'Excellent！' exclaimed Strider； crossing his legs and sitting backfortably。 'You seem to be ing to your senses again； and that is all to
the good。 You have been much too careless so far。 Very well！ I will tell youwhat I know； and leave the reward to you。 You may be glad to grant it； whenyou have heard me。'
'Go on then！' said Frodo。 'What do you know？'
'Too much； too many dark things；' said Strider grimly。 'But as for yourbusiness …' He got up and went to the door； opened it quickly and looked out。
Then he shut it quietly and sat down again。 'I have quick ears；' he went on；
lowering his voice； 'and though I cannot disappear； I have hunted many wildand wary things and I can usually avoid being seen； if I wish。 Now； I wasbehind the hedge this evening on the Road west of Bree； when four hobbits cameout of the Downlands。 I need not repeat all that they said to old Bombadil orto one another； but one thing interested me。 _Please remember；_ said one ofthem； _that the name Baggins must not be mentioned。 I am Mr。 Underhill； if anyname must be given。_ That interested me so much that I followed them here。 Islipped over the gate just behind them。 Maybe Mr。 Baggins has an honest reasonfor leaving his name behind； but if so； I should advise him and his friends tobe more careful。'
'I don't see what interest my name has for any one in Bree；' said Frodoangrily； 'and I have still to learn why it interests you。 Mr。 Strider may havean honest reason for spying and eavesdropping； but if so； I should advise himto explain it。'
'Well answered！' said Strider laughing。 'But the explanation is simple：
I was looking for a Hobbit called Frodo Baggins。 I wanted to find himquickly。 I had learned that he was carrying out of the Shire； well； a secretthat concerned me and my friends。
'Now； don't mistake me！' he cried； as Frodo rose from his seat； and Samjumped up with a scowl。 'I shall take more care of the secret than you do。 Andcare is needed！' He leaned forward and looked at them。 'Watch every shadow！'
he said in a low voice。 'Black horsemen have passed through Bree。 On Mondayone came down the Greenway； they say； and another appeared later； ing upthe Greenway from the south。'
There was a silence。 At last Frodo spoke to Pippin and Sam： 'I ought tohave guessed it from the way the gatekeeper greeted us；' he said。 'And thelandlord seems to have heard something。 Why did he press us to join thepany？ And why on earth did we behave so foolishly： we ought to have stayedquiet in here。'
'It would have been better；' said Strider。 'I would have stopped yourgoing into the mon…room； if I could； but the innkeeper would not let me into see you； or take a message。'
'Do you think he–––' began Frodo。
'No； I don't think any harm of old Butterbur。 Only he does not altogetherlike mysterious vagabonds of my sort。' Frodo gave him a puzzled look。 'Well； Ihave rather a rascally look； have I not？' said Strider with a curl of his lipand a queer gleam in his eye。 'But I hope we shall get to know one anotherbetter。 When we do； I hope you will explain what happened at the end of yoursong。 For that little prank–––'
'It was sheer accident！' interrupted Frodo。
'I wonder；' said Strider。 'Accident； then。 That accident has made yourposition dangerous。'
'Hardly more than it was already；' said Frodo。 'I knew these horsemenwere pursuing me； but now at any rate they seem to have missed me and to havegone away。'
'You must not count on that！' said Strider sharply。 'They will return。
And more are ing。 There are others。 I know their number。 I know theseRiders。' He paused； and his eyes were cold and hard。 'And there are some folkin Bree who are not to be trusted；' he went on。 'Bill Ferny； for instance。 Hehas an evil name in the Bree…land； and queer folk call at his house。 You musthave noticed him among the pany： a swarthy sneering fellow。 He was veryclose with one of the Southern strangers； and they slipped out together just
after your 〃accident〃。 Not all of those Southerners mean well； and as forFerny； he would sell anything to anybody； or make mischief for amusement。'
'What will Ferny sell； and what has my accident got to do with him？' saidFrodo； still determined not to understand Strider's hints。
'News of you； of course；' answered Strider。 'An account of yourperformance would be very interesting to certain people。 After that they wouldhardly need to be told your real name。 It seems to me only too likely thatthey will hear of it before this night is over。 Is that enough？ You can do asyou like about my reward： take me as a guide or not。 But I may say that I knowall the lands between the Shire and the Misty Mountains； for I have wanderedover them for many years。 I am older than I look。 I might prove useful。 Youwill have to leave the open road after tonight； for the horsemen will watch itnight and day。 You may escape from Bree； and be allowed to go forward whilethe Sun is up； but you won't go far。 They will e on you in the wild； insome dark place where there is no help。 Do you wish them to find you？ They areterrible！'
