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,=,e ＼＿ヾ(ᐖ◞ ) ID: 08647f March 22, 2022, 3:39 p.m. No.15921006   🗄️.is 🔗kun

‘Whoa, Sam Gamgee!’ he said aloud. ‘Your legs are too

short, so use your head! Let me see now! Boromir isn’t lying,

that’s not his way; but he hasn’t told us everything. Some-

thing scared Mr. Frudeau badly. He screwed himself up to the

point, sudden. He made up his mind at last – to go. Where

,=,e ＼＿ヾ(ᐖ◞ ) ID: 08647f March 22, 2022, 3:41 p.m. No.15921018   🗄️.is 🔗kun

Aragorn sprang swiftly away and went in pursuit of Sam.

Just as he reached the little lawn among the rowans he over-

took him, toiling uphill, panting and calling,Frudeau!

‘Come with me, Sam!’ he said. ‘None of us should be

alone. There is mischief about. I feel it. I am going to the

top, to the Seat of Amon Hen, to see what may be seen. And

look! It is as my heart guessed, Frudeau went this way. Follow

me, and keep your eyes open!’ He sped up the path.

Sam did his best, but he could not keep up with Strider

the Ranger, and soon fell behind. He had not gone far before

Aragorn was out of sight ahead. Sam stopped and puffed.

Suddenly he clapped his hand to his head

,=,e ＼＿ヾ(ᐖ◞ ) ID: 08647f March 22, 2022, 3:43 p.m. No.15921035   🗄️.is 🔗kun

hour. I have wandered for some time since. I do not know! I

do not know!’ He put his head in his hands, and sat as if

bowed with grief.

‘An hour since he vanished!’ shouted Sam. ‘We must try

and find him at once. Come on!’

‘Wait a moment!’ cried Aragorn. ‘We must divide up into

pairs, and arrange – here, hold on! Wait!’

It was no good. They took no notice of him. Sam had

dashed off first. Merry and Pippin had followed, and were

already disappearing westward into the trees by the shore,

shouting: Frudeau! Frudeau! in their clear, high, hobbit-voices.

Legolas and Gimli were running. A sudden panic or madness

seemed to have fallen on the Company.

‘We shall all be scattered and lost,’ groaned Aragorn. ‘Boro-

mir! I do not know what part you have played in this mischief,

but help now! Go after those two young hobbits, and guard

them at the least, even if you cannot find Frudeau. Come back

to this spot, if you find him, or any traces of him. I shall

return soon.’

,=,e ＼＿ヾ(ᐖ◞ ) ID: 08647f March 22, 2022, 3:45 p.m. No.15921060   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>1075

‘Where have you been, Boromir?’ asked Aragorn. ‘Have

you seen Frudeau?’

Boromir hesitated for a second. ‘Yes, and no,’ he answered

slowly. ‘Yes: I found him some way up the hill, and I spoke

to him. I urged him to come to Minas Tirith and not to go

east. I grew angry and he left me. He vanished. I have never

seen such a thing happen before, though I have heard of it

in tales. He must have put the Ring on. I could not find him

again. I thought he would return to you.’

‘Is that all that you have to say?’ said Aragorn, looking hard

and not too kindly at Boromir.

‘Yes,’ he answered. ‘I will say no more yet.’

‘This is bad!’ cried Sam, jumping up. ‘I don’t know what

this Man has been up to. Why should Mr. Frodo put the

thing on? He didn’t ought to have; and if he has, goodness

knows what may have happened!’

‘But he wouldn’t keep it on,’ said Merry. ‘Not when he

had escaped theunwelcome visitor, like Bilboused to.’

‘But where did he go? Where is he?’ cried Pippin. ‘He’s

been away ages now.’

‘How long is it since you saw Frodo last, Boromir?’ asked

Aragorn.

‘Half an hour, maybe,’ he answered. ‘Or it might be an

,=,e ＼＿ヾ(ᐖ◞ ) ID: 08647f March 22, 2022, 3:50 p.m. No.15921105   🗄️.is 🔗kun

seemed different so far away, in the Shire or in Rivendell. It

would be mad and cruel to let Frudeau go to Mordor. Why

can’t we stop him?’

‘We must stop him,’ said Pippin. ‘And that is what he is

worrying about, I am sure. He knows we shan’t agree to his

going east. And he doesn’t like to ask anyone to go with him,

poor old fellow. Imagine it: going off to Mordor alone!’

Pippin shuddered. ‘But the dear silly old hobbit, he ought to

know that he hasn’t got to ask. He ought to know that if we

can’t stop him, we shan’t leave him.’

‘Begging your pardon,’ said Sam. ‘I don’t think you under-

stand my master at all. He isn’t hesitating about which way

to go. Of course not! What’s the good of Minas Tirith

anyway? To him, I mean, begging your pardon, Master

Boromir,’ he added, and turned. It was then that they dis-

covered that Boromir, who at first had been sitting silent on

the outside of the circle, was no longer there.

‘Now where’s he got to?’ cried Sam, looking worried. ‘He’s

been a bit queer lately, to my mind. But anyway he’s not in

this business. He’s off to his home, as he always said; and no

blame to him. But Mr. Frudeau, he knows he’s got to find the

Cracks of Doom, if he can. But he’s afraid. Now it’s come to

the point, he’s just plain terrified. That’s what his trouble is.

Of course he’s had a bit of schooling, so to speak – we all

have – since we left home, or he’d be so terrified he’d just fling

the Ring in the River and bolt. But he’s still too frightened to

start. And he isn’t worrying about us either: whether we’ll go

along with him or no. He knows we mean to. That’s another

thing that’s bothering him. If he screws himself up to go, he’ll

want to go alone. Mark my words! We’re going to have

trouble when he comes back. For he’ll screw himself up all

right, as sure as his name’s Baggins.’

‘I believe you speak more wisely than any of us, Sam,’ said

Aragorn. ‘And what shall we do, if you prove right?’

‘Stop him! Don’t let him go!’ cried Pippin.

‘I wonder?’ said Aragorn. ‘He is the Bearer, and the fate

of the Burden is on him. I do not think that it is our part to