The hobbits took no notice of the inquisitive heads that peeped out ofdoors； or popped over walls and fences； as they passed。 But as they drew nearto the further gate； Frodo saw a dark ill…kept house behind a thick hedge： thelast house in the village。 In one of the windows he caught a glimpse of asallow face with sly； slanting eyes； but it vanished at once。
'So that's where that southerner is hiding！' he thought。 'He looks more
than half like a goblin。'
Over the hedge another man was staring boldly。 He had heavy black brows；
and dark scornful eyes； his large mouth curled in a sneer。 He was smoking ashort black pipe。 As they approached he took it out of his mouth and spat。
'Morning； Longshanks！' he said。 'Off early？ Found some friends at last？'
Strider nodded； but did not answer。 'Morning； my little friends！' he said tothe others。 'I suppose you know who you've taken up with？ That's Stick…at…
naught Strider； that is！ Though I've heard other names not so pretty。 Watchout tonight！ And you； Sammie； don't go ill…treating my poor old pony！ Pah！' Hespat again。
Sam turned quickly。 'And you。 Ferny；' he said； 'put your ugly face out ofsight； or it will get hurt。' With a sudden flick； quick as lightning； an appleleft his hand and hit Bill square on the nose。 He ducked too late； and cursescame from behind the hedge。 'Waste of a good apple；' said Sam regretfully； andstrode on。
At last they left the village behind。 The escort of children andstragglers that had followed them got tired and turned back at the South…gate。
Passing through； they kept on along the Road for some miles。 It bent to theleft； curving back into its eastward line as it rounded the feet of Bree…hill；
and then it began to run swiftly downwards into wooded country。 To their leftthey could see some of the houses and hobbit…holes of Staddle on the gentlersouth…eastern slopes of the hill； down in a deep hollow away north of the Roadthere were wisps of rising smoke that showed where be lay；
Archet was hidden in the trees beyond。
After the Road had run down some way； and had left Bree…hill standingtall and brown behind； they came on a narrow track that led off towards theNorth。 'This is where we leave the open and take to cover；' said Strider。
'Not a 〃short cut〃； I hope；' said Pippin。 'Our last short cut throughwoods nearly ended in disaster。'
'Ah； but you had not got me with you then；' laughed Strider。 'My cuts；
short or long； don't go wrong。' He took a look up and down the Road。 No onewas in sight； and he led the way quickly down towards the wooded valley。
His plan； as far as they could understand it without knowing the country；
was to go towards Archet at first； but to bear right and pass it on the east；
and then to steer as straight as he could over the wild lands to WeathertopHill。 In that way they would； if all went well； cut off a great loop of theRoad； which further on bent southwards to avoid the Midgewater Marshes。 But；
of course； they would have to pass through the marshes themselves； andStrider's description of them was not encouraging。
However； in the meanwhile； walking was not unpleasant。 Indeed； if it hadnot been for the disturbing events of the night before； they would haveenjoyed this pan of the journey better than any up to that time。 The sun wasshining； clear but not too hot。 The woods in the valley were still leafy andfull of colour； and seemed peaceful and wholesome。 Strider guided themconfidently among the many crossing paths； although left to themselves theywould soon have been at a loss。 He was taking a wandering course with manyturns and doublings； to put off any pursuit。
'Bill Ferny will have watched where we left the Road； for certain；' hesaid； 'though I don't think he will follow us himself。 He knows the land roundhere well enough； but he knows he is not a match for me in a wood。 It is whathe may tell others that I am afraid of。 I don't suppose they are far away。 Ifthey think we have made for Archet； so much the better。'
Whether because of Strider's skill or for some other reason； they saw nosign and heard no sound of any other living thing all that day： neither two…
footed； except birds； nor four…footed； except one fox and a few squirrels。 Thenext day they began to steer a steady course eastwards； and still all wasquiet and peaceful。 On the third day out from Bree they came out of theChetwood。 The land had been falling steadily； ever since they turned aside
from the Road； and they now entered a wide flat expanse of country； much moredifficult to manage。 They were far beyond the borders of the Bree…land； out inthe pathless wilderness； and drawing near to the Midge…water Marshes。
The ground now became damp； and in places boggy and here and there theycame upon pools； and wide stretches of reeds and rushes filled with thewarbling of little hidden birds。 They had to pick their way carefully to keepboth dry…footed and on their proper course。 At first they made fan…progress；
but as they went on； their passage became slower and more dangerous。 Themarshes were bewildering and treacherous； and there was no permanent traileven for Rangers to find through their shifting quagmires。 The flies began totorment them； and the air was full of clouds of tiny midges that crept uptheir sleeves and breeches and into their hair。
'I am being eaten alive！' cried Pippin。 'Midgewater！ There are moremidges than water！'
'What do they live on when they can't get hobbit？' asked Sam； scratchinghis neck。
They spent a miserable day in this lonely and unpleasant country。 Theircamping…place was damp； cold； and unfortable； and the biting insects wouldnot let them sleep。 There were also abominable creatures haunting the reedsand tussocks that from the sound of them were evil relatives of the cricket。
