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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 did not know；' he answered。 'But I am Aragorn； and those verses gowith that name。' He drew out his sword； and they saw that the blade was indeedbroken a foot below the hilt。 'Not much use is it； Sam？' said Strider。 'Butthe time is near when it shall be forged anew。'
Sam said nothing。
'Well；' said Strider； 'with Sam's permission we will call that settled。
Strider shall be your guide。 We shall have a rough road tomorrow。 Even if weare allowed to leave Bree unhindered； we can hardly hope now to leave itunnoticed。 But I shall try to get lost as soon as possible。 I know one or twoways out of Bree…land other than the main road。 If once we shake off thepursuit； I shall make for Weathertop。'
'Weathertop？' said Sam。 'What's that？'
'It is a hill； just to the north of the Road； about half way from here toRivendell。 It mands a wide view all round； and there we shall have a chanceto look about us。 Gandalf will make for that point； if he follows us。 AfterWeathertop our journey will bee more difficult； and we shall have to choosebetween various dangers。'
'When did you last see Gandalf？' asked Frodo。 'Do you know where he is；
or what he is doing？'
Strider looked grave。 'I do not know；' he said。 'I came west with him inthe spring。 I have often kept watch on the borders of the Shire in the lastfew years； when he was busy elsewhere。 He seldom left it unguarded。 We lastmet on the first of May： at Sam Ford down the Brandywine。 He told me that hisbusiness with you had gone well； and that you would be starting for Rivendellin the last week of September。 As I knew he was at your side； I went away on ajourney of my own。 And that has proved ill； for plainly some news reached him；
and I was not at hand to help。
'I am troubled； for the first time since I have known him。 We should havehad messages； even if he could not e himself。 When I returned； many days
ago； I heard the ill news。 The tidings had gone far and wide that Gandalf wasmissing and the horsemen had been seen。 It was the Elven…folk of Gildor thattold me this； and later they told me that you had left your home； but therewas no news of your leaving Buckland。 I have been watching the East Roadanxiously。'
'Do you think the Black Riders have anything to do with it – withGandalf's absence； I mean？' asked Frodo。
'I do not know of anything else that could have hindered him； except theEnemy himself；' said Strider。 'But do not give up hope！ Gandalf is greaterthan you Shire…folk know – as a rule you can only see his jokes and toys。 Butthis business of ours will be his greatest task。'
Pippin yawned。 'I am sorry；' he said； 'but I am dead tired。 In spite ofall the danger and worry I must go to bed； or sleep where I sit。 Where is thatsilly fellow； Merry？ It would be the last straw； if we had to go out in thedark to look for him。'
At that moment they heard a door slam； then feet came running along thepassage。 Merry came in with a rush followed by Nob。 He shut the door hastily；
and leaned against it。 He was out of breath。 They stared at him in alarm for amoment before he gasped： 'I have seen them； Frodo！ I have seen them！ BlackRiders！'