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hed 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。 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 o