There were thousands of them； and they squeaked all round； _neek…breek； breekneek；_
unceasingly all the night； until the hobbits were nearly frantic。
The next day； the fourth； was little better； and the night almost asfortless。 Though the Neekerbreekers （as Sam called them） had been leftbehind； the midges still pursued them。
As Frodo lay； tired but unable to close his eyes； it seemed to him thatfar away there came a light in the eastern sky： it flashed and faded manytimes。 It was not the dawn； for that was still some hours off。
'What is the light？' he said to Strider； who had risen； and was standing；
gazing ahead into the night。
'I do not know；' Strider answered。 'It is too distant to make out。 It islike lightning that leaps up from the hill…tops。'
Frodo lay down again； but for a long while he could still see the whiteflashes； and against them the tall dark figure of Strider； standing silent andwatchful。 At last he passed into uneasy sleep。
They had not gone far on the fifth day when they left the last stragglingpools and reed…beds of the marshes behind them。 The land before them begansteadily to rise again。 Away in the distance eastward they could now see aline of hills。 The highest of them was at the right of the line and a littleseparated from the others。 It had a conical top； slightly flattened at thesummit。
'That is Weathertop；' said Strider。 'The Old Road； which we have left faraway on our right； runs to the south of it and passes not far from its foot。
We might reach it by noon tomorrow； if we go straight towards it。 I suppose wehad better do so。'
'What do you mean？' asked Frodo。
'I mean： when we do get there； it is not certain what we shall find。 Itis close to the Road。'
'But surely we were hoping to find Gandalf there？'
'Yes； but the hope is faint。 If he es this way at all； he may not passthrough Bree； and so he may not know what we are doing。 And anyway； unless byluck we arrive almost together； we shall miss one another； it will not be safefor him or for us to wait there long。 If the Riders fail to find us in thewilderness； they are likely to make for Weathertop themselves。 It mands awide view all round。 Indeed； there are many birds and beasts in this countrythat could see us； as we stand here； from that hill…top。 Not all the birds areto be trusted； and there are other spies more evil than they are。'
The hobbits looked anxiously at the distant hills。 Sam looked up into thepale sky； fearing to see hawks or eagles hovering over them with bright
unfriendly eyes。 'You do make me feel unfortable and lonesome； Strider！' he
said。
'What do you advise us to do？' asked Frodo。
'I think；' answered Strider slowly； as if he was not quite sure； 'I thinkthe best thing is to go as straight eastward from here as we can； to make forthe line of hills； not for Weathertop。 There we can strike a path I know thatruns at their feet； it will bring us to Weathertop from the north and lessopenly。 Then we shall see what we shall see。'
All that day they plodded along； until the cold and early evening camedown。 The land became drier and more barren； but mists and vapours lay behindthem on the marshes。 A few melancholy birds were piping and wailing； until theround red sun sank slowly into the western shadows； then an empty silencefell。 The hobbits thought of the soft light of sunset glancing through thecheerful windows of Bag End far away。
At the day's end they came to a stream that wandered down from the hillsto lose itself in the stagnant marshland； and they went up along its bankswhile the light lasted。 It was already night when at last they halted and madetheir camp under some stunted alder…trees by the shores of the stream。 Aheadthere loomed now against the dusky sky the bleak and treeless backs of thehills。 That night they set a watch； and Strider； it seemed； did not sleep atall。 The moon was waxing； and in the early night…hours a cold grey light layon the land。
Next morning they set out again soon after sunrise。 There was a frost inthe air； and the sky was a pale clear blue。 The hobbits felt refreshed； as ifthey had had a night of unbroken sleep。 Already they were getting used to muchwalking on short mons – shorter at any rate than what in the Shire theywould have thought barely enough to keep them on their legs。 Pippin declaredthat Frodo was looking twice the hobbit that he had been。
'Very odd；' said Frodo； tightening his belt； 'considering that there isactually a good deal less of me。 I hope the thinning process will not go onindefinitely； or I shall bee a wraith。'
'Do not speak of such things！' said Strider quickly； and with surprisingearnestness。
The hills drew nearer。 They made an undulating ridge； often rising almostto a thousand feet； and here and there falling again to low clefts or passesleading into the eastern land beyond。 Along the crest of the ridge the hobbitscould see what looked to be the remains of green…grown walls and dikes； and inthe clefts there still stood the ruins of old works of stone。 By night theyhad reached the feet of the westward slopes； and there they camped。 It was thenight of the fifth of October； and they were six days out from Bree。
In the morning they found； for the first time since they had left theChetwood； a track plain to see。 They turned right and followed it southwards。
It ran cunningly； taking a line that seemed chosen so as to keep as muchhidden as possible from the view； both of the hill…tops above and of the flatsto the west。 It dived into d