The Return of the Shadow. Christopher Tolkien

by the gate, but I jumped out of the way mighty quick, and he rode through it and down the lane like mad. What do you think of that?’

      ‘I don’t know what to think,’ said Frodo.

      ‘Well, I’ll tell you what to think,’ said the farmer. ‘This Mr Bingo has got himself mixed up in some trouble, and disappeared a purpose. There are plainly some folk as are mighty eager to find him. Mark my words, it’ll all be along of some of those doings of old Mr Bilbo’s. He ought to have stuck at Bolger and not gone tacking on Baggins. They are queer folk up Hobbiton way, begging your pardon. It’s the Baggins that has got him into trouble, mark my words!’

      ‘That certainly is an idea,’ said Frodo. ‘Very interesting, what you tell us. I suppose you’ve never seen any of these – er – black chaps before?’

      ‘Not that I remember,’ said Farmer Maggot, ‘and I don’t want to see any again. Now I hope you and your friend will stay and have a bite and a sup with me and the wife.’

      ‘Thank you very much!’ said Odo regretfully, ‘but I am afraid we ought to go on.’

      ‘Yes,’ said Frodo, ‘we have some way to go before night, and really we have already rested too long. But it is very kind of you all the same.’

      ‘Well! Here’s your health and good luck!’ said the farmer, reaching for his mug. But at that moment the mug left the table, rose, tilted in the air, and then returned empty to its place.

      ‘Help and save us!’ cried the farmer jumping up. ‘Did you see that? This is a queer day and no mistake. First the dog and then me seeing things that ain’t.’

      ‘Oh, I saw the mug too,’ said Odo, unable to hide a grin.

      ‘You did, did you!’ said the farmer. ‘I don’t see no cause to laugh.’ He looked quickly and queerly at Odo and Frodo, and now seemed only too glad that they were going. They said good-bye politely but hurriedly, and ran down the steps and out of the gate. Farmer Maggot and his wife stood whispering at their door and watched them out of sight.

      ‘What did you want to play that silly trick for?’ said Odo when the farmhouse was well behind. ‘The old man had done you a good turn with that Rider, or so it seemed to me.’

      ‘I daresay,’ said a voice behind him. ‘But you did me a pretty poor turn, going inside and drinking and talking, and leaving me in the cold. As it was I only got half a mug. And now we are late. I shall make you trot after this.’

      ‘Show us how to trot!’ said Odo.

      Bingo immediately reappeared and went off as fast as he could down the lane. The others hurried after him. ‘Look!’ said Frodo pointing to one side. Along the edge of the lane, in the mud made by the day’s rain, there were deep hoofmarks.

      ‘Never mind!’ said Bingo. ‘We knew from old Maggot’s talk that he went this way. It can’t be helped. Come along!’

      They met nothing in the lane. The afternoon faded and the sun went down into low clouds behind them. The light was already failing when they reached the end of the lane and came at last back to the road.⁸ It was growing chilly and thin strands of mist were crawling over the fields. The twilight was clammy.

      ‘Not too bad,’ said Frodo. ‘It is four miles from here to the landing stage opposite Bucklebury. We shall make it before it is quite dark.’

      They now turned right along the road, which here ran quite straight, drawing steadily nearer to the River. There was no sign of any other traveller upon the way. Soon they could see lights in the distance ahead and to their left, beyond the dim line of the shadowy willow-trees along the borders of the river, where the far bank rose almost into a low hill.

      ‘There’s Bucklebury!’ said Frodo.

      ‘Thank goodness!’ said Odo. ‘My feet are sore, sticky, and mud-tired. Also it is getting chilly.’ He stumbled into a puddle and splashed up a fountain of dirty water. ‘Drat it!’ he said. ‘I’ve nearly had enough of to-day’s walk. Do you think there is any chance of a bath to-night?’ Without waiting for an answer he suddenly began a hobbit bathroom song.

       O Water warm and water hot!

       O Water boiled in pan and pot!

       O Water blue and water green,

       O Water silver-clear and clean,

       Of bath I sing my song!

       O praise the steam expectant nose!

       O bless the tub my weary toes!

       O happy fingers come and play!

       O arms and legs, you here may stay,

       And wallow warm and long!

       Put mire away! Forget the clay!

       Shut out the night! Wash off the day!

       In water lapping chin and knees,

       In water kind now lie at ease,

       Until the dinner gong!

      ‘Really you might wait till you are in the bath!’ said Frodo.

      ‘I warn you,’ added Bingo, ‘that you will have yours last, or else you will not wallow very long.’

      ‘Very well,’ said Odo; ‘only I warn you that if you go first you must not take all the hot water, or I shall drown you in your own bath. I want a hot bath and a clean one.’

      ‘You may not get any,’ said Bingo. ‘I don’t know what Marmaduke has arranged, or where we are sleeping. I didn’t order baths, and if we get them they will be our last for some time, I expect.’

      Their talk flagged. They were now getting really tired, and went along with their chins down and their eyes in front of their toes. They were quite startled when suddenly a voice behind them cried: ‘Hi!’ It then burst into a loud song:

       As I was sitting by the way,

       I saw three hobbits walking:

       One was dumb with naught to say,

       The others were not talking.

       ‘Good night!’ I said. ‘Good night to you!’

       They heeded not my greeting:

       One was deaf like the other two.

       It was a merry meeting!

      ‘Marmaduke!’ cried Bingo turning round. ‘Where did you spring from?’

      ‘You passed me sitting at the road-side,’ said Marmaduke. ‘Perhaps I ought to have lain down in the road; but then you would have just trodden on me and passed gaily on.’

      ‘We are tired,’ said Bingo.

      ‘So it seems. I told you you would be – but you were so proud and stiff. “Ponies! Pooh!” you said. “Just a little leg-stretcher before the real business begins.’”

      ‘As it happens ponies would not have helped much,’ said Bingo. ‘We have been having adventures.’ He stopped suddenly and looked up and down the dark road. ‘We will tell you later.’

      ‘Bless me!’ said Marmaduke. ‘But how mean of you! You shouldn’t have adventures without me. And what are you peering about for? Are there some big bad rabbits loose?’

      ‘Don’t be so Marmadukish all at once! I can’t bear it at the end of the day,’ said Odo. ‘Let’s get off our legs and have some food, and then you shall hear a tale. Can I have a bath?’