olas will guard him； and answer for him；
he shall pass； but he must go blindfold through Lothlórien。
‘But now we must debate no longer。 Your folk must not remain on theground。 We have been keeping watch on the rivers； ever since we saw a greattroop of Orcs going north toward Moria； along the skirts of the mountains；
many days ago。 Wolves are howling on the wood's borders。 If you have indeede from Moria； the peril cannot be far behind。 Tomorrow early you must goon。
'The four hobbits shall climb up here and stay with us…we do not fearthem！ There is another _talan_ in the next tree。 There the others must take
refuge。 You； Legolas； must answer to us for them。 Call us； if anything isamiss！ And have an eye on that dwarf！'
Legolas at once went down the ladder to take Haldir's message； and soonafterwards Merry and Pippin clambered up on to the high flet。 They were out ofbreath and seemed rather scared。
‘There！' said Merry panting。 ‘We have lugged up your blankets as well asour own。 Strider has hidden all the rest of the baggage in a deep drift ofleaves。'
‘You had no need of your burdens；' said Haldir。 ‘It is cold in the treetops
in winter； though the wind tonight is in the South； but we have food anddrink to give you that will drive away the night…chill； and we have skins andcloaks to spare。'
The hobbits accepted this second （and far better） supper very gladly。
Then they wrapped themselves warmly； not only in the fur…cloaks of the Elves；
but in their own blankets as well； and tried to go to sleep。 But weary as theywere only Sam found that easy to do。 Hobbits do not like heights； and do notsleep upstairs； even when they have any stairs。 The flet was not at all totheir liking as a bedroom。 It had no walls。 not even a rail； only on one sidewas there a light plaited screen； which could be moved and fixed in different
places according to the wind。
Pippin went on talking for a while。 ‘I hope； if I do go to sleep in thisbed…loft； that I shan't roll off；' he said。
‘Once I do get to sleep；' said Sam； 'i shall go on sleeping； whether Iroll off or no。 And the less said； the sooner I'll drop off； if you take mymeaning。'
Frodo lay for some time awake； and looked up at the stars glintingthrough the pale roof of quivering leaves。 Sam was snoring at his side longbefore he himself closed his eyes。 He could dimly see the grey forms of twoelves sitting motionless with their arms about their knees； speaking inwhispers。 The other had gone down to take up his watch on one of the lowerbranches。 At last lulled by the wind in the boughs above； and the sweet murmurof the falls of Nimrodel below； Frodo fell asleep with the song of Legolasrunning in his mind。
Late in the night he awoke。 The other hobbits were asleep。 The Elves weregone。 The sickle Moon was gleaming dimly among the leaves。 The wind was still。
A little way off he heard a harsh laugh and the tread of many feet on theground below。 There was a ring of metal。 The sounds died slowly away； andseemed to go southward； on into the wood。
A head appeared suddenly through the hole in the flet。 Frodo sat up inalarm and saw that it was a grey…hooded Elf。 He looked towards the hobbits。
‘What is it？ ' said Frodo。
‘_Yrch！_' said the Elf in a hissing whisper； and cast on to the flet therope…ladder rolled up。
'Orcs！ ' said Frodo。 ‘What are they doing？ ' But the Elf had gone。
There were no more sounds。 Even the leaves were silent； and the veryfalls seemed to be hushed。 Frodo sat and shivered in his wraps。 He wasthankful that they had not been caught on the ground； but he felt that thetrees offered little protection； except concealment。 Orcs were as keen ashounds on a scent； it was said； but they could also climb。 He drew out Sting：
it flashed and glittered like a blue flame and then slowly faded again andgrew dull。 In spite of the fading of his sword the feeling of immediate dangerdid not leave Frodo； rather it grew stronger。 He got up and crawled to theopening and peered down。 He was almost certain that he could hear stealthymovements at the tree's foot far below。
Not Elves； for the woodland folk were altogether noiseless in theirmovements。 Then he heard faintly a sound like sniffing： and something seemedto be scrabbling on the bark of the tree…trunk。 He stared down into the dark；
holding his breath。
Something was now climbing slowly； and its breath came like a softhissing through closed teeth。 Then ing up； close to the stem； Frodo saw twopale eyes。 They stopped and gazed upward unwinking。 Suddenly they turned away；
and a shadowy figure slipped round the trunk of the tree and vanished。
Immediately afterwards Haldir came climbing swiftly up through thebranches。 ‘There was something in this tree that I have never seen before；' hesaid。 ‘It was not an orc。 It fled as soon as I touched the tree…stem。 It
seemed to be wary； and to have some skill in trees； or I might have thoughtthat it was one of you hobbits。
'I did not shoot； for I dared not arouse any cries： we cannot riskbattle。 A strong pany of Orcs has passed。 They crossed the Nimrodel…cursetheir foul feet in its clean water！…and went on down the old road beside the
river。 They seemed to pick up some scent； and they searched the ground for awhile near the place where you halted。 The three of us could not challenge ahundred； so we went ahead and spoke with feigned voices； leading them on intothe wood。
‘Orophin has now gone in haste back to our dwellings to warn our people。
None of the Orcs will ever return out of Lórien。 And there will be many Elveshidden on the northern border before another night falls。 But you must takethe road south as soon as it is fully light。'
Day came pale from the East。 As the light grew it filtered through theyellow leaves of the mallorn； and it seemed to the hobbits that the early sunof a cool summer's morning was shining。 Pale…blue sky peeped among the movingbranches。 Looking through an opening on the south side of the flet Frodo sawall the valley of the Silverlode lying like a sea of fallow gold tossinggently in the breeze。
The morning was still young and cold when the pany set out again；
guided now by Haldir and his brother Rúmil。 ‘Farewell； sweet Nimrodel！ ' criedLegolas。 Frodo looked back and caught a gleam of white foam among the greytree…stems。 ‘Farewell；' he said。 It seemed to him that he would never hearagain a running water so beautiful； for ever blending its innumerable notes inan endless changeful music。
They went back to the path that still went on along the west side of theSilverlode； and for some way they followed it southward。 There were the printsof orc…feet in the earth。 But soon Haldir turned aside into the trees and
halted on the bank of the river under their shadows。
‘There is one of my people yonder across the stream；' he said ‘though youmay not see him。' He gave a call like the low whistle of a bird； and out of athicket of young trees an Elf stepped； clad in grey； but with his hood thrownback； his hair glinted like gold in the morning sun。 Haldir skilfully castover the stream a coil of grey rope； and he caught it and bound the end abouta tree near the bank。
‘Celebrant is already a strong stream here； as you see；' sai