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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 too bad； Sam；' said the farmer。 'They dug up Bagshot Row； and that
was a sad blow to him。 He's in one of them new houses that the Chief's Men used to build while
they still did any work other than burning and thieving： not above a mile from the end of Bywater。
But he es around to me； when he gets a chance； and I see he's better fed than some of the poor
bodies。 All against _The Rules_； of course。 I'd have had him with me； but that wasn't allowed。'
'Thank'ee indeed； Mr。 Cotton； and I'll never forget it；' said Sam。 'But I want to see him。 That
Boss and that Sharkey； as they spoke of； they might do a mischief up there before the morning。'
'All right； Sam；' said Cotton。 'Choose a lad or two； and go and fetch him to my house。 You'll not
have need to go near the old Hobbiton village over Water。 My Jolly here will show you。'
Sam went off。 Merry arranged for look…outs round the village and guards at the barriers during
the night。 Then he and Frodo went off with Farmer Cotton。 They sat with the family in the warm
kitchen； and the Cottons asked a f