mind。 But as you please！ Ring the bell； if you lackanything！'
So refreshed and encouraged did they feel at the end of their supper（about three quarters of an hour's steady going； not hindered by unnecessarytalk） that Frodo； Pippin； and Sam decided to join the pany。 Merry said itwould be too stuffy。 'I shall sit here quietly by the fire for a bit； andperhaps go out later for a sniff of the air。 Mind your Ps and Qs； and don'tforget that you are supposed to be escaping in secret； and are still _on_ thehigh…road and not very far from the Shire！'
'All right！' said Pippin。 'Mind yourself！ Don't get lost； and don'tforget that it is safer indoors！'
The pany was in the big mon…room of the inn。 The gathering waslarge and mixed； as Frodo discovered； when his eyes got used to the light。
This came chiefly from a blazing log…fire； for the three lamps hanging fromthe beams were dim； and half veiled in smoke。 Barliman Butterbur was standingnear the fire； talking to a couple of dwarves and one or two strange…lookingmen。 On the benches were various folk： men of Bree； a collection of localhobbits （sitting chattering together）； a few more dwarves； and other vaguefigures difficult to make out away in the shadows and ers。
As soon as the Shire…hobbits entered； there was a chorus of wele fromthe Bree…landers。 The strangers； especially those that had e up theGreenway； stared at them curiously。 The landlord introduced the newers tothe Bree…folk； so quickly that； though they caught many names； they wereseldom sure who the names belonged to。 The Men of Bree seemed all to haverather botanical （and to the Shire…folk rather odd） names； like Rushlight；
Goatleaf； Heathertoes； Appledore； Thistlewool and Ferny （not to mentionButterbur）。 Some of the hobbits had similar names。 The Mugworts； for instance；
seemed numerous。 But most of them had natural names； such as Banks；
Brockhouse； Longholes； Sandheaver； and Tunnelly； many of which were used inthe Shire。 There were several Underhills from Saddle； and as they could notimagine sharing a name without being related； they took Frodo to their heartsas a long…lost cousin。
The Bree…hobbits were； in fact； friendly and inquisitive； and Frodo soonfound that some explanation of what he was doing would have to be given。 Hegave out that he was interested in history and geography （at which there wasmuch wagging of heads； although neither of these words were much used in theBree…dialect）。 He said he was thinking of writing a book （at which there wassilent astonishment）； _and_ that he and his friends wanted to collectinformation about hobbits living outside the Shire； especially in the easternlands。
At this a chorus of voices broke out。 If Frodo had really wanted to writea book； and had had many ears； he would have learned enough for severalchapters in a few minutes。 And if that was not enough； he was given a wholelist of names； beginning with 'Old Barliman here'； to whom he could go forfurther information。 But after a time； as Frodo did not show any _sign_ ofwriting a book on the spot； the hobbits returned to their questions aboutdoings in the Shire。 Frodo did not prove very municative； and he soon foundhimself sitting alone in a er； listening and looking around。
The Men and Dwarves were mostly talking of distant events and tellingflews of a kind that was being only too familiar。 There was trouble away inthe South； and it seemed that the Men who had e up the Greenway were on themove； looking for lands where they could find some peace。 The Bree…folk weresympathetic； but plainly not very ready to take a large number of strangersinto their little land。 One of the travellers； a squint…eyed ill…favouredfellow； was foretelling that more and more people would be ing north in thenear future。 'If room isn't found for them； they'll find it for themselves。
They've a right to live； same as other folk；' he said loudly。 The localinhabitants did not look pleased at the prospect。
The hobbits did not pay much attention to all this； and it did not at themoment seem to concern hobbits。 Big Folk could hardly beg for lodgings inhobbit…holes。 They were more interested in Sam and Pippin； who were nowfeeling quite at home； and were chatting gaily about events in the Shire。
Pippin roused a good deal of laughter with an account of the collapse of theroof of the Town Hole in Michel Delving： Will Whitfoot； the Mayor； and thefattest hobbit in the Westfarthing； had been buried in chalk； and came outlike a floured dumpling。 But there were several questions asked that madeFrodo a little uneasy。 One of the Bree…landers； who seemed to have been in theShire several times； wanted to know where the Underhills lived and who theywere related to。
Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange…looking weather…beaten man； sittingin the shadows near the wall； was also listening intently to the hobbit…talk。
He had a tall tankard in front of him； and was smoking a long…stemmed pipecuriously carved。 His legs were stretched out before him； showing high bootsof supple leather that fitted him well； but had seen much wear and were nowcaked with mud。 A travel…stained cloak of heavy dark…green cloth was drawnclose about him； and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood thatovershadowed his face； but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watchedthe hobbits。
