'Hallo there！' called Farmer Maggot。 The advancing hoofs stopped short。
They thought they could dimly guess a dark cloaked shape in the mist； a yardor two ahead。 'Now then！' said the farmer； throwing the reins to Sam andstriding forward。 'Don't you e a step nearer！ What do you want； and whereare you going？'
'I want Mr。 Baggins。 Have you seen him？' said a muffled voice – but thevoice was the voice of Merry Brandybuck。 A dark lantern was uncovered； and itslight fell on the astonished face of the farmer。
'Mr。 Merry！' he cried。
'Yes； of course！ Who did you think it was？' said Merry ing forward。 Ashe came out of the mist and their fears subsided； he seemed suddenly todiminish to ordinary hobbit…size。 He was riding a pony； and a scarf wasswathed round his neck and over his chin to keep out the fog。
Frodo sprang out of the waggon to greet him。 'So there you are at last！'
said Merry。 'I was beginning to wonder if you would turn up at all today； andI was just going back to supper。 When it grew foggy I came across and rode uptowards Stock to see if you had fallen in any ditches。 But I'm blest if I knowwhich way you have e。 Where did you find them； Mr。 Maggot？ In your duck…
pond？'
'No； I caught 'em trespassing；' said the farmer； 'and nearly set my dogson 'em； but they'll tell you all the story； I've no doubt。 Now； if you'llexcuse me； Mr。 Merry and Mr。 Frodo and all； I'd best be turning for home。 Mrs。
Maggot will be worriting with the night getting thick。'
He backed the waggon into the lane and turned it。 'Well； good night toyou all；' he said。 'It's been a queer day； and no mistake。 But all's well asends well； though perhaps we should not say that until we reach our own doors。
I'll not deny that I'll be glad now when I do。' He lit his lanterns； and gotup。 Suddenly he produced a large basket from under the seat。 'I was nearlyforgetting；' he said。 'Mrs。 Maggot put this up for Mr。 Baggins； with herpliments。' He handed it down and moved off； followed by a chorus of thanksand good…nights。
They watched the pale rings of light round his lanterns as they dwindledinto the foggy night。 Suddenly Frodo laughed： from the covered basket he held；
the scent of mushrooms was rising。
_Chapter 5_
A Conspiracy Unmasked
'Now we had better get home ourselves；' said Merry。 There's something
funny about all this； I see； but it must wait till we get in。'
They turned down the Ferry lane； which was straight and well…kept andedged with large white…washed stones。 In a hundred yards or so it brought themto the river…bank； where there was a broad wooden landing…stage。 A large flatferry…boat was moored beside it。 The white bollards near the water's edgeglimmered in the light of two lamps on high posts。 Behind them the mists inthe flat fields were now above the hedges； but the water before them was dark；
with only a few curling wisps like steam among the reeds by the bank。 Thereseemed to be less fog on the further side。
Merry led the pony over a gangway on to the ferry； and the othersfollowed。 Merry then pushed slowly off with a long pole。 The Brandywine flowedslow and broad before them。 On the other side the bank was steep； and up it awinding path climbed from the further landing。 Lamps were twinkling there。
Behind loomed up the Buck Hill； and out of it； through stray shrouds of mist；
shone many round windows； yellow and red。 They were the windows of BrandyHall； the ancient home of the Brandybucks。
Long ago Gorhendad Oldbuck； head of the Oldbuck family； one of the oldestin the Marish or indeed in the Shire； had crossed the river； which was theoriginal boundary of the land eastwards。 He built （and excavated） Brandy Hall；
changed his name to Brandybuck； and settled down to bee master of what wasvirtually a small independent country。 His family grew and grew； and after hisdays continued to grow； until Brandy Hall occupied the whole of the low hill；
and had three large front…doors； many side…doors； and about a hundred windows。
The Brandybucks and their numerous dependants then began to burrow； and laterto build； all round about。 That was the origin of Buckland； a thicklyinhabited strip between the river and the Old Forest； a sort of colony fromthe Shire。 Its chief village was Bucklebury； clustering in the banks andslopes behind Brandy Hall。
The people in the Marish were friendly with the Bucklanders； and theauthority of the Master of the Hall （as the head of the Brandybuck family wascalled） was still acknowledged by the farmers between Stock and Rushey。 Butmost of the folk of the old Shire regarded the Bucklanders as peculiar； halfforeigners as it were。 Though； as a matter of fact； they were not verydifferent from the other hobbits of the Four Farthings。 Except in one point：
they were fond of boats； and some of them could swim。
Their land was originally unprotected from the East； but on that sidethey had built a hedge： the High Hay。 It had been planted many generationsago； and was now thick and tail； for it was constantly tended。 It ran all theway from Brandywine Bridge； in a big loop curving away from the river； toHaysend （where the Withywindle flowed out of the Forest into the Brandywine）：
