Poor Mr。 Butterbur looked troubled。 'You're right； master；' he said； 'andI beg your pardon。 And I'm mortal afraid of what Gandalf will say； if harmes of it。 But I didn't keep it back a…purpose。 I put it by safe。 Then Icouldn't find nobody willing to go to the Shire next day； nor the day after；
and none of my own folk were to spare； and then one thing after another droveit out of my mind。 I'm a busy man。 I'll do what I can to set matters right；
and if there's any help I can give； you've only to name it。
'Leaving the letter aside； I promised Gandalf no less。 _Barley；_ he saysto me； _this friend of mine from the Shire； he may be ing out this waybefore long； him and another。 He'll be calling himself Underhill。 Mind that！
But you need ask no questions。 And if I'm not with him； he may be in trouble；
and he may need help。 Do whatever you can for him； and I'll be grateful；_ hesays。 And here you are； and trouble is not far off； seemingly。'
'What do you mean？' asked Frodo。
'These black men；' said the landlord lowering his voice。 'They're lookingfor _Baggins；_ and if they mean well； then I'm a hobbit。 It was on Monday； andall the dogs were yammering and the geese screaming。 Uncanny； I called it。
Nob； he came and told me that two black men were at the door asking for ahobbit called Baggins。 Nob's hair was all stood on end。 I bid the blackfellows be off； and slammed the door on them； but they've been asking the samequestion all the way to Archet； I hear。 And that Ranger； Strider； he's beenasking questions； too。 Tried to get in here to see you； before you'd had bite
or sup； he did。'
'He did！' said Strider suddenly； ing forward into the light。 'And muchtrouble would have been saved； if you had let him in； Barliman。'
The landlord jumped with surprise。 'You！' he cried。 'You're alwayspopping up。 What do you want now？'
'He's here with my leave；' said Frodo。 'He came to offer me his help。'
'Well； you know your own business； maybe；' said Mr。 Butterbur； lookingsuspiciously at Strider。 'But if I was in your plight； I wouldn't take up witha Ranger。'
'Then who would you take up with？' asked Strider。 'A fat innkeeper whoonly remembers his own name because people shout it at him all day？ Theycannot stay in _The Pony_ for ever； and they cannot go home。 They have a longroad before them。 Will you go with them and keep the black men off？'
'Me？ Leave Bree！ I wouldn't do that for any money；' said Mr。 Butterbur；
looking really scared。 'But why can't you stay here quiet for a bit； Mr。
Underhill？ What are all these queer goings on？ What are these black men after；
and where do they e from； I'd like to know？'
'I'm sorry I can't explain it all；' answered Frodo。 'I am tired and veryworried； and it's a long tale。 But if you mean to help me； I ought to warn youthat you will be in danger as long as I am in your house。 These Black Riders：
I am not sure； but I think； I fear they e from–––'
'They e from Mordor；' said Strider in a low voice。 'From Mordor；
Barliman； if that means anything to you。'
'Save us！' cried Mr。 Butterbur turning pale； the name evidently was knownto him。 'That is the worst news that has e to Bree in my time。' 'It is；'
said Frodo。 'Are you still willing to help me？' 'I am；' said Mr。 Butterbur。
'More than ever。 Though I don't know what the likes of me can do against；
against–––' he faltered。
'Against the Shadow in the East；' said Strider quietly。 'Not much；
Barliman； but every little helps。 You can let Mr。 Underhill stay here tonight；
as Mr。 Underhill； and you can forget the name of Baggins； till he is faraway。'
'I'll do that；' said Butterbur。 'But they'll find out he's here withouthelp from me； I'm afraid。 It's a pity Mr。 Baggins drew attention to himselfthis evening； to say no more。 The story of that Mr。 Bilbo's going off has beenheard before tonight in Bree。 Even our Nob has been doing some guessing in hisslow pate： and there are others in Bree quicker in the uptake than he is。'
'Well； we can only hope the Riders won't e back yet；' said Frodo。
'I hope not； indeed；' said Butterbur。 'But spooks or no spooks； theywon't get in _The Pony_so easy。 Don't you worry till the morning。 Nob'll sayno word。 No black man shall pass my doors； while I can stand on my legs。 Meand my folk'll keep watch tonight； but you had best get some sleep； if youcan。'
'In any case we must be called at dawn；' said Frodo。 'We must get off asearly as possible。 Breakfast at six…thirty； please。'
'Right！ I'll see to the orders；' said the landlord。 'Good night； Mr。
Baggins – Underhill； I should say！ Good night – now； bless me！ Where's yourMr。 Brandybuck？'
'I don't know；' said Frodo with sudden anxiety。 They had forgotten allabout Merry； and it was getting late。 'I am afraid he is out。 He saidsomething about going for a breath of air。'
'Well； you do want looking after and no mistake： your party might be on aholiday！' said Butterbur。 'I must go and bar the doors quick； but I'll seeyour friend is let in when he es。 I'd better send Nob to look for him。 Goodnight to you all！' At last Mr。 Butterbur went out； with another doubtful lookat Strider and a shake of his head。 His footsteps retreated down the passage。
