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Footsteps went away down the Hill。 Frodo wondered vaguely why the factthat they did not e on up the Hill seemed a great relief。 'I am sick ofquestions and curiosity about my doings； I suppose；' he thought。 'What aninquisitive lot they all are！' He had half a mind to go and ask the Gaffer whothe inquirer was； but he thought better （or worse） of it； and turned andwalked quickly back to Bag End。
Pippin was sitting on his pack in the porch。 Sam was not there。 Frodostepped inside the dark door。 'Sam！' he called。 'Sam！ Time！'
'ing； sir！' came the answer from far within； followed soon by Samhimself； wiping his mouth。 He had been saying farewell to the beer…barrel inthe cellar。
'All aboard； Sam？' said Frodo。
'Yes； sir。 I'll last for a bit now； sir。'
Frodo shut and locked the round door； and gave the key to Sam。 'Run downwith this to your home； Sam！' he said。 'Then cut along the Row and meet us asquick as you can at the gate in the lane beyond the meadows。 We are not goingthrough the village tonight。 Too many ears pricking and eyes prying。' Sam ranoff at full speed。
'Well； now we're off at last！' said Frodo。 They shouldered their packsand took up their sticks； and walked round the corner to the west side of BagEnd。 'Good…bye！' said Frodo； looking at the dark blank windows。 He waved hishand； and then turned and （following Bilbo； if he had known it） hurried afterPeregrin down the garden…path。 They jumped over the low place in the hedge atthe bottom and took to the fields； passing into the darkness like a rustle inthe grasses。
At the bottom of the Hill on its western side they came to the gateopening on to a narrow lane。 There they halted and adjusted the straps oftheir packs。 Presently Sam appeared； trotting quickly and breathing hard； hisheavy pack was hoisted high on his shoulders； and he had put on his head atall shapeless fell bag； which he called a hat。 In the gloom he looked verymuch like a dwarf。
'I am sure you have given me all the heaviest stuff；' said Frodo。 'I pitysnails； and all that carry their homes on their backs。'
'I could take a lot more yet； sir。 My packet is quite light；' said Samstoutly and untruthfully。
'No； you don't； Sam！' said Pippin。 'It is good for him。 He's got nothingexcept what he ordered us to pack。 He's been slack lately； and he'll feel theweight less when he's walked off some of his own。'
'Be kind to a poor old hobbit！' laughed Frodo。 'I shall be as thin as awillow…wand； I'm sure； before I get to Buckland。 But I was talking nonsense。 Isuspect you have taken more than your share； Sam； and I shall look into it atour next packing。' He picked up his stick again。 'Well； we all like walking inthe dark；' he said； 'so let's put some miles behind us before bed。'
For a short way they followed the lane westwards。 Then leaving it theyturned left and took quietly to the fields again。 They went in single filealong hedgerows and the borders of coppices； and night fell dark about them。
In their dark cloaks they were as invisible as if they all had magic rings。
Since they were all hobbits； and were trying to be silent； they made no noisethat even hobbits would hear。 Even the wild things in the fields and woodshardly noticed their passing。
After some time they crossed the Water； west of Hobbiton； by a narrowplank…bridge。 The stream was there no more than a winding black ribbon；
bordered with leaning alder…trees。 A mile or two further south they hastilycrossed the great road from the Brandywine Bridge； they were now in theTookland and bending south…eastwards they made for the Green Hill Country。 Asthey began to climb its first slopes they looked back and saw the lamps inHobbiton far off twinkling in the gentle valley of the Water。 Soon itdisappeared in the folds of the darkened land； and was followed by Bywaterbeside its grey pool。 When the light of the last farm was far behind； peepingamong the trees； Frodo turned and waved a hand in farewell。
'I wonder if I shall ever look down into that valley again；' he saidquietly。
When they had walked for about three hours they rested。 The night wasclear； cool； and starry； but smoke…like wisps of mist were creeping up thehill…sides from the streams and deep meadows。 Thin…clad birches； swaying in alight wind above their heads； made a black net against the pale sky。 They atea very frugal supper （for hobbits）； and then went on again。 Soon they struck anarrow road； that went rolling up and down； fading grey into the darknessahead： the road to Woodhall； and Stock； and the Bucklebury Ferry。 It climbedaway from the main road in the Water…valley； and wound over the skirts of theGreen Hills towards Woody…End； a wild corner of the Eastfarthing。
After a while they plunged into a deeply cloven track between tall treesthat rustled their dry leaves in the night。 It was very dark。 At first they
talked； or hummed a tune softly together； being now far away from inquisitiveears。 Then they marched on in silence； and Pippin began to lag behind。 Atlast； as they began to climb a steep slope； he stopped and yawned。
'I am so sleepy；' he said； 'that soon I shall fall down on the road。 Areyou going to sleep on your legs？ It is nearly midnight。'
'I thought you liked walking in the dark；' said Frodo。 'But there is nogreat hurry。 Merry expects us some time the day after tomorrow； but thatleaves us nearly two days more。 We'll halt at the first likely spot。'
'The wind's in the West；' said Sam。 'If we get to the other side of thishill； we shall find a spot that is sheltered and snug enough； sir。 There is adry fir…wood just ahead； if I remember rightly。' Sam knew the land well withintwenty miles of Hobbiton； but that was the limit of his geography。
Just over the top of the hill they came on the patch of fir…wood。 Leavingthe road they went into the deep resin…scented darkness of the trees； andgathered dead sticks and cones to make a fire。 Soon they had a merry crackleof flame at the foot of a large fir…tree and they sat round it for a while；
until they began to nod。 Then； each in an angle of the great tree's roots；
they curled up in their cloaks and blankets； and were soon fast asleep。 Theyset no watch； even Frodo feared no danger yet； for they were still in theheart of the Shire。 A few creatures came and looked at them when the fire had
died away。 A fox passing through the wood on business of his own stoppedseveral minutes and sniffed。
'Hobbits！' he thought。 'Well； what next？ I have heard of strange doingsin this land； but I have seldom heard of a hobbit sleeping out of doors undera tree。 Three of them！ There's something mighty queer behind this。' He wasquite right； but he never found out any more about it。
The morning came； pale and clammy。 Frodo woke up first； and found that atree…root had made a hole in his back； and that his neck was stiff。
'Walking for pleasure！ Why didn't I drive？' he thought； as he usually didat the beginning of an expedition。 'And all my beautiful feather beds are soldto the Sackville…Bagginses！ These tree…roots would do them good。' Hestretched。 'Wake up； hobbits！' he cried。 It's a beautiful morning。'
'What's beautiful about it？' said Pippin； peering over the edge of hisblanket with one eye。 'Sam！ Gel breakfast ready for hal