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your friend promised to have a quiet talk with me。'
'You said I might hear something to my advantage； I believe；' said Frodo。
'What have you to say？'
'Several things；' answered Strider。 'But； of course； I have my price。'
'What do you mean？' asked Frodo sharply。
'Don't be alarmed！ I mean just this： I will tell you what I know； andgive you some good advice – but I shall want a reward。'
'And what will that be； pray？' said Frodo。 He suspected now that he hadfallen in with a rascal； and he thought unfortably that he had brought onlya little money with him。 All of it would hardly satisfy a rogue； and he couldnot spare any of it。
'No more than you can afford；' answered Strider with a slow smile； as ifhe guessed Frodo's thoughts。 'Just this： you must take me along with you；
until I wish to leave you。'
'Oh； indeed！' replied Frodo； surprised； but not much relieved。 'Even if Iwanted another panion； I should not agree to any such thing； until I knew agood deal more about you； and your business。'
'Excellent！' exclaimed Strider； crossing his legs and sitting backfortably。 'You seem to be ing to your senses again； and that is all to
the good。 You have been much too careless so far。 Very well！ I will tell youwhat I know； and leave the reward to you。 You may be glad to grant it； whenyou have heard me。'
'Go on then！' said Frodo。 'What do you know？'
'Too much； too many dark things；' said Strider grimly。 'But as for yourbusiness …' He got up and went to the door； opened it quickly and looked out。
Then he shut it quietly and sat down again。 'I have quick ears；' he went on；
lowering his voice； 'and though I cannot disappear； I have hunted many wildand wary things and I can usually avoid being seen； if I wish。 Now； I wasbehind the hedge this evening on the Road west of Bree； when four hobbits cameout of the Downlands。 I need not repeat all that they said to old Bombadil orto one another； but one thing interested me。 _Please remember；_ said one ofthem； _that the name Baggins must not be mentioned。 I am Mr。 Underhill； if anyname must be given。_ That interested me so much that I followed them here。 Islipped over the gate just behind them。 Maybe Mr。 Baggins has an honest reasonfor leaving his name behind； but if so； I should advise him and his friends tobe more careful。'
'I don't see what interest my name has for any one in Bree；' said Frodoangrily； 'and I have still to learn why it interests you。 Mr。 Strider may havean honest reason for spying and eavesdropping； but if so； I should advise himto explain it。'
'Well answered！' said Strider laughing。 'But the explanation is simple：
I was looking for a Hobbit called Frodo Baggins。 I wanted to find himquickly。 I had learned that he was carrying out of the Shire； well； a secretthat concerned me and my friends。
'Now； don't mistake me！' he cried； as Frodo rose from his seat； and Samjumped up with a scowl。 'I shall take more care of the secret than you do。 Andcare is needed！' He leaned forward and looked at them。 'Watch every shadow！'
he said in a low voice。 'Black horsemen have passed through Bree。 On Mondayone came down the Greenway； they say； and another appeared later； ing upthe Greenway from the south。'
There was a silence。 At last Frodo spoke to Pippin and Sam： 'I ought tohave guessed it from the way the gatekeeper greeted us；' he said。 'And thelandlord seems to have heard something。 Why did he press us to join thepany？ And why on earth did we behave so foolishly： we ought to have stayedquiet in here。'
'It would have been better；' said Strider。 'I would have stopped yourgoing into the mon…room； if I could； but the innkeeper would not let me into see you； or take a message。'
'Do you think he–––' began Frodo。
'No； I don't think any harm of old Butterbur。 Only he does not altogetherlike mysterious vagabonds of my sort。' Frodo gave him a puzzled look。 'Well； Ihave rather a rascally look； have I not？' said Strider with a curl of his lipand a queer gleam in his eye。 'But I hope we shall get to know one anotherbetter。 When we do； I hope you will explain what happened at the end of yoursong。 For that little prank–––'
'It was sheer accident！' interrupted Frodo。
'I wonder；' said Strider。 'Accident； then。 That accident has made yourposition dangerous。'
'Hardly more than it was already；' said Frodo。 'I knew these horsemenwere pursuing me； but now at any rate they seem to have missed me and to havegone away。'
'You must not count on that！' said Strider sharply。 'They will return。
And more are ing。 There are others。 I know their number。 I know theseRiders。' He paused； and his eyes were cold and hard。 'And there are some folkin Bree who are not to be trusted；' he went on。 'Bill Ferny； for instance。 Hehas an evil name in the Bree…land； and queer folk call at his house。 You musthave noticed him among the pany： a swarthy sneering fellow。 He was veryclose with one of the Southern strangers； and they slipped out together just
after your 〃accident〃。 Not all of those Southerners mean well； and as forFerny； he would sell anything to anybody； or make mischief for amusement。'
'What will Ferny sell； and what has my accident got to do with him？' saidFrodo； still determined not to understand Strider's hints。
'News of you； of course；' answered Strider。 'An account of yourperformance would be very interesting to certain people。 After that they wouldhardly need to be told your real name。 It seems to me only too likely thatthey will hear of it before this night is over。 Is that enough？ You can do asyou like about my reward： take me as a guide or not。 But I may say that I knowall the lands between the Shire and the Misty Mountains； for I have wanderedover them for many years。 I am older than I look。 I might prove useful。 Youwill have to leave the open road after tonight； for the horsemen will watch itnight and day。 You may escape from Bree； and be allowed to go forward whilethe Sun is up； but you won't go far。 They will e on you in the wild； insome dark place where there is no help。 Do you wish them to find you？ They areterrible！'
The hobbits looked at him； and saw with surprise that his face was drawnas if with pain； and his hands clenched the arms of his chair。 The room wasvery quiet and still； and the light seemed to have grown dim。 For a while hesat with unseeing eyes as if walking in distant memory or listening to soundsin the Night far away。
'There！' he cried after a moment； drawing his hand across his brow。
'Perhaps I know more about these pursuers than you do。 You fear them； but youdo not fear them enough； yet。 Tomorrow you will have to escape； if you can。
Strider can take you by paths that are seldom trodden。 Will you have him？'
There was a heavy silence。 Frodo made no answer； his mind was confusedwith doubt and fear。 Sam frowned； and looked at his master； and at last hebroke out：
'With your leave； Mr。 Frodo； I'd say no！ This Strider here； he warns andhe says take care； and I _say yes_ to that； and let's begin with him。 He esout of the Wild； and I never heard no good of such folk。 He knows something；
that's plain； and more than I like； but it's no reason why we should let himgo leading us out into some dark place far from help； as he puts