well over twenty miles from end to end。 But； of course； it was not a pleteprotection。 The Forest drew close to the hedge in many places。 The Bucklanderskept their doors locked after dark； and that also was not usual in the Shire。
The ferry…boat moved slowly across the water。 The Buckland shore drewnearer。 Sam was the only member of the party who had not been over the riverbefore。 He had a strange feeling as the slow gurgling stream slipped by： hisold life lay behind in the mists； dark adventure lay in front。 He scratchedhis head； and for a moment had a passing wish that Mr。 Frodo could have goneon living quietly at Bag End。
The four hobbits stepped off the ferry。 Merry was tying it up； and Pippinwas already leading the pony up the path； when Sam （who had been looking back；
as if to take farewell of the Shire） said in a hoarse whisper：
'Look back； Mr。 Frodo！ Do you see anything？'
On the far stage； under the distant lamps； they could just make out afigure： it looked like a dark black bundle left behind。 But as they looked itseemed to move and sway this way and that； as if searching the ground。 It thencrawled； or went crouching； back into the gloom beyond the lamps。
'What in the Shire is that？' exclaimed Merry。
'Something that is following us；' said Frodo。 'But don't ask any morenow！ Let's get away at once！' They hurried up the path to the top of the bank；
but when they looked back the far shore was shrouded in mist； and nothingcould be seen。
'Thank goodness you don't keep any boats on the west…bank！' said Frodo。
'Can horses cross the river？'
'They can go twenty miles north to Brandywine Bridge – or they mightswim；' answered Merry。 'Though I never heard of any horse swimming theBrandywine。 But what have horses to do with it？' I'll tell you later。 Let'sget indoors and then we can talk。'
'All right！ You and Pippin know your way； so I'll just ride on and tellFatty Bolger that you are ing。 We'll see about supper and things。'
'We had our supper early with Farmer Maggot；' said Frodo； 'but we coulddo with another。'
'You shall have it！ Give me that basket！' said Merry； and rode ahead intothe darkness。
It was some distance from the Brandywine to Frodo's new house atCrickhollow。 They passed Buck Hill and Brandy Hall on their left； and on theoutskirts of Bucklebury struck the main road of Buckland that ran south fromthe Bridge。 Half a mile northward along this they came to a lane opening ontheir right。 This they followed for a couple of miles as it climbed up anddown into the country。
At last they came to a narrow gate in a thick hedge。 Nothing could beseen of the house in the dark： it stood back from the lane in the middle of a
wide circle of lawn surrounded by a belt of low trees inside the outer hedge。
Frodo had chosen it； because it stood in an out…of…the…way corner of thecountry； and there were no other dwellings close by。 You could get in and outwithout being noticed。 It had been built a long while before by theBrandybucks； for the use of guests； or members of the family that wished toescape from the crowded life of Brandy Hall for a time。 It was an old…
fashioned countrified house； as much like a hobbit…hole as possible： it waslong and low； with no upper storey； and it had a roof of turf； round windows；
and a large round door。
As they walked lip the green path from the gate no light was visible； thewindows were dark and shuttered。 Frodo knocked on the door； and Fatty Bolgeropened it。 A friendly light streamed out。 They slipped in quickly and shutthemselves and the light inside。 They were in a wide hall with doors on eitherside； in front of them a passage ran back down the middle of the house。
'Well； what do you think of it？' asked Merry ing up the passage。 'Wehave done our best in a short time to make it look like home。 After all Fattyand I only got here with the last cart…load yesterday。'
Frodo looked round。 It did look like home。 Many of his own favouritethings – or Bilbo's things （they reminded him sharply of him in their newselling） – were arranged as nearly as possible as they had been at Bag End。 Itwas a pleasant； fortable； weling place； and he found himself wishingthat he was really ing here to settle down in quiet retirement。 It seemedunfair to have put his friends to all this trouble； and he wondered again howhe was going to break the news to them that he must leave them so soon； indeedat once。 Yet that would have to be done that very night； before they all wentto bed。
'It's delightful！' he said with an effort。 'I hardly feel that I havemoved at all。'
The travellers hung up their cloaks； and piled their packs on the floor。
Merry led them down the passage and threw open a door at the far end。
Firelight came out； and a puff of steam。
'A bath！' cried Pippin。 'O blessed Meriadoc！'
'Which order shall we go in？' said Frodo。 'Eldest first； or quickestfirst？ You'll be last either way； Master Peregrin。'
'Trust me to arrange things better than that！' said Merry。 'We can'tbegin life at Crickhollow with a quarrel over baths。 In that room there are_three_ tubs； and a copper