are to be kept out in the wet on a night like this； I'll tear down your notice when I find it。'
At that a window slammed； and a crowd of hobbits with lanterns poured out of the house on the
left。 They opened the further gate； and some came over the bridge。 When they saw the travellers
they seemed frightened。
'e along！' said Merry； recognizing one of the hobbits。 'If you don't know me； Hob Hayward；
you ought to。 I am Merry Brandybuck； and I should like to know what all this is about； and what a
Bucklander like you is doing here。 You used to be on the Hay Gate。'
'Bless me！ It's Master Merry； to be sure； and all dressed up for fighting！' said old Hob。 'Why；
they said you was dead！ Lost in the Old Forest by all accounts。 I'm pleased to see you alive after
all！'
'Then stop gaping at me through the bars； and open the gate！' said Merry。
'I'm sorry； Master Merry； but we have orders。'
'Whose orders？'
'The Chief's up at Bag End。'
'Chief？ Chief？ Do you mean Mr。 Lotho？' said Frodo。
'I suppose so； Mr。 Baggins； but we have to say just 〃the Chief〃 nowadays。'
'Do you indeed！' said Frodo。 'Well； I am glad he has dropped the Baggins at any rate。 But it is
evidently high time that the family dealt with him and put him in his place。'
A hush fell on the hobbits beyond the gate。 'It won't do no good talking that way；' said one。 'He'll
get to hear of it。 And if you make so much noise； you'll wake the Chief's Big Man。'
'We shall wake him up in a way that will surprise him；' said Merry。 'If you mean that your
precious Chief has been hiring ruffians out of the wild； then we've not e back too soon。' He
sprang from his pony； and seeing the notice in the light of the lanterns； he tore it down and threw it
over the gate。 The hobbits backed away and made no move to open it。 'e on； Pippin！' said
Merry。 'Two is enough。'
Merry and Pippin climbed the gate； and the hobbits fled。 Another horn sounded。 Out of the
bigger house on the right a large heavy figure appeared against a light in the doorway。
'What's all this；' he snarled as he came forward。 'Gate…breaking？ You clear out； or I'll break your
filthy little necks！' Then he stopped； for he had caught the gleam of swords。
'Bill Ferny；' said Merry； 'if you don't open that gate in ten seconds； you'll regret it。 I shall set
steel to you； if you don't obey。 And when you have opened the gates you will go through them and
never return。 You are a ruffian and a highway…robber。'
Bill Ferny flinched and shuffled to the gate and unlocked it。 'Give me the key！' said Merry。 But
the ruffian flung it at his head and then darted out into the darkness。 As he passed the ponies one of
them let fly with his heels and just caught him as he ran。 He went off with a yelp into the night and
was never heard of again。
'Neat work； Bill；' said Sam； meaning the pony。
'So much for your Big Man；' said Merry。 'We'll see the Chief later。 In the meantime we want a
lodging for the night； and as you seem to have pulled down the Bridge Inn and built this dismal
place instead； you'll have to put us up。'
'I am sorry； Mr。 Merry；' said Hob； 'but it isn't allowed。'
'What isn't allowed？'
Taking in folk off…hand like and eating extra food； and all that； said Hob。
'What's the matter with the place？' said Merry。 'Has it been a bad year； or what？ I thought it had
been a fine summer and harvest。'
'Well no； the year's been good enough；' said Hob。 'We grows a lot of food； but we don't rightly
know what bees of it。 It's all these 〃gatherers〃 and 〃sharers〃； I reckon； going round counting
and measuring and taking off to storage。 They do more gathering than sharing； and we never see
most of the stuff again。'
'Oh e！' said Pippin yawning。 'This is all too tiresome for me tonight。 We've got food in our
bags。 Just give us a room to lie down in。 It'll be better than many places I have seen。'
The hobbits at the gate still seemed ill at ease； evidently some rule or other was being broken；
but there was no gainsaying four such masterful travellers； all armed； and two of them unmonly
large and strong…looking。 Frodo ordered the gates to be locked again。 There was some sense at any
rate in keeping a guard； while ruffians were still about。 Then the four panions went into the
hobbit guard…house and made themselves as fortable as they could。 It was a bare and ugly place；
with a mean little grate that would not allow a good fire。 In the upper rooms were little rows of hard
beds； and on every wall there was a notice and a list of Rules。 Pippin tore them down。 There was no
beer and very little food； but with what the travellers brought and shared out they all made a fair
meal； and Pippin broke Rule 4 by putting most of next day's allowance of wood on the fire。
'Well now； what about a smoke； while you tell us what has been happening in the Shire？' he said。
'There isn't no pipe…weed now；' said Hob； 'at least only for the Chief's men。 All the stocks seem
to have gone。 We do hear that waggon…loads of it went away down the old road out of the
Southfarthing； over Sarn Ford way。 That would be the end o' last year； after you left。 But it had
been going away quietly before that； in a small way。 That Lotho…'
'Now you shut up； Hob Hayward！' cried several of the others。 'You know talk o' that sort isn't
allowed。 The Chief will hear of it； and we'll all be in trouble。'
'He wouldn't hear naught； if some of you here weren't sneaks；' rejoined Hob hotly。
'All right； all right！' said Sam。 〃That's quite enough。 I don't want to hear no more。 No wele；
no beer； no smoke； and a lot of rules and orc…talk instead。 I hoped to have a rest； but I can see
there's work and trouble ahead。 Let's sleep and forget it till morning！'
The new 'Chief' evidently had means of getting news。 It was a good forty miles from the Bridge
to Bag End； but someone made the journey in a hurry。 So Frodo and his friends soon discovered。
They had not made any definite plans； but had vaguely thought of going down to Crickhollow
together first； and resting there a bit。 But now； seeing what things were like； they decided to go
straight to Hobbiton。 So the next day they set out along the Road and jogged along steadily。 The
wind had dropped but the sky was grey。 The land looked rather sad and forlorn； but it was after all
the first of November and the fag…end of Autumn。 Still there seemed an unusual amount of burning
going on； and smoke rose from many points round about。 A great cloud of it was going up far away
in the direction of the Woody End。
As evening fell they were drawing near to Frogmorton； a village right on the Road； about
twenty…two miles from the Bridge。 There they meant to stay the night； _The Floating Log_ at
Frogmorton was a good inn。 But as they came to the east end of the village they met a barrier with a
large board saying NO ROAD； and behind it stood a large band of Shirriffs with staves in their
hands and feathers in their caps； looking both important and rather scared。
'What's all this？' said Frodo； feeling inclined to lau