The hobbits looked at him； and saw with surprise that his face was drawnas if with pain； and his hands clenched the arms of his chair。 The room wasvery quiet and still； and the light seemed to have grown dim。 For a while hesat with unseeing eyes as if walking in distant memory or listening to soundsin the Night far away。
'There！' he cried after a moment； drawing his hand across his brow。
'Perhaps I know more about these pursuers than you do。 You fear them； but youdo not fear them enough； yet。 Tomorrow you will have to escape； if you can。
Strider can take you by paths that are seldom trodden。 Will you have him？'
There was a heavy silence。 Frodo made no answer； his mind was confusedwith doubt and fear。 Sam frowned； and looked at his master； and at last hebroke out：
'With your leave； Mr。 Frodo； I'd say no！ This Strider here； he warns andhe says take care； and I _say yes_ to that； and let's begin with him。 He esout of the Wild； and I never heard no good of such folk。 He knows something；
that's plain； and more than I like； but it's no reason why we should let himgo leading us out into some dark place far from help； as he puts it。'
Pippin fidgeted and looked unfortable。 Strider did not reply to Sam；
but turned his keen eyes on Frodo。 Frodo caught his glance and looked away。
'No；' he said slowly。 'I don't agree。 I think； I think you are not really asyou choose to look。 You began to talk to me like the Bree…folk； but your voicehas changed。 Still Sam seems right in this： I don't see why you should warn usto take care； and yet ask us to take you on trust。 Why the disguise？ Who areyou？ What do you really know about – about my business； and how do you knowit？'
'The lesson in caution has been well learned；' said Strider with a grimsmile。 'But caution is one thing and wavering is another。 You will never getto Rivendell now on your own； and to trust me is your only chance。 You mustmake up your mind。 I will answer some of your questions； if that will help youto do so。 But why should you believe my story； if you do not trust me already？
Still here it is–––'
At that moment there came a knock at the door。 Mr。 Butterbur had arrived
with candles； and behind him was Nob with cans of hot water。 Strider withdrewinto a dark corner。
'I've e to bid you good night；' said the landlord； putting the candleson the table。 'Nob！ Take the water to the rooms！' He came in and shut the
door。
'It's like this；' he began； hesitating and looking troubled。 'If I'vedone any harm； I'm sorry indeed。 But one thing drives out another； as you'lladmit； and I'm a busy man。 But first one thing and then another this week havejogged my memory； as the saying goes； and not too late I hope。 You see； I wasasked to look out for hobbits of the Shire； and for one by the name of Bagginsin particular。'
'And what has that got to do with me？' asked Frodo。
'Ah！ you know best；' said the landlord； knowingly。 'I won't give youaway； but I was told that this Baggins would be going by the name ofUnderhill； and I was given a description that fits you well enough； if I maysay so。'
'Indeed！ Let's have it then！' said Frodo； unwisely interrupting。
_'A stout little fellow with red cheeks；'_ said Mr。 Butterbur solemnly。
Pippin chuckled； but Sam looked indignant。 _'That won't help you much； it goesfor most hobbits。 Barley；_ he says to me；' continued Mr。 Butterbur with aglance at Pippin。 _'But this one is taller than some and fairer than most； andhe has a cleft in his chin： perky chap with a bright eye。_ Begging yourpardon； but he said it； not me。'
_'He_ said it？ And who was he？' asked Frodo eagerly。
'Ah！ That was Gandalf； if you know who I mean。 A wizard they say he is；
but he's a good friend of mine； whether or no。 But now I don't know what he'llhave to say to me； if I see him again： turn all my ale sour or me into a blockof wood； I shouldn't wonder。 He's a bit hasty。 Still what's done can't beundone。 '
'Well； what have you done？' said Frodo； getting impatient with the slowunravelling of Butterbur's thoughts。
'Where was I？' said the landlord； pausing and snapping his fingers。 'Ah；
yes！ Old Gandalf。 Three months back he walked right into my room without aknock。 _Barley；_ he says； _I'm off in the morning。 Will you do something forme？ You've only to name it；_ I said。 _I'm in a hurry；_ said he； _and I've notime myself； but I want a message took to the Shire。 Have you anyone you cansend； and trust to go？ I can find someone；_ I said； _tomorrow； maybe； or theday after。 Make it tomorrow；_ he says； and then he gave me a letter。
'It's addressed plain enough；' said Mr。 Butterbur； producing a letterfrom his pocket； and reading out the address slowly and proudly （he valued hisreputation as a lettered man）：
_Mr。 FRODO BAGGINS； BAG END； HOBBITON in the SHIRE。_
'A letter for me from Gandalf！' cried Frodo。
'Ah！' said Mr。 Butterbur。 'Then your right name is Baggins？'
'It is；' said Frodo； 'and you had better give me that letter at once； andexplain why you never sent it。 That's what you came to tell me； I suppose；
though you've taken a long time to e to the point。'
Poor Mr。 Butterbur looked troubled。 'You're right； master；' he said； 'andI beg your pardon。 An