'I know – and yet it has always seemed so safe and familiar。 What can Ido now？ My plan was to leave the Shire secretly； and make my way to Rivendell；
but now my footsteps are dogged； before ever I get to Buckland。'
'I think you should still follow that plan；' said Gildor。 'I do not thinkthe Road will prove too hard for your courage。 But if you desire clearercounsel； you should ask Gandalf。 I do not know the reason for your flight； andtherefore I do not know by what means your pursuers will assail you。 Thesethings Gandalf must know。 I suppose that you will see him before you leave theShire？'
'I hope so。 But that is another thing that makes me anxious。 I have beenexpecting Gandalf for many days。 He was to have e to Hobbiton at the latesttwo nights ago； but he has never appeared。 Now I am wondering what can havehappened。 Should I wait for him？'
Gildor was silent for a moment。 'I do not like this news；' he said atlast。 'That Gandalf should be late； does not bode well。 But it is said： _Donot meddle in the affairs of Wizards； for they are subtle and quick to anger。_
The choice is yours： to go or wait。'
'And it is also said；' answered Frodo： 'Go _not to the Elves for counsel；
for they will say both no and yes。'_
'Is it indeed？' laughed Gildor。 'Elves seldom give unguarded advice； foradvice is a dangerous gift； even from the wise to the wise； and all coursesmay run ill。 But what would you？ You have not told me all concerning yourself；
and how then shall I choose better than you？ But if you demand advice； I willfor friendship's sake give it。 I think you should now go at once； withoutdelay； and if Gandalf does not e before you set out； then I also advisethis： do not go alone。 Take such friends as are trusty and willing。 Now youshould be grateful； for I do not give this counsel gladly。 The Elves havetheir own labours and their own sorrows； and they are little concerned withthe ways of hobbits； or of any other creatures upon earth。 Our paths crosstheirs seldom； by chance or purpose。 In this meeting there may be more thanchance； but the purpose is not clear to me； and I fear to say too much。'
'I am deeply grateful；' said Frodo； 'but I wish you would tell me plainlywhat the Black Riders are。 If I take your advice I may not see Gandalf for along while； and I ought to know what is the danger that pursues me。'
'Is it not enough to know that they are servants of the Enemy？' answeredGildor。 'Flee them！ Speak no words to them！ They are deadly。 Ask no more ofme！ But my heart forbodes that； ere all is ended； you； Frodo son of Drogo；
will know more of these fell things than Gildor Inglorion。 May Elberethprotect you！'
'But where shall I find courage？' asked Frodo。 'That is what I chieflyneed。'
'Courage is found in unlikely places；' said Gildor。 'Be of good hope！
Sleep now！ In the morning we shall have gone； but we will send our messagesthrough the lands。 The Wandering panies shall know of your journey； andthose that have power for good shall be on the watch。 I name you Elf…friend；
and may the stars shine upon the end of your road！ Seldom have we had suchdelight in strangers； and it is fair to hear words of the Ancient Speech fromthe lips of other wanderers in the world。'
Frodo felt sleep ing upon him； even as Gildor finished speaking。 'Iwill sleep now；' he said； and the Elf led him to a bower beside Pippin； and he
threw himself upon a bed and fell at once into a dreamless slumber。
_Chapter 4_
A Short Cut to Mushrooms
In the morning Frodo woke refreshed。 He was lying in a bower made by aliving tree with branches laced and drooping to the ground； his bed was offern and grass； deep and soft and strangely fragrant。 The sun was shiningthrough the fluttering leaves； which were still green upon the tree。 He jumpedup and went out。
Sam was sitting on the grass near the edge of the wood。 Pippin wasstanding studying the sky and weather。 There was no sign of the Elves。
'They have left us fruit and drink； and bread；' said Pippin。 'e andhave your breakfast。 The bread tastes almost as good as it did last night。 Idid not want to leave you any； but Sam insisted。'
Frodo sat down beside Sam and began to eat。 'What is the plan fortoday？' asked Pippin。
'To walk to Bucklebury as quickly as possible；' answered Frodo； and gavehis attention to the food。
'Do you think we shall see anything of those Riders？' asked Pippincheerfully。 Under the morning sun the prospect of seeing a whole troop of themdid not seem very alarming to him。
'Yes； probably；' said Frodo； not liking the reminder。 'But I hope to getacross the river without their seeing us。'
'Did you find out anything about them from Gildor？'
'Not much – only hints and riddles；' said Frodo evasively。 'Did you askabout the sniffing？'
'We didn't discuss it；' said Frodo with his mouth full。
'You should have。 I am sure it is very important。'
'In that case I am sure Gildor would have refused to explain it；' saidFrodo sharply。 'And now leave me in peace for a bit！ I don't want to answer astring of questions while I am eating。 I want to think！'
'Good heavens！' said Pippin。 'At breakfast？' He walked away towards theedge of the green。
From Frodo's mind the bright morning – treacherously bright； he thought –
had not banished the fear of pursuit； and he pondered the words of Gildor。 Themerry voice of Pippin came to him。 He was running on the green turf andsinging。
'No！ I could not！' he said to himself。 'It is one thing to take my youngfriends walking over the Shire with me； until we are hungry and weary； andfood and bed are sweet。 To take them into exile； where hunger and wearinessmay have no cure； is quite another – even if they are willing to e。 Theinheritance is mine alone。 I don't think I ought even to take Sam。' He lookedat Sam Gamgee； and discovered that Sam was watching him。
