the return of the king-第61章
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ringing into the sky。 Far over hill and field it echoed； and so pelling was that call that Sam
himself almost turned and dashed back。 His pony reared and neighed。
'On； lad！ On！' he cried。 'We'll be going back soon。'
Then he heard Merry change the note； and up went the Horn…cry of Buckland； shaking the air。
_Awake！ Awake！ Fear； Fire； Foes！ Awake！
Fire； Foes！ Awake！_
Behind him Sam heard a hubbub of voices and a great din and slamming of doors。 In front of
him lights sprang out in the gloaming； dogs barked； feet came running。 Before he got to the lane's
end there was Farmer Cotton with three of his lads； Young Tom； Jolly； and Nick； hurrying towards
him。 They had axes in their hands； and barred the way。
'Nay！ It's not one of them ruffians；' Sam heard the farmer say。 'It's a hobbit by the size of it； but
all dressed up queer。 Hey！' he cried。 'Who are you； and what's all this to…do？'
'It's Sam； Sam Gamgee。 I've e back。'
Farmer Cotton came up close and stared at him in the twilight。 'Well！' he exclaimed。 'The voice
is right； and your face is no worse than it was； Sam。 But I should a' passed you in the street in that
gear。 You've been in foreign parts； seemingly。 We feared you were dead。'
'That I ain't！' said Sam。 'Nor Mr。 Frodo。 He's here and his friends。 And that's the to…do。 They're
raising the Shire。 We're going to clear out these ruffians； and their Chief too。 We're starting now。'
'Good； good！' cried Farmer Cotton。 'So it's begun at last！ I've been itching for trouble all this
year； but folks wouldn't help。 And I've had the wife and Rosie to think of。 These ruffians don't stick
at nothing。 But e on now； lads！ Bywater is up！ We must be in it！'
'What about Mrs。 Cotton and Rosie？' said Sam。 'It isn't safe yet for them to be left all alone。'
'My Nibs is with them。 But you can go and help him； if you have a mind；' said Farmer Cotton
with a grin。 Then he and his sons ran off towards the village。
Sam hurried to the house。 By the large round door at the top of the steps from the wide yard
stood Mrs。 Cotton and Rosie； and Nibs in front of them grasping a hay…fork。
'It's me！' shouted Sam as he trotted up。 'Sam Gamgee！ So don't try prodding me； Nibs。 Anyway；
I've a mail…shirt on me。'
He jumped down from his pony and went up the steps。 They stared at him in silence。 'Good
evening； Mrs。 Cotton！' he said。 'Hullo Rosie！'
'Hullo； Sam！' said Rosie。 'Where've you been I They said you were dead； but I've been expecting
you since the Spring。 You haven't hurried have you？'
'Perhaps not；' said Sam abashed。 'But I'm hurrying now。 We're setting about the ruffians； and I've
got to get back to Mr。 Frodo。 But I thought I'd have a look and see how Mrs。 Cotton was keeping；
and you； Rosie。'
'We're keeping nicely； thank you；' said Mrs。 Cotton。 'Or should be； if it weren't for these thieving
ruffians。'
'Well； be off with you！' said Rosie。 'If you've been looking after Mr。 Frodo all this while； what
d'you want to leave him for； as soon as things look dangerous？'
This was too much for Sam。 It needed a week's answer； or none。 He turned away and mounted
his pony。 But as he started off； Rosie ran down the steps。
'I think you look fine； Sam；' she said。 'Go on now！ But take care of yourself； and e straight
back as soon as you have settled the ruffians！'
When Sam got back he found the whole village roused。 Already； apart from many younger lads；
more than a hundred sturdy hobbits were assembled with axes； and heavy hammers； and long
knives； and stout staves： and a few had hunting…bows。 More were still ing in from outlying
farms。
Some of the village…folk had lit a large fire； just to enliven things； and also because it was one of
the things forbidden by the Chief。 It burned bright as night came on。 Others at Merry's orders were
setting up barriers across the road at each end of the village。 When the Shirriffs came up to the
lower one they were dumbfounded； but as soon as they saw how things were； most of them took off
their feathers and joined in the revolt。 The others slunk away。
Sam found Frodo and his friends by the fire talking to old Tom Cotton； while an admiring crowd
of Bywater folk stood round and stared。
'Well； what's the next move？' said Farmer Cotton。
'I can't say；' said Frodo； 'until I know more。 How many of these ruffians are there？'
'That's hard to tell；' said Cotton。 'They moves about and es and goes。 There's sometimes fifty
of them in their sheds up Hobbiton way； but they go out from there roving round； thieving or
〃gathering〃 as they call it。 Still there's seldom less than a score round the Boss； as they names him。
He's at Bag End； or was； but he don't go outside the rounds now。 No one s seen him at all； in fact；
for a week or two； but the Men don't let no one go near。'
'Hobbiton's not their only place； is it？' said Pippin。
'No； more's the pity；' said Cotton。 'There's a good few down south in Longbottom and by Sarn
Ford； I hear； and some more lurking in the Woody End； and they've sheds at Waymeet。 And then
there's the Lockholes； as they call 'em： the old storage…tunnels at Michel Delving that they've made
into prisons for those as stand up to them。 Still I reckon there's not above three hundred of them in
the Shire all told； and maybe less。 We can master them； if we stick together。'
'Have they got any weapons？' asked Merry。
'Whips； knives； and clubs； enough for their dirty work： that's all they've showed so far；' said
