；　but　with　his　hood　thrown　back；　his　hair　glinted　like　gold　in　the　morning　sun。　Haldir　skilfully　cast　over　the　stream　a　coil　of　grey　rope；　and　he　caught　it　and　bound　the　end　about　a　tree　near　the　bank。

'Celebrant　is　already　a　strong　stream　here；　as　you　see；'　said　Haldir　'and　it　runs　both　swift　and　deep；　and　is　very　cold。　We　do　not　set　foot　in　it　so　far　north；　unless　we　must。　But　in　these　days　of　watchfulness　we　do　not　make　bridges。　This　is　how　we　cross！　Follow　me！'　He　made　his　end　of　the　rope　fast　about　another　tree；　and　then　ran　lightly　along　it；　over　the　river　and　back　again；　as　if　he　were　on　a　road。

'I　can　walk　this　path；'　said　Legolas；　'but　the　others　have　not　this　skill。　Must　they　swi