early midnight。'
'I thought you liked walking in the dark；' said Frodo。 'But there is nogreat hurry。 Merry expects us some time the day after tomorrow； but thatleaves 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 thishill； we shall find a spot that is sheltered and snug enough； sir。 There is adry fir…wood just ahead； if I remember rightly。' Sam knew the land well withintwenty miles of Hobbiton； but that was the limit of his geography。
Just over the top of the hill they came on the patch of fir…wood。 Leavingthe road they went into the deep resin…scented darkness of the trees； andgathered dead sticks and cones to make a fire。 Soon they had a merry crackleof flame at the foot of a large fir…tree and they sat round it for a while；
until they began to nod。 Then； each in an angle of the great tree's roots；
they curled up in their cloaks and blankets； and were soon fast asleep。 Theyset no watch； even Frodo feared no danger yet； for they were still in theheart of the Shire。 A few creatures came and looked at them when the fire had
died away。 A fox passing through the wood on business of his own stoppedseveral minutes and sniffed。
'Hobbits！' he thought。 'Well； what next？ I have heard of strange doingsin this land； but I have seldom heard of a hobbit sleeping out of doors undera tree。 Three of them！ There's something mighty queer behind this。' He wasquite right； but he never found out any more about it。
The morning came； pale and clammy。 Frodo woke up first； and found that atree…root had made a hole in his back； and that his neck was stiff。
'Walking for pleasure！ Why didn't I drive？' he thought； as he usually didat the beginning of an expedition。 'And all my beautiful feather beds are soldto the Sackville…Bagginses！ These tree…roots would do them good。' Hestretched。 'Wake up； hobbits！' he cried。 It's a beautiful morning。'
'What's beautiful about it？' said Pippin； peering over the edge of hisblanket with one eye。 'Sam！ Gel breakfast ready for half…past nine！ Have yougot the bath…water hot？'
Sam jumped up； looking rather bleary。 'No； sir； I haven't； sir！' he said。
Frodo stripped the blankets from Pippin and rolled him over； and thenwalked off to the edge of the wood。 Away eastward the sun was rising red outof the mists that lay thick on the world。 Touched with gold and red the autumntrees seemed to be sailing rootless in a shadowy sea。 A little below him tothe left the road ran down steeply into a hollow and disappeared。
When he returned Sam and Pippin had got a good fire going。 'Water！'
shouted Pippin。 'Where's the water？'
'I don't keep water in my pockets；' said Frodo。 'We thought you had goneto find some；' said Pippin； busy setting out the food； and cups。 'You hadbetter go now。'
'You can e too；' said Frodo； 'and bring all the water…bottles。' Therewas a stream at the foot of the hill。 They filled their bottles and the smallcamping kettle at a little fall where the water fell a few feet over anoutcrop of grey stone。 It was icy cold； and they spluttered and puffed as theybathed their faces and hands。
When their breakfast was over； and their packs all trussed up again； itwas after ten o'clock； and the day was beginning to turn fine and hot。 Theywent down the slope； and across the stream where it dived under the road； andup the next slope； and up and down another shoulder of the hills； and by thattime their cloaks； blankets； water； food； and other gear already seemed aheavy burden。
The day's march promised to be warm and tiring work。 After some miles；
however； the road ceased to roll up and down： it climbed to the top of a steepbank in a weary zig…zagging sort of way； and then prepared to go down for the
last time。 In front of them they saw the lower lands dotted with small clumpsof trees that melted away in the distance to a brown woodland haze。 They werelooking across the Woody End towards the Brandywine River。 The road wound awaybefore them like a piece of string。
'The road goes on for ever；' said Pippin； 'but I can't without a rest。 Itis high time for lunch。' He sat down on the bank at the side of the road andlooked away east into the haze； beyond which lay the River； and the end of theShire in which he had spent all his life。 Sam stood by him。 His round eyeswere wide open – for he was looking across lands he had never seen to a newhorizon。
'Do Elves live in those woods？' he asked。
'Not that I ever heard；' said Pippin。 Frodo was silent。 He too was gazingeastward along the road； as if he had never seen it before。 Suddenly he spoke；
aloud but as if to himself； saying slowly：
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began。
Now far ahead the Road has gone；
And I must follow； if I can；
Pursuing it with weary feet；
Until it joins some larger way；
Where many paths and errands meet。
And whither then？ I cannot say。
'That sounds like a bit of old Bilbo's rhyming；' said Pippin。 'Or is itone of your imitations？ It does not sound altogether encouraging。'
'I don't know；' said Frodo。 It came to me then； as if I was making it up；
