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'What's all this；' he snarled as he came forward。 'Gate…breaking？ You clear out； or I'll break your
filthy little necks！' Then he stopped； for he had caught the gleam of swords。
'Bill Ferny；' said Merry； 'if you don't open that gate in ten seconds； you'll regret it。 I shall set
steel to you； if you don't obey。 And when you have opened the gates you will go through them and
never return。 You are a ruffian and a highway…robber。'
Bill Ferny flinched and shuffled to the gate and unlocked it。 'Give me the key！' said Merry。 But
the ruffian flung it at his head and then darted out into the darkness。 As he passed the ponies one of
them let fly with his heels and just caught him as he ran。 He went off with a yelp into the night and
was never heard of again。
'Neat work； Bill；' said Sam； meaning the pony。
'So much for your Big Man；' said Merry。 'We'll see the Chief later。 In the meantime we want a
lodging for the night； and as you seem to have pulled down the Bridge Inn and built this dismal
place instead； you'll have to put us up。'
'I am sorry； Mr。 Merry；' said Hob； 'but it isn't allowed。'
'What isn't allowed？'
Taking in folk off…hand like and eating extra food； and all that； said Hob。
'What's the matter with the place？' said Merry。 'Has it been a bad year； or what？ I thought it had
been a fine summer and harvest。'
'Well no； the year's been good enough；' said Hob。 'We grows a lot of food； but we don't rightly
know what bees of it。 It's all these 〃gatherers〃 and 〃sharers〃； I reckon； going round counting
and measuring and taking off to storage。 They do more gathering than sharing； and we never see
most of the stuff again。'
'Oh e！' said Pippin yawning。 'This is all too tiresome for me tonight。 We've got food in our
bags。 Just give us a room to lie down in。 It'll be better than many places I have seen。'
The hobbits at the gate still seemed ill at ease； evidently some rule or other was being broken；
but there was no gainsaying four such masterful travellers； all armed； and two of them unmonly
large and strong…looking。 Frodo ordered the gates to be locked again。 There was some sense at any
rate in keeping a guard； while ruffians were still about。 Then the four panions went into the
hobbit guard…house and made themselves as fortable as they could。 It was a bare and ugly place；
with a mean little grate that would not allow a good fire。 In the upper rooms were little rows of hard
beds； and on every wall there was a notice and a list of Rules。 Pippin tore them down。 There was no
beer and very little food； but with what the travellers brought and shared out they all made a fair
meal； and Pippin broke Rule 4 by putting most of next day's allowance of wood on the fire。
'Well now； what about a smoke； while you tell us what has been happening in the Shire？' he said。
'There isn't no pipe…weed now；' said Hob； 'at least only for the Chief's men。 All the stocks seem
to have gone。 We do hear that waggon…loads of it went away down the old road out of the
Southfarthing； over Sarn Ford way。 That would be the end o' last year； after you left。 But it had
been going away quietly before that； in a small way。 That Lotho…'
'Now you shut up； Hob Hayward！' cried several of the others。 'You know talk o' that sort isn't
allowed。 The Chief will hear of it； and we'll all be in trouble。'
'He wouldn't hear naught； if some of you here weren't sneaks；' rejoined Hob hotly。
'All right； all right！' said Sam。 〃That's quite enough。 I don't want to hear no more。 No wele；
no beer； no smoke； and a lot of rules and orc…talk instead。 I hoped to have a rest； but I can see
there's work and trouble ahead。 Let's sleep and forget it till morning！'
The new 'Chief' evidently had means of getting news。 It was a good forty miles from the Bridge
to Bag End； but someone made the journey in a hurry。 So Frodo and his friends soon discovered。
They had not made any definite plans； but had vaguely thought of going down to Crickhollow
together first； and resting there a bit。 But now； seeing what things were like； they decided to go
straight to Hobbiton。 So the next day they set out along the Road and jogged along steadily。 The
wind had dropped but the sky was grey。 The land looked rather sad and forlorn； but it was after all
the first of November and the fag…end of Autumn。 Still there seemed an unusual amount of burning
going on； and smoke rose from many points round about。 A great cloud of it was going up far away
in the direction of the Woody End。