'Well？' said Strider。 'When are you going to open that letter？' Frodolooked carefully at the seal before he broke it。 It seemed certainly to beGandalf's。 Inside； written in the wizard's strong but graceful script； was the
following message：
_THE PRANCING PONY； BREE。 Midyear's Day； Shire Year； 1418。_
_Dear Frodo；_
_Bad news has reached me here。 I must go off at once。 You had betterleave Bag End soon； and get out of the Shire before the end of July at latest。
I will return as soon as I can； and I will follow you； if I find that you aregone。 Leave a message for me here； if you pass through Bree。 You can trust thelandlord （Butterbur）。 You may meet a friend of mine on the Road： a Man； lean；
dark； tall； by some called Strider。 He knows our business and will help you。
Make for Rivendell。 There I hope we may meet again。 If I do not e； Elrond
will advise you。_
_Yours in haste_
_GANDALF_。
_PS。 Do NOT use It again； not far any reason whatever！ Do not travel bynight！_
_PPS。 Make sure that it is the real Strider。 There are many strange menon the roads。 His true name is Aragorn_。
All that is gold does not glitter；
Not all those who wander are lost；
The old that is strong does not wither；
Deep roots are not reached by the frost。
From the ashes a fire shall be woken；
A light from the shadows shall spring；
Renewed shall be blade that was broken；
The crownless again shall be king。
_PPPS。 I hope Butterbur sends this promptly。 A worthy man；
but his memory is like a lumber…room： thing wanted always buried。 If heforgets； I shall roast him。_
_Fare Well！_
Frodo read the letter to himself； and then passed it to Pippin and Sam。
'Really old Butterbur has made a mess of things！' he said。 'He deservesroasting。 If I had got this at once； we might all have been safe in Rivendellby now。 But what can have happened to Gandalf？ He writes as if he was goinginto great danger。'
'He has been doing that for many years；' said Strider。
Frodo turned and looked at him thoughtfully； wondering about Gandalf'ssecond postscript。 'Why didn't you tell me that you were Gandalf's friend atonce？' he asked。 'It would have saved time。'
'Would it？ Would any of you have believed me till now？' said Strider。 'Iknew nothing of this letter。 For all I knew I had to persuade you to trust mewithout proofs； if I was to help you。 In any case； I did not intend to tellyou all about myself at once。 I had to study _you_ first； and make sure ofyou。 The Enemy has set traps for me before now。 As soon as I had made up mymind； I was ready to tell you whatever you asked。 But I must admit；' he addedwith a queer laugh； 'that I hoped you would take to me for my own sake。 Ahunted man sometimes wearies of distrust and longs for friendship。 But there；
I believe my looks are against me。'
'They are – at first sight at any rate；' laughed Pippin with suddenrelief after reading Gandalf's letter。 'But handsome is as handsome does； aswe say in the Shire； and I daresay we shall all look much the same after lyingfor days in hedges and ditches。'
'It would take more than a few days； or weeks； or years； of wandering inthe Wild to make you look like Strider；' he answered。 'And you would diefirst； unless you are made of sterner stuff than you look to be。'
Pippin subsided； but Sam was not daunted； and he still eyed Striderdubiously。 'How do we know you are the Strider that Gandalf speaks about？' hedemanded。 'You never mentioned Gandalf； till this letter came out。 You mightbe a play…acting spy； for all I can see； trying to get us to go with you。 Youmight have done in the real Strider and took his clothes。 What have you to sayto that？'
'That you are a stout fellow；' answered Strider； 'but I am afraid my onlyanswer to you； Sam Gamgee； is this。 If I had killed the real Strider； I couldkill you。 And I should have killed you already without so much talk。 If I wasafter the Ring； I could have it – NOW！'
He stood up； and seemed suddenly to grow taller。 In his eyes gleamed alight； keen and manding。 Throwing back his cloak； he laid his hand on thehilt of a sword that had hung concealed by his side。 They did not dare tomove。 Sam sat wide…mouthed staring at him dumbly。
'But I _am_ the real Strider； fortunately；' he said； looking down at themwith his face softened by a sudden smile。 'I am Aragorn son of Arathorn； andif by life or death I can save you； I will。'
There was a long silence。 At last Frodo spoke with hesitation。 'Ibelieved that you were a friend before the letter came；' he said； 'or at leastI wished to。 You have frightened me several times tonight； but never in theway that servants of the Enemy would； or so I imagine。 I think one of hisspies would – well； seem fairer and feel fouler； if you understand。'
'I see；' laughed Strider。 'I look foul and feel fair。 Is that it？ _Allthat is gold does not glitter； not all those who wander are lost。'_
'Did the verses apply to you then？' asked Frodo。 'I could not make outwhat they were about。 But how did you know that they were in Gandalf's letter；
if you have never seen it？'
'I