ter lyingfor days in hedges and ditches。'
'It would take more than a few days； or weeks； or years； of wandering inthe Wild to make you look like Strider；' he answered。 'And you would diefirst； unless you are made of sterner stuff than you look to be。'
Pippin subsided； but Sam was not daunted； and he still eyed Striderdubiously。 'How do we know you are the Strider that Gandalf speaks about？' hedemanded。 'You never mentioned Gandalf； till this letter came out。 You mightbe a play…acting spy； for all I can see； trying to get us to go with you。 Youmight have done in the real Strider and took his clothes。 What have you to sayto that？'
'That you are a stout fellow；' answered Strider； 'but I am afraid my onlyanswer to you； Sam Gamgee； is this。 If I had killed the real Strider； I couldkill you。 And I should have killed you already without so much talk。 If I wasafter the Ring； I could have it – NOW！'
He stood up； and seemed suddenly to grow taller。 In his eyes gleamed alight； keen and manding。 Throwing back his cloak； he laid his hand on thehilt of a sword that had hung concealed by his side。 They did not dare tomove。 Sam sat wide…mouthed staring at him dumbly。
'But I _am_ the real Strider； fortunately；' he said； looking down at themwith his face softened by a sudden smile。 'I am Aragorn son of Arathorn； andif by life or death I can save you； I will。'
There was a long silence。 At last Frodo spoke with hesitation。 'Ibelieved that you were a friend before the letter came；' he said； 'or at leastI wished to。 You have frightened me several times tonight； but never in theway that servants of the Enemy would； or so I imagine。 I think one of hisspies would – well； seem fairer and feel fouler； if you understand。'
'I see；' laughed Strider。 'I look foul and feel fair。 Is that it？ _Allthat is gold does not glitter； not all those who wander are lost。'_
'Did the verses apply to you then？' asked Frodo。 'I could not make outwhat they were about。 But how did you know that they were in Gandalf's letter；
if you have never seen it？'
'I did not know；' he answered。 'But I am Aragorn； and those verses gowith that name。' He drew out his sword； and they saw that the blade was indeedbroken a foot below the hilt。 'Not much use is it； Sam？' said Strider。 'Butthe time is near when it shall be forged anew。'
Sam said nothing。
'Well；' said Strider； 'with Sam's permission we will call that settled。
Strider shall be your guide。 We shall have a rough road tomorrow。 Even if weare allowed to leave Bree unhindered； we can hardly hope now to leave itunnoticed。 But I shall try to get lost as soon as possible。 I know one or twoways out of Bree…land other than the main road。 If once we shake off thepursuit； I shall make for Weathertop。'
'Weathertop？' said Sam。 'What's that？'
'It is a hill； just to the north of the Road； about half way from here toRivendell。 It mands a wide view all round； and there we shall have a chanceto look about us。 Gandalf will make for that point； if he follows us。 AfterWeathertop our journey will bee more difficult； and we shall have to choosebetween various dangers。'
'When did you last see Gandalf？' asked Frodo。 'Do you know where he is；
or what he is doing？'
Strider looked grave。 'I do not know；' he said。 'I came west with him inthe spring。 I have often kept watch on the borders of the Shire in the lastfew years； when he was busy elsewhere。 He seldom left it unguarded。 We lastmet on the first of May： at Sam Ford down the Brandywine。 He told me that hisbusiness with you had gone well； and that you would be starting for Rivendellin the last week of September。 As I knew he was at your side； I went away on ajourney of my own。 And that has proved ill； for plainly some news reached him；
and I was not at hand to help。
'I am troubled； for the first time since I have known him。 We should havehad messages； even if he could not e himself。 When I returned； many days
ago； I heard the ill news。 The tidings had gone far and wide that Gandalf wasmissing and the horsemen had been seen。 It was the Elven…folk of Gildor thattold me this； and later they told me that you had left your home； but therewas no news of your leaving Buckland。 I have been watching the East Roadanxiously。'
'Do you think the Black Riders have anything to do with it – withGandalf's absence； I mean？' asked Frodo。
'I do not know of anything else that could have hindered him； except theEnemy himself；' said Strider。 'But do not give up hope！ Gandalf is greaterthan you Shire…folk know – as a rule you can only see his jokes and toys。 Butthis business of ours will be his greatest task。'
Pippin yawned。 'I am sorry；' he said； 'but I am dead tired。 In spite ofall the danger and worry I must go to bed； or sleep where I sit。 Where is thatsilly fellow； Merry？ It would be the last straw； if we had to go out in thedark to look for him。'
At that moment they heard a door slam； then feet came running along thepassage。 Merry came in with a rush followed by Nob。 He shut the door hastily；
and leaned against it。 He was out of breath。 They stared at him in alarm for amoment before he gasped： 'I have seen them； Frodo！ I have seen them！ BlackRiders！'
'Black Riders！' cried Frodo。 'Where？'
'Here。 In the village。 I stayed indoors for an hour。 Then as you did note back； I went out for a stroll。 I had e back again and was standingjust outside the light of the lamp looking at the stars。 Suddenly I shiveredand felt that something horrible was creeping near： there was a son of deepershade among the shadows across the road； just beyond the edge of thelamplight。 It slid away at once into the dark without a sound。 There was nohorse。'