As evening fell they were drawing near to Frogmorton； a village right on the Road； about
twenty…two miles from the Bridge。 There they meant to stay the night； _The Floating Log_ at
Frogmorton was a good inn。 But as they came to the east end of the village they met a barrier with a
large board saying NO ROAD； and behind it stood a large band of Shirriffs with staves in their
hands and feathers in their caps； looking both important and rather scared。
'What's all this？' said Frodo； feeling inclined to laugh。
This is what it is； Mr。 Baggins； said the leader of the Shirriffs； a two…feather hobbit： 'You're
arrested for Gate…breaking； and Tearing up of Rules； and Assaulting Gate…keepers； and Trespassing；
and Sleeping in Shire…buildings without Leave； and Bribing Guards with Food。'
'And what else？' said Frodo。
'That'll do to go on with；' said the Shirriff…leader。
'I can add some more； if you like it；' said Sam。 'Calling your Chief Names； Wishing to punch his
Pimply Face； and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom…fools。'
'There now； Mister； that'll do。 It's the Chief's orders that you're to e along quiet。 We're going
to take you to Bywater and hand you over to the Chief's Men； and when he deals with your case
you can have your say。 But if you don't want to stay in the Lockholes any longer than you need； I
should cut the say short； if I was you。'
To the disfiture of the Shirriffs Frodo and his panions all roared with laughter。 'Don't be
absurd！' said Frodo。 'I am going where I please； and in my own time。 I happen to be going to Bag
End on business； but if you insist on going too； well that is your affair。'
'Very well； Mr。 Baggins；' said the leader； pushing the barrier aside。 'But don't forget I've arrested
you。'
'I won't；' said Frodo。 'Never。 But I may forgive you。 Now I am not going any further today； so if
you'll kindly escort me to _The Floating Log_； I'll be obliged。'
'I can't do that； Mr。 Baggins。 The inn's closed。 There's a Shirriff…house at the far end of the
village。 I'll take you there。 '
'All right；' said Frodo。 'Go on and we'll follow。'
Sam had been looking the Shirriffs up and down and had spotted one that he knew。 'Hey； e
here Robin Smallburrow！' he called。 'I want a word with you。'
With a sheepish glance at his leader； who looked wrathful but did not dare to interfere； Shirriff
Smallburrow fell back and walked beside Sam； who got down off his pony。
'Look here； Cock…robin！' said Sam。 'You're Hobbiton…bred and ought to have more sense；
ing a…waylaying Mr。 Frodo and all。 And what's all this about the inn being closed？'
'They're all closed；' said Robin。 'The Chief doesn't hold with beer。 Leastways that is how it
started。 But now I reckon it's his Men that has it all。 And he doesn't hold with folk moving about； so
if they will or they must； then they has to go to the Shirriff…house and explain their business。'
'You ought to be ashamed of yourself having anything to do with such nonsense；' said Sam。
'You used to like the inside of an inn better than the outside yourself。 You were always popping in；
on duty or off。'
'And so I would be still； Sam； if I could。 But don't be hard on me。 What can I do？ You know
how I went for a Shirriff seven years ago； before any of this began。 Gave me a chance of walking
round the country and seeing folk； and hearing the news； and knowing where the good beer was。
But now it's different。'
'But you can give it up； stop Shirriffing； if it has stopped being a respectable job；' said Sam。
'We're not allowed to；' said Robin。
'If I hear _not allowed_ much oftener；' said Sam； 'I'm going to get angry。'
'Can't say as I'd be sorry to see it；' said Robin lowering his voice。 'If we all got angry together
something might be done。 But it's these Men； Sam； the Chief's Men。 He sends them round
everywhere； and if any of us small folk stand up for our rights； they drag him off to the Lockholes。
They took old Flourdumpling； old Will Whitfoot the Mayor； first； and they've taken a lot more。
Lately it's been getting worse。 Often they beat 'em now。'
'Then why do you do their work far them？' said Sam angrily。 'Who sent you to Frogmorton？'
'No one did。 We stay here in the big Shirriff…house。 We're the First Eastfarthing Troop now。
There's hundreds of Shirriffs all told and they want more； with all these new rules。 Most of them are
in it against their will； but not all。 Even in the Shire there are some as like minding other folk's
business and talking big。 And there's worse than that