rodo laughed： from the covered basket he held；
the scent of mushrooms was rising。
_Chapter 5_
A Conspiracy Unmasked
'Now we had better get home ourselves；' said Merry。 There's something
funny about all this； I see； but it must wait till we get in。'
They turned down the Ferry lane； which was straight and well…kept andedged with large white…washed stones。 In a hundred yards or so it brought themto the river…bank； where there was a broad wooden landing…stage。 A large flatferry…boat was moored beside it。 The white bollards near the water's edgeglimmered in the light of two lamps on high posts。 Behind them the mists inthe flat fields were now above the hedges； but the water before them was dark；
with only a few curling wisps like steam among the reeds by the bank。 Thereseemed to be less fog on the further side。
Merry led the pony over a gangway on to the ferry； and the othersfollowed。 Merry then pushed slowly off with a long pole。 The Brandywine flowedslow and broad before them。 On the other side the bank was steep； and up it awinding path climbed from the further landing。 Lamps were twinkling there。
Behind loomed up the Buck Hill； and out of it； through stray shrouds of mist；
shone many round windows； yellow and red。 They were the windows of BrandyHall； the ancient home of the Brandybucks。
Long ago Gorhendad Oldbuck； head of the Oldbuck family； one of the oldestin the Marish or indeed in the Shire； had crossed the river； which was theoriginal boundary of the land eastwards。 He built （and excavated） Brandy Hall；
changed his name to Brandybuck； and settled down to bee master of what wasvirtually a small independent country。 His family grew and grew； and after hisdays continued to grow； until Brandy Hall occupied the whole of the low hill；
and had three large front…doors； many side…doors； and about a hundred windows。
The Brandybucks and their numerous dependants then began to burrow； and laterto build； all round about。 That was the origin of Buckland； a thicklyinhabited strip between the river and the Old Forest； a sort of colony fromthe Shire。 Its chief village was Bucklebury； clustering in the banks andslopes behind Brandy Hall。
The people in the Marish were friendly with the Bucklanders； and theauthority of the Master of the Hall （as the head of the Brandybuck family wascalled） was still acknowledged by the farmers between Stock and Rushey。 Butmost of the folk of the old Shire regarded the Bucklanders as peculiar； halfforeigners as it were。 Though； as a matter of fact； they were not verydifferent from the other hobbits of the Four Farthings。 Except in one point：
they were fond of boats； and some of them could swim。
Their land was originally unprotected from the East； but on that sidethey had built a hedge： the High Hay。 It had been planted many generationsago； and was now thick and tail； for it was constantly tended。 It ran all theway from Brandywine Bridge； in a big loop curving away from the river； toHaysend （where the Withywindle flowed out of the Forest into the Brandywine）：
well over twenty miles from end to end。 But； of course； it was not a pleteprotection。 The Forest drew close to the hedge in many places。 The Bucklanderskept their doors locked after dark； and that also was not usual in the Shire。
The ferry…boat moved slowly across the water。 The Buckland shore drewnearer。 Sam was the only member of the party who had not been over the riverbefore。 He had a strange feeling as the slow gurgling stream slipped by： hisold life lay behind in the mists； dark adventure lay in front。 He scratchedhis head； and for a moment had a passing wish that Mr。 Frodo could have goneon living quietly at Bag End。
The four hobbits stepped off the ferry。 Merry was tying it up； and Pippinwas already leading the pony up the path； when Sam （who had been looking back；
as if to take farewell of the Shire） said in a hoarse whisper：
'Look back； Mr。 Frodo！ Do you see anything？'
On the far stage； under the distant lamps； they could just make out afigure： it looked like a dark black bundle left behind。 But as they looked itseemed to move and sway this way and that； as if searching the ground。 It thencrawled； or went crouching； back into the gloom beyond the lamps。
'What in the Shire is that？' exclaimed Merry。
'Something that is following us；' said Frodo。 'But don't ask any morenow！ Let's get away at once！' They hurried up the path to the top of the bank；
but when they looked back the far shore was shrouded in mist； and nothingcould be seen。
'Thank goodness you don't keep any boats on the west…bank！' said Frodo。
'Can horses cross the river？'
'They can go twenty miles north to Brandywine Bridge – or they mightswim；' answered Merry。 'Though I never heard of any horse swimming theBrandywine。 But what have horses to do with it？' I'll tell you later。 Let'sget indoors and then we can talk。'
'All right！ You and Pippin know your way； so I'll just ride on and tellFatty Bolger that you are ing。 We'll see about supper and things。'
'We had our supper early with Farmer Maggot；' said Frodo； 'but we coulddo with another。'
'You shall have it！ Give me that basket！' said Merry； and rode ahead intothe darkness。
It was some distance from the Brandywine to Frodo's new house atCrickhollow。 They passed Buck Hill and Brandy Hall on their left； and on theoutskirts of Bucklebury struck the main road of Buckland that ran south fromthe Bridge。 Half a mile northward along this they came to a lane opening ontheir right。 This they followed for a couple of miles as it climbed up anddown into the country。