'Which way did it go？' asked Strider； suddenly and sharply。 Merrystarted； noticing the stranger for the first time。 'Go on！' said Frodo。 'Thisis a friend of Gandalf's。 I will explain later。'
'It seemed to make off up the Road； eastward；' continued Merry。 'I triedto follow。 Of course； it vanished almost at once； but I went round the cornerand on as far as the last house on the Road。'
Strider looked at Merry with wonder。 'You have a stout heart；' he said；
'but it was foolish。'
'I don't know；' said Merry。 'Neither brave nor silly； I think。 I couldhardly help myself。 I seemed to be drawn somehow。 Anyway； I went； and suddenlyI heard voices by the hedge。 One was muttering； and the other was whispering；
or hissing。 I couldn't hear a word that was said。 I did not creep any closer；
because I began to tremble all over。 Then I felt terrified； and I turned back；
and was just going to bolt home； when something came behind me and I。。。 I fellover。'
'I found him； sir；' put in Nob。 'Mr。 Butterbur sent me out with alantern。 I went down to West…gate； and then back up towards South…gate。 Justnigh Bill Ferny's house I thought I could see something in the Road。 Icouldn't swear to it； but it looked to me as if two men was stooping oversomething； lilting it。 I gave a shout； but where I got up to the spot therewas no signs of them； and only Mr。 Brandybuck lying by the roadside。 He seemedto be asleep。 〃I thought I had fallen into deep water；〃 he says to me； when Ishook him。 Very queer he was； and as soon as I had roused him； he got up andran back here like a hare。'
'I am afraid that's true；' said Merry； 'though I don't know what I said。
I had an ugly dream； which I can't remember。 I went to pieces。 I don't knowwhat came over me。'
'I do；' said Strider。 'The Black Breath。 The Riders must have left theirhorses outside； and passed back through the South…gate in secret。 They willknow all the news now； for they have visited Bill Ferny； and probably thatSoutherner was a spy as well。 Something may happen in the night； before we
leave Bree。'
'What will happen？' said Merry。 'Will they attack the inn？' 'No； I thinknot；' said Strider。 'They are not all here yet。 And in any case that is nottheir way。 In dark and loneliness they are strongest； they will not openlyattack a house where there are lights and many people …not until they aredesperate； not while all the long leagues of Eriador still lie before us。 Buttheir power is in terror； and already some in Bree are in their clutch。 Theywill drive these wretches to some evil work： Ferny； and some of the strangers；
and； maybe； the gatekeeper too。 They had words with Harry at West…gate onMonday。 I was watching them。 He was white and shaking when they left him。'
'We seem to have enemies all round；' said Frodo。 'What are we to do？'
'Stay here； and do not go to your rooms！ They are sure to have found outwhich those are。 The hobbit…rooms have windows looking north and close to theground。 We will all remain together and bar this window and the door。 Butfirst Nob and I will fetch your luggage。'
While Strider was gone； Frodo gave Merry a rapid account of all that hadhappened since supper。 Merry was still reading and pondering Gandalf's letterwhen Strider and Nob returned。
'Well Masters；' said Nob； 'I've ruffled up the clothes and put in abolster down the middle of each bed。 And I made a nice imitation of your headwith a brown woollen mat； Mr。 Bag – Underhill； sir；' he added with a grin。
Pippin laughed。 'Very life…like！' he said。 'But what will happen whenthey have penetrated the disguise？'
'We shall see；' said Strider。 'Let us hope to hold the fort tillmorning。'
'Good night to you；' said Nob； and went off to take his part in the watchon the doors。
Their bags and gear they piled on the parlour…floor。 They pushed a lowchair against the door and shut the window。 Peering out； Frodo saw that thenight was still clear。 The Sickle was swinging bright above the shoulders ofBree…hill。 He then closed and barred the heavy inside shutters and drew thecurtains together。 Strider built up the fire and blew out all the candles。
The hobbits lay down on their blankets with their feet towards thehearth； but Strider settled himself in the chair against the door。 They talkedfor a little； for Merry still had several questions to ask。
'Jumped over the Moon！' chuckled Merry as he rolled himself in hisblanket。 'Very ridiculous of you； Frodo！ But I wish I had been there to see。
The worthies of Bree will be discussing it a hundred years hence。'
'I hope so；' said Strider。 Then they all fell silent； and one by one thehobbits dropped off to sleep。
_Chapter 11_
A Knife in the Dark
As they prepared for sleep in the inn at Bree； darkness lay on Buckland；
a mist strayed in the dells and along the river…bank。 The house at Crickhollowstood silent。 Fatty Bolger opened the door cautiously and peered out。 Afeeling of fear had been growing on him all day； and he was unable to rest orgo to bed： there was a brooding threat in the breathless night…air。 As hestared out into the gloom； a black shadow moved under the trees； the gateseemed to open of its own accord and close again without a sound。 Terrorseized him。 He shrank back； and for a moment he stood trembling in the hall。
Then he shut and locked the door。
The night deepened。 There came the soft sound of horses led with stealthalong the lane。 Outside the gate they stopped； and three black figuresentered； like shades of night creeping across the ground。 One went to thedoor； one to the corner of the house on either side； and there they stood； asstill as the shadows