'Well； Sam！' he said。 'What about it？ I am leaving the Shire as soon asever I can – in fact I have made up my mind now not even to wait a day atCrickhollow； if it can be helped。'
'Very good； sir！'
'You still mean to e with me？'
'I do。'
'It is going to be very dangerous； Sam。 'It is already dangerous。 Mostlikely neither of us will e back。'
'If you don't e back； sir； then I shan't； that's certain；' said Sam。
_'Don't you leave him！_ they said to me。 _Leave him！_ I said。 _I never meanto。 I am going with him； if he climbs to the Moon； and if any of those BlackRulers try to stop him； they'll have Sam Gamgee to reckon with；_ I said。 Theylaughed。'
'Who are _they；_ and what are you talking about？'
'The Elves； sir。 We had some talk last night； and they seemed to know you
were going away； so I didn't see the use of denying it。 Wonderful folk； Elves；
sir！ Wonderful！'
'They are；' said Frodo。 'Do you like them still； now you have had acloser view？'
'They seem a bit above my likes and dislikes； so to speak；' answered Samslowly。 'It don't seem to matter what I think about them。 They are quitedifferent from what I expected – so old and young； and so gay and sad； as itwere。'
Frodo looked at Sam rather startled； half expecting to see some outwardsign of the odd change that seemed to have e over him。 It did not soundlike the voice of the old Sam Gamgee that he thought he knew。 But it lookedlike the old Sam Gamgee sitting there； except that his face was unusuallythoughtful。
'Do you feel any need to leave the Shire now – now that your wish to seethem has e true already？' he asked。
'Yes； sir。 I don't know how to say it； but after last night I feeldifferent。 I seem to see ahead； in a kind of way。 I know we are going to takea very long road； into darkness； but I know I can't turn back。 It isn't to seeElves now； nor dragons； nor mountains； that I want – I don't rightly know whatI want： but I have something to do before the end； and it lies ahead； not inthe Shire。 I must see it through； sir； if you understand me。'
'I don't altogether。 But I understand that Gandalf chose me a goodpanion。 I am content。 We will go together。'
Frodo finished his breakfast in silence。 Then standing up he looked overthe land ahead； and called to Pippin。
'All ready to start？' he said as Pippin ran up。 'We must be getting offat once。 We slept late； and there are a good many miles to go。'
_'You_ slept late； you mean；' said Pippin。 'I was up long before； and weare only waiting for you to finish eating and thinking。'
'I have finished both now。 And I am going to make for Bucklebury Ferry asquickly as possible。 I am not going out of the way； back to the road we leftlast night： I am going to cut straight across country from here。'
'Then you are going to fly；' said Pippin。 'You won't cut straight on footanywhere in this country。'
'We can cut straighter than the road anyway；' answered Frodo。 'The Ferryis east from Woodhall； but the hard road curves away to the left …you can seea bend of it away north over there。 It goes round the north end of the Marishso as to strike the causeway from the Bridge above Stock。 But that is milesout of the way。 We could save a quarter of the distance if we made a line forthe Ferry from where we stand。'
_'Short cuts make long delays；'_ argued Pippin。 'The country is roughround here； and there are bogs and all kinds of difficulties down in theMarish …I know the land in these parts。 And if you are worrying about BlackRiders； I can't see that it is any worse meeting them on a road than in a woodor a field。'
'It is less easy to find people in the woods and fields；' answered Frodo。
'And if you are supposed to be on the road； there is some chance that you willbe looked for on the road and not off it。'
'All right！' said Pippin。 'I will follow you into every bog and ditch。
But it is hard！ I had counted on passing the _Golden Perch_ at Stock beforesundown。 The best beer in the Eastfarthing； or used to be： it is a long timesince I tasted it。'
'That settles it！' said Frodo。 'Short cuts make delays； but inns makelonger ones。 At all costs we must keep you away from the _Golden Perch_。 Wewant to get to Bucklebury before dark。 What do you say； Sam？'
'I will go along with you； Mr。 Frodo；' said Sam （in spite of privatemisgiving and a deep regret for the best beer in the Eastfarthing）。
'Then if we are going to toil through bog and briar； let's go now！' saidPippin。
It was already nearly as hot as it had been the day before； but clouds
were beginning to e up from the West。 It looked likely to turn to rain。 Thehobbits scrambled down a steep green bank and plunged into the thick treesbelow。 Their course had been chosen to leave Woodhall to their left； and tocut slanting through the woods that clustered along the eastern side of thehills； until they reached the flats beyond。 Then they could make straight forthe Ferry over country that was open； except for a few ditches and fences。
Frodo reckoned they had eighteen miles to go in a straight line。
He soon found that the thicket was closer and more tangled than it hadappeared。 There were no paths in the undergrowth； and they did not get on veryfast。 When they had struggled to the bottom of the bank； they found a streamrunning down from the hills behind in a deeply dug bed with steep slipperysides overhung with brambles。 Most inconveniently it cut across the line theyhad chosen。 They could not jump over it； nor i