'Who is that？' Frodo asked； when he got a chance to whisper to Mr。
Butterbur。 'I don't think you introduced him？'
'Him？' said the landlord in an answering whisper； cocking an eye withoutturning his head。 'I don't rightly know。 He is one of the wandering folk Rangers
we call them。 He seldom talks： not but what he can tell a rare talewhen he has the mind。 He disappears for a month； or a year； and then he popsup again。 He was in and out pretty often last spring； but I haven't seen himabout lately。 What his right name is I've never heard： but he's known roundhere as Strider。 Goes about at a great pace on his long shanks； though hedon't tell nobody what cause he has to hurry。 But there's no accounting forEast and West； as we say in Bree； meaning the Rangers and the Shire…folk；
begging your pardon。 Funny you should ask about him。' But at that moment Mr。
Butterbur was called away by a demand for more ale and his last remarkremained unexplained。
Frodo found that Strider was now looking at him； as if he had heard orguessed all that had been said。 Presently； with a wave of his hand and a nod；
he invited Frodo to e over and sit by him。 As Frodo drew near be threw backhis hood； showing a shaggy head of dark hair necked with grey； and in a palestem face a pair of keen grey eyes。
'I am called Strider；' he said in a low voice。 'I am very pleased to meetyou。 Master – Underhill； if old Butterbur got your name right。'
'He did；' said Frodo stiffly。 He felt far from fortable under thestare of those keen eyes。
'Well； Master Underhill；' said Strider； 'if I were you； I should stopyour young friends from talking too much。 Drink_；_ fire； and chance…meetingare pleasant enough； but； well – this isn't the Shire。 There are queer folkabout。 Though I say it as shouldn't； you may think；' he added with a wrysmile； seeing Frodo's glance。 'And there have been even stranger travellersthrough Bree lately；' he went on； watching Frodo's face。
Frodo returned his gaze but said nothing； and Strider made no furthersign。 His attention seemed suddenly to be fixed on Pippin。 To his alarm Frodobecame aware that the ridiculous young Took； encouraged by his success withthe fat Mayor of Michel Delving； was now actually giving a ic account ofBilbo's farewell party。 He was already giving an imitation of the Speech； andwas drawing near to the astonishing Disappearance。
Frodo was annoyed。 It was a harmless enough tale for most of the localhobbits； no doubt： just a funny story about those funny people away beyond theRiver； but some （old Butterbur； for instance） knew a thing or two； and had
probably heard rumours long ago about Bilbo's vanishing。 It would bring thename of Baggins to their minds； especially if there had been inquiries in Breeafter that name。
Frodo fidgeted； wondering what to do。 Pippin was evidently much enjoyingthe attention he was getting； and had bee quite forgetful of their danger。
Frodo had a sudden fear that in his present mood he might even mention theRing； and that might well be disastrous。
'You had better do something quick！' whispered Strider in his ear。
Frodo jumped up and stood on a table； and began to talk。 The attention ofPippin's audience was disturbed。 Some of the hobbits looked at Frodo andlaughed and clapped； thinking that Mr。 Underhill had taken as much ale as wasgood for him。
Frodo suddenly felt very foolish； and found himself （as was his habitwhen making a speech） fingering the things in his pocket。 He felt the Ring onits chain； and quite unaccountably the desire came over him to slip it on andvanish out of the silly situation。 It seemed to him； somehow； as if mesuggestion came to him from outside； from someone or something a the room。 Heresisted the temptation firmly； and clasped the Ring in his hand； as if tokeep a hold on it and prevent it from escaping or doing _any_ mischief。 At anyrate it gave him no inspiration。 He spoke 'a few suitable words'； as theywould have said in the Shire： _We are all very much gratified by the kindnessof your reception； and I venture to hope that my brief visit will help torenew the old ties of friendship between the Shire and Bree；_and then hehesitated and coughed。
Everyone in the room was now looking at him。 'A song！' shouted one of thehobbits。 'A song！ A song！' shouted all the others。 'e on now； master； singus something that we haven't heard before！'
For a moment Frodo stood gaping。 Then in desperation he began aridiculous song that Bilbo had been rather fond of （and indeed rather proudof； for he had made up the words himself）。 It was about an inn； and that isprobably why it came into Frodo's mind just then。 Here it is in full。 Only afew words of it are now； as a rule； remembered。
There is an inn； a merry old inn
beneath an old grey hill；
And there they brew a beer so brown
That the Man in the Moon himself came down
one night to drink his fill。
The ostler has a tipsy cat
that plays a five…stringed fiddle；
And up and