At last they came to a narrow gate in a thick hedge。 Nothing could beseen of the house in the dark： it stood back from the lane in the middle of a
wide circle of lawn surrounded by a belt of low trees inside the outer hedge。
Frodo had chosen it； because it stood in an out…of…the…way corner of thecountry； and there were no other dwellings close by。 You could get in and outwithout being noticed。 It had been built a long while before by theBrandybucks； for the use of guests； or members of the family that wished toescape from the crowded life of Brandy Hall for a time。 It was an old…
fashioned countrified house； as much like a hobbit…hole as possible： it waslong and low； with no upper storey； and it had a roof of turf； round windows；
and a large round door。
As they walked lip the green path from the gate no light was visible； thewindows were dark and shuttered。 Frodo knocked on the door； and Fatty Bolgeropened it。 A friendly light streamed out。 They slipped in quickly and shutthemselves and the light inside。 They were in a wide hall with doors on eitherside； in front of them a passage ran back down the middle of the house。
'Well； what do you think of it？' asked Merry ing up the passage。 'Wehave done our best in a short time to make it look like home。 After all Fattyand I only got here with the last cart…load yesterday。'
Frodo looked round。 It did look like home。 Many of his own favouritethings – or Bilbo's things （they reminded him sharply of him in their newselling） – were arranged as nearly as possible as they had been at Bag End。 Itwas a pleasant； fortable； weling place； and he found himself wishingthat he was really ing here to settle down in quiet retirement。 It seemedunfair to have put his friends to all this trouble； and he wondered again howhe was going to break the news to them that he must leave them so soon； indeedat once。 Yet that would have to be done that very night； before they all wentto bed。
'It's delightful！' he said with an effort。 'I hardly feel that I havemoved at all。'
The travellers hung up their cloaks； and piled their packs on the floor。
Merry led them down the passage and threw open a door at the far end。
Firelight came out； and a puff of steam。
'A bath！' cried Pippin。 'O blessed Meriadoc！'
'Which order shall we go in？' said Frodo。 'Eldest first； or quickestfirst？ You'll be last either way； Master Peregrin。'
'Trust me to arrange things better than that！' said Merry。 'We can'tbegin life at Crickhollow with a quarrel over baths。 In that room there are_three_ tubs； and a copper full of boiling water。 There are also towels； matsand soap。 Get inside； and be quick！'
Merry and Fatty went into the kitchen on the other side of the passage；
and busied themselves with the final preparations for a late supper。 Snatchesof peting songs came from the bathroom mixed with the sound of splashingand wallowing。 The voice of Pippin was suddenly lifted up above the others inone of Bilbo's favourite bath…songs。
Sing hey！ for the bath at close of day
that washes the weary mud away！
A loon is he that will not sing：
O！ Water Hot is a noble thing！
O！ Sweet is the sound of falling rain；
and the brook that leaps from hill to plain；
but better than rain or rippling streams
is Water Hot that smokes and steams。
O！ Water cold we may pour at need
down a thirsty throat and be glad indeed；
but better is Beer； if drink we lack；
and Water Hot poured down the back。
O！ Water is fair that leaps on high
in a fountain white beneath the sky；
but never did fountain sound so sweet
as splashing Hot Water with my feet！
There was a terrific splash； and a shout of _Whoa！_ from Frodo。 Itappeared that a lot of Pippin's bath had imitated a fountain and leaped onhigh。
Merry went to the door： 'What about supper and beer in the throat？' hecalled。 Frodo came out drying his hair。
'There's so much water in the air that I'm ing into the kitchen tofinish；' he said。
'Lawks！' said Merry； looking in。 The stone floor was swimming。 'You oughtto mop all that up before you get anything to eat。 Peregrin；' he said。 'Hurryup； or we shan't wait for you。'
They had supper in the kitchen on a table near the fire。 'I suppose youthree won't want mushrooms again？' said Fredegar without much hope。
'Yes we shall！' cried Pippin。
'They're mine！' said Frodo。 'Given to _me_ by Mrs。 Maggot； a queen amongfarmers' wives。 Take your greedy hands away； and I'll serve them。'
Hobbits have a passion for mushrooms； surpassing even the greediestlikings of Big People。 A fact which partly explains young Frodo's longexpeditions to the renowned fields of the Marish； and the wrath of the injuredMaggot。 On this occasion there was plenty for all； even according to hobbitstandards。 There were also many other things to follow； and when they hadfinished even Fatty Bolger heaved a sigh of content。 They pushed back thetable； and drew chairs round the fire。
'We'll clear up later；' said Merry。 'Now tell me all about it！ I guessthat you have been having adventures； which was not quite fair without me。 Iwant a full account； and most of all I want to know what was the matter withold Maggot； and why he spoke to me like that。 He sounded almost as if he was_scared；_ if that is possible。'
'We have all been scared；' said Pippin after a pause； in which Frodostared at the fire and did not speak。 'You would have been； too； if you hadbeen chased for two days by Black Riders。'
'And what are they？'
'Black figures riding on black horses；' answered Pippin。 'If Frodo won'ttalk； I will tell you the whole tale from the beginning。' He then gave a full
account of their journey from the time when they left Hobbiton。 Sam gavevar