but I may have heard it long ago。 Certainly it reminds me very much of Bilboin the last years； before he went away。 He used often to say there was onlyone Road； that it was like a great river： its springs were at every doorstep；
and every path was its tributary。 〃It's a dangerous business； Frodo； going outof your door；〃 he used to say。 〃You step into the Road； and if you don't keepyour feet； there is no knowing where you might be swept off to。 Do you realizethat this is the very path that goes through Mirkwood； and that if you let it；
it might take you to the Lonely Mountain or even further and to worseplaces？〃 He used to say that on the path outside the front door at Bag End；
especially after he had been out for a long walk。'
'Well； the Road won't sweep me anywhere for an hour at least；' saidPippin； unslinging his pack。 The others followed his example； putting theirpacks against the bank and their legs out into the road。 After a rest they hada good lunch； and then more rest。
The sun was beginning to get low and the light of afternoon was on theland as they went down the hill。 So far they had not met a soul on the road。
This way was not much used； being hardly fit for carts； and there was littletraffic to the Woody End。 They had been jogging along again for an hour ormore when Sam stopped a moment as if listening。 They were now on level ground；
and the road after much winding lay straight ahead through grass…landsprinkled with tall trees； outliers of the approaching woods。
'I can hear a pony or a horse ing along the road behind；' said Sam。
They looked back； but the turn of the road prevented them from seeingfar。 'I wonder if that is Gandalf ing after us；' said Frodo； but even as hesaid it； he had a feeling that it was not so； and a sudden desire to hide fromthe view of the rider came over him。
'It may not matter much；' he said apologetically； 'but I would rather notbe seen on the road – by anyone。 I am sick of my doings being noticed anddiscussed。 And if it is Gandalf；' he added as an afterthought； 'we can givehim a little surprise； to pay him out for being so late。 Let's get out ofsight！'
The other two ran quickly to the left and down into a little hollow notfar from the road。 There they lay flat。 Frodo hesitated for a second：
curiosity or some other feeling was struggling with his desire to hide。 Thesound of hoofs drew nearer。 Just in time he threw himself down in a patch oflong grass behind a tree that overshadowed the road。 Then he lifted his headand peered cautiously above one of the great roots。
Round the corner came a black horse； no hobbit…pony but a full…sizedhorse； and on it sat a large man； who seemed to crouch in the saddle； wrappedin a great black cloak and hood； so that only his boots in the high stirrupsshowed below； his face was shadowed and invisible。
When it reached the tree and was level with Frodo the horse stopped。 Theriding figure sat quite still with its head bowed； as if listening。 Frominside the hood came a noise as of someone sniffing to catch an elusive scent；
the head turned from side to side of the road。
A sudden unreasoning fear of discovery laid hold of Frodo； and he thoughtof his Ring。 He hardly dared to breathe； and yet the desire to get it out ofhis pocket became so strong that he began slowly to move his hand。 He feltthat he had only to slip it on； and then he would be safe。 The advice ofGandalf seemed absurd。 Bilbo had used the Ring。 'And I am still in theShire；' he thought； as his hand touched the chain on which it hung。 At thatmoment the rider sat up； and shook the reins。 The horse stepped forward；
walking slowly at first； and then breaking into a quick trot。
Frodo crawled to the edge of the road and watched the rider； until hedwindled into the distance。 He could not be quite sure； but it seemed to himthat suddenly； before it passed out of sight； the horse turned aside and wentinto the trees on the right。
'Well； I call that very queer； and indeed disturbing；' said Frodo tohimself； as he walked towards his panions。 Pippin and Sam had remained flatin the grass； and had seen nothing； so Frodo described the rider and hisstrange behaviour。
'I can't say why； but I felt certain he was looking or _smelling_ for me；
and also I felt certain that I did not want him to discover me。 I've never
seen or fell anything like it in the Shire before。'
'But what has one of the Big People got to do with us？' said Pippin。 'Andwhat is he doing in this part of the world？'
'There are some Men about；' said Frodo。 'Down in the Southfarthing theyhave had trouble with Big People； I believe。 But I have never heard ofanything like this rider。 I wonder where he es from。'
'Begging your pardon；' put in Sam suddenly； 'I know where he es from。
It's from Hobbiton that this here black rider es； unless there's more thanone。 And I know where he's going to。'
'What do you mean？' said Frodo sharply； looking at him in astonishment。
'Why didn't you speak up before？'
'I have only just remembered； sir。 It was like this： when I got back toour hole yesterday evening with the key； my dad； he says to me： _Hello；