Cotton。 'But I dare say they've got other gear； if it es to fighting。 Some have bows； anyway。
They've shot one or two of our folk。'
'There you are； Frodo！' said Merry。 'I knew we should have to fight。 Well； they started the
killing。'
'Not exactly；' said Cotton。 'Leastways not the shooting。 Tooks started that。 You see our dad Mr。
Peregrin； he's never had no truck with this Lotho； not from the beginning： said that if anyone was
going to play the chief at this time of day； it would be the right Thain of the Shire and no upstart。
And when Lotho sent his Men they got no change out of him。 Tooks are lucky； they've got those
deep holes in the Green Hills； the Great Smials and all； and the ruffians can't e at 'em； and they
won't let the ruffians e on their land。 If they do； Tooks hunt 'em。 Tooks shot three for prowling
and robbing。 After that the ruffians turned nastier。 And they keep a pretty close watch on Tookland。
No one gets in nor out of it now。'
'Good for the Tooks！' cried Pippin。 'But someone is going to get in again； now。 I am off to the
Smials。 Anyone ing with me to Tuckborough？'
Pippin rode off with half a dozen lads on ponies。 'See you soon！' he cried。 'It's only fourteen
miles or so over the fields。 I'll bring you back an army of Tooks in the morning。' Merry blew a
horn…call after them as they rode off into the gathering night。 The people cheered。
'All the same；' said Frodo to all those who stood near； 'I wish for no killing； not even of the
ruffians； unless it must be done； to prevent them from hurting hobbits。'
'All right！' said Merry。 'But we shall be having a visit from the Hobbiton gang any time now； I
think。 They won't e just to talk things over。 We'll try to deal with them neatly； but we must be
prepared for the worst。 Now I've got a plan。'
'Very good；' said Frodo。 'You make the arrangements。'
Just then some hobbits； who had been sent out towards Hobbiton； came running in。 'They're
ing！' they said。 'A score or more。 But two have gone off west across country。'
'To Waymeet； that'll be；' said Cotton； 'to fetch more of the gang。 Well； it's fifteen mile each way。
We needn't trouble about them just yet。'
Merry hurried off to give orders。 Farmer Cotton cleared the street； sending everyone indoors；
except the older hobbits who had weapons of some sort。 They had not long to wait。 Soon they could
hear loud voices； and then the tramping of heavy feet。 Presently a whole squad of the ruffians came
down the road。 They saw the barrier and laughed。 They did not imagine that there was anything in
this little land that would stand up to twenty of their kind together。
The hobbits opened the barrier and stood aside。 'Thank you！' the Men jeered。 'Now run home to
bed before you're whipped。' Then they marched along the street shouting： 'Put those lights out！ Get
indoors and stay there！ Or we'll take fifty of you to the Lockholes for a year。 Get in！ The Boss is
losing his temper。'
No one paid any heed to their orders； but as the ruffians passed； they closed in quietly behind
and followed them。 When the Men reached the fire there was Farmer Cotton standing all alone
warming his hands。
'Who are you； and what d'you think you're doing？' said the ruffian…leader。
Farmer Cotton looked at him slowly。 'I was just going to ask you that；' he said。 'This isn't your
country； and you're not wanted。'
'Well； you're wanted anyhow；' said the leader。 'We want you。 Take him lads！ Lockholes for him；
and give him something to keep him quiet！'
The Men took one step forward and stopped short。 There rose a roar of voices all round them；
and suddenly they were aware that Farmer Cotton was not all alone。 They were surrounded。 In the
dark on the edge of the firelight stood a ring of hobbits that had crept up out of the shadows。 There
was nearly two hundred of them； all holding some weapon。
Merry stepped forward。 'We have met before；' he said to the leader； 'and I warned you not to
e back here。 I warn you again： you are standing in the light and you are covered by archers。 If
you lay a finger on this farmer； or on anyone else； you will be shot at once。 Lay down any weapons
that you have！'
The leader looked round。 He was trapped。 But he was not scared； not now with a score of his
fellows to back him。 He knew too little of hobbits to understand his peril。 Foolishly he decided to
fight。 It would be easy to break out。
'At 'em lads！' he cried。 'Let 'em have it！'
With a long knife in his left hand and a club in the other he made a rush at the ring； trying to
burst out back towards Hobbiton。 He aimed a savage blow at Merry who stood in his way。 He fell
dead with four arrows in him：
That was enough for the others。 They gave in。 Their weapons were taken from them； and they
were roped together； and marched off to an empty hut that they had built themselves； and there they
were tied hand and foot； and locked up under guard。 The dead leader was dragged off and buried。
'Seems almost too easy after all； don't it？' said Cotton。 'I said we could master them。 But we
needed a call。 You came back in the nick o' time； Mr。 Merry。'
'There's more to be done still；' said Merry。 'If you're right in your reckoning； we haven't dealt
with a tithe of them yet。 But it's dark now。 I think the next stroke must wait until morning。 Then we
must call on the Chief。'
'Why not now？' said Sam。 'It's not much more than six o'clock。 And I want to see my gaffer。
D'you know what's e of him； Mr。 Cotton？'
'He's not too well； and not to
