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it again into a loose bracelet of two loops and slipped it over his hands。
Then he lay very still。
'Pick up those prisoners！' shouted Ugl甼。 'Don't play any tricks with
them！ If they are not alive when we get back； someone else will die too。'
An Orc seized Pippin like a sack。 put its head between his tied hands；
grabbed his arms and dragged them down； until Pippin's face was crushed
against its neck； then it jolted off with him。 Another treated Merry in the
same way。 The Orc's clawlike hand gripped Pippin's arms like iron； the nails
bit into him。 He shut his eyes and slipped back into evil dreams。
Suddenly he was thrown on to the stony floor again。 It was early night；
but the slim moon was already falling westward。 They were on the edge of a
cliff that seemed to look out over a sea of pale mist。 There was a sound of
water falling nearby。
'The scouts have e back at last；' said an Orc close at hand。
'Well； what did you discover？' growled the voice of Ugl甼。
'Only a single horseman； and he made off westwards。 All's clear now。'
'Now； I daresay。 But how long？ You fools！ You should have shot him。
He'll raise the alarm。 The cursed horsebreeders will hear of us by morning。
Now we'll have to leg it double quick。'
A shadow bent over Pippin。 It was Ugl甼。 'Sit up！' said the Orc。 'My
lads are tired of lugging you about。 We have got to climb down and you must
use your legs。 Be helpful now。 No crying out； no trying to escape。 We have
ways of paying for tricks that you won't like； though they won't spoil your
usefulness for the Master。'
He cut the thongs round Pippin's legs and ankles； picked him up by his
hair and stood him on his feet。 Pippin fell down； and Ugl甼 dragged him up
by his hair again。 Several Orcs laughed。 Ugl甼 thrust a flask between his
teeth and poured some burning liquid down his throat： he felt a hot fierce
glow flow through him。 The pain in his legs and ankles vanished。 He could
stand。
'Now for the other！' said Ugl甼。 Pippin saw him go to Merry； who was
lying close by； and kick him。 Merry groaned。 Seizing him roughly Ugl甼
pulled him into a sitting position； and tore the bandage off his head。 Then
he smeared the wound with some dark stuff out of a small wooden box。 Merry
cried out and struggled wildly。
The Orcs clapped and hooted。 'Can't take his medicine；' they jeered。
'Doesn't know what's good for him。 Ai！ We shall have some fun later。'
But at the moment Ugl甼 was not engaged in sport。 He needed speed and
had to humour unwilling followers。 He was healing Merry in orc…fashion； and
his treatment worked swiftly。 When he had forced a drink from his flask down
the hobbit's throat； cut his leg…bonds； and dragged him to his feet； Merry
stood up； looking pale but grim and defiant； and very much alive。 The gash
in his forehead gave him no more trouble； but he bore a brown scar to the
end of his days。
'Hullo； Pippin！' he said。 'So you've e on this little expedition；
too？ Where do we get bed and breakfast？'
'Now then！' said Ugl甼。 'None of that！ Hold your tongues。 No talk to
one another。 Any trouble will be reported at the other end； and He'll know
how to pay you。 You'll get bed and breakfast all right： more than you can
stomach。'
The orc…band began to descend a narrow ravine leading down into the
misty plain below。 Merry and Pippin； separated by a dozen Orcs or more；
climbed down with them。 At the bottom they stepped on to grass； and the
hearts of the hobbits rose。
'Now straight on！' shouted Ugl甼。 'West and a little north。 Follow
Lugdush。'
'But what are we going to do at sunrise？' said some of the Northerners。
'Go on running；' said Ugl甼。 'What do you think？ Sit on the grass and
wait for the Whiteskins to join the picnic？'
'But we can't run in the sunlight。'
'You'll run with me behind you；' said Ugl甼。 'Run！ Or you'll never see
your beloved holes again。 By the White Hand！ What's the use of sending out
mountain…maggots on a trip； only half trained。 Run； curse you！ Run while
night lasts！'
Then the whole pany began to run with the long loping strides of
Orcs。 They kept no order； thrusting； jostling； and cursing； yet their speed
was very great。 Each hobbit had a guard of three。 Pippin was far back in the
line。 He wondered how long he would be able to go on at this pace： he had
had no food since the morning。 One of his guards had a whip。 But at present
the orc…liquor was still hot in him。 His wits； too； were wide…awake。
Every now and again there came into his mind unbidden a vision of the
keen face of Strider bending over a dark trail； and running； running behind。
But what could even a Ranger see except a confused trail of orc…feet？ His
own little prints and Merry's were overwhelmed by the trampling of the
iron…shod shoes before them and behind them and about them。
They had gone only a mile or so from the cliff when the land sloped
down into a wide shallow depression； where the ground was soft and wet。 Mist
lay there； pale…glimmering in the last rays of the sickle moon。 The dark
shapes of the Orcs in front grew dim； and then were swallowed up。
'Ai！ Steady now！' shouted Ugl甼 from the rear。
A sudden thought leaped into Pippin's mind； and he acted on it at once。
He swerved aside to the right； and dived out of the reach of his clutching
guard； headfirst into the mist； he landed sprawling on the grass。
'Halt！' yelled Ugl甼。
There was for a moment turmoil and confusion。 Pippin sprang up and ran。
But the Orcs were after him。 Some suddenly loomed up right in front of him。
'No hope of escape！' thought Pippin。 'But there is a hope that I have
left some of my own marks unspoilt on the wet ground。' He groped with his
two tied hands at his throat； and unclasped the brooch of his cloak。 Just as
long arms and hard claws seized him。 he let it fall。 'There I suppose it
will lie until the end of time；' he thought。 'I don't know why I did it。 If
the others have escaped； they've probably all gone with Frodo。'
A whip…thong curled round his legs； and he stifled a cry。
'Enough！' shouted Ugl甼 running up。 'He's still got to run a long way
yet。 Make 'em both run！ Just use the whip as a reminder。'
'But that's not all；' he snarled； turning to Pippin。 'I shan't forget。
Payment is only put off。 Leg it！'
Neither Pippin nor Merry remembered much of the later part of the
journey。 Evil dreams and evil waking were blended into a long tunnel of
misery； with hope growing ever fainter behind。 They ran； and they ran；
striving to keep up the pace set by the Orcs； licked every now and again
with a cruel thong cunningly handled。 If they halted or stumbled； they were
seized and dragged for some distance。
The warmth of the orc…draught had gone。 Pippin felt cold and sick
again。 Suddenly he fell face downward on the turf。 Hard hands with rendin