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 down he runs his bow；
Now squeaking high； now purring low；
now sawing in the middle。
The landlord keeps a little dog
that is mighty fond of jokes；
When there's good cheer among the guests；
He cocks an ear at all the jests
and laughs until he chokes。
They also keep a horned cow
as proud as any queen；
But music turns her head like ale；
And makes her wave her tufted tail
and dance upon the green。
And O！ the rows of silver dishes
and the store of silver spoons！
For Sunday there's a special pair；
And these they polish up with care
on Saturday afternoons。
The Man in the Moon was drinking deep；
and the cat began to wail；
A dish and a spoon on the table danced；
The cow in the garden madly pranced；
and the little dog chased his tail。
The Man in the Moon took another mug；
and then rolled beneath his chair；
And there he dozed and dreamed of ale；
Till in the sky the stars were pale；
and dawn was in the air。
Then the ostler said to his tipsy cat：
'The white horses of the Moon；
They neigh and champ their silver bits；
But their master's been and drowned his wits；
and the Sun'll be rising soon！'
So the cat on his fiddle played hey…diddle…diddle；
a jig that would wake the dead：
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune；
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon：
'It's after three！' he said。
They rolled the Man slowly up the hill
and bundled him into the Moon；
While his horses galloped up in rear；
And the cow came capering like a deer；
and a dish ran up with the spoon。
Now quicker the fiddle went deedle…dum…diddle；
the dog began to roar；
The cow and the horses stood on their heads；
The guests all bounded from their beds
and danced upon the floor。
With a ping and a pong the fiddle…strings broke！
the cow jumped over the Moon；
And the little dog laughed to see such fun；
And the Saturday dish went off at a run
with the silver Sunday spoon。
The round Moon rolled behind the hill
as the Sun raised up her head。
She hardly believed her fiery eyes；
For though it was day； to her surprise
they all went back to bed！
There was loud and long applause。 Frodo had a good voice； and the songtickled their fancy。 'Where's old Barley？' they cried。 'He ought to hear this。
Bob ought to learn his cat the fiddle； and then we'd have a dance。' Theycalled for more ale； and began to shout： 'Let's have it again； master！ e onnow！ Once more！'
They made Frodo have another drink； and then begin his song again； whilemany of them joined in； for the tune was well known； and they were quick atpicking up words。 It was now Frodo's turn to feel pleased with himself。 Hecapered about on the table； and when he came a second time to _the cow jumped
over the Moon；_ he leaped in the air。 Much too vigorously； for he came down；
bang； into a tray full of mugs； and slipped； and rolled off the table with acrash； clatter； and bump！ The audience all opened their mouths wide forlaughter； and stopped short a gaping silence； for the singer disappeared。 Hesimply vanished； as if he had gone slap through the floor without leaving ahole！
The local hobbits stared in amazement； and then sprang to their feet andshouted for Barliman。 All the pany drew away from Pippin and Sam； who foundthemselves left alone in a er； and eyed darkly and doubtfully from adistance。 It was plain that many people regarded them now as the panions ofa travelling magician of unknown powers and purpose。 But there was one swarthyBree…lander； who stood looking at them with a knowing and half…mockingexpression that made them feel very unfortable。 Presently he slipped out ofthe door； followed by the squint…eyed southerner： the two had been whisperingtogether a good deal during the evening。 Harry the gatekeeper also went outjust behind them。。
Frodo felt a fool。 Not knowing what else to do； he crawled away under thetables to the dark er by Strider； who sat unmoved； giving no sign of histhoughts。 Frodo leaned back against the wall and took off the Ring。 How itcame to be on his finger he could not tell。 He could only suppose that he hadbeen handling it in his pocket while he sang； and that somehow it had slippedon when he stuck out his hand with a jerk to save his fall。 For a moment hewondered if the Ring itself had not played him a trick； perhaps it had triedto reveal itself in response to some wish or mand that was felt in theroom。 He did not like the looks of the men that had gone out。
'Well？' said Strider； when he reappeared。 'Why did you do that？ Worsethan anything your friends could have said！ You have put your foot in it！ Orshould I say your finger？'
'I don't know what you mean；' said Frodo； annoyed and alarmed。
'Oh yes； you do；' answered Strider； 'but we had better wait until theuproar has died down。 Then； if you please； Mr。 _Baggins； I_ should like aquiet word with you。'
'What about？' asked Frodo； ignoring the sudden use of his proper name。
'A matter of some importance – to us both；' answered Strider； lookingFrodo in the eye。 'You may hear something to your advantage。'
'Very well；' said Frodo； trying to appear unconcerned。 'I'll talk to youlater。'
Meanwhile an argument was going on by the fireplace。 Mr。 Butterbur hade trotting in； and he was now trying to listen to several conflictingaccounts of the event at the same time。
'I saw him； Mr。 Butterbur；' said a hobbit； 'or leastways I didn't seehim； if you take my meaning。 He just vanished into thin air； in a manner ofspeaking。'
'You don't say； Mr。 Mugwort！' said the landlord； looking puzzled。
'Yes I do！' replied Mugwort。 'And I mean what I say； what's more。'
'There's some mistake somewhere；' said Butterbur； shaking his head。 Therewas too much of that Mr。 Underhill to go vanishing into thin air； or intothick air； as is more likely in this room。'
'Well； where is he now？' cried several voices。
'How should I know？ He's wele to go where he will； so long as he paysin the morning。 There's Mr。 Took； now： he's not vanished。'
'Well； I saw what I saw； and I saw what I didn't；' said Mugwortobstinately。
'And I sa