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not pleased with Sam； O no precious； not pleased at all。'
They finished； and Sam went off to the stream to rinse his gear。 As he
stood up to return； he looked back up the slope。 At that moment he saw the
sun rise out of the reek； or haze； or dark shadow； or whatever it was； that
lay ever to the east； and it sent its golden beams down upon the trees and
glades about him。 Then he noticed a thin spiral of blue…grey； smoke； plain
to see as it caught the sunlight； rising from a thicket above him。 With a
shock he realized that this was the smoke from his little cooking…fire；
which he had neglected to put out。
‘That won't do！ Never thought it would show like that！ ' he muttered；
and he started to hurry back。 Suddenly he halted and listened。 Had he heard
a whistle or not？ Or was it the call of some strange bird？ If it was a
whistle； it did not e from Frodo's direction。 There it went again from
another place！ Sam began to run as well as he could uphill。
He found that a small brand； burning away to its outer end； had kindled
some fern at the edge of the fire； and the fern blazing up had set the
turves smouldering。 Hastily he stamped out what was left of the fire；
scattered the ashes； and laid the turves on the hole。 Then he crept back to
Frodo。
'Did you hear a whistle； and what sounded like an answer？ ' he asked。
‘A few minutes back。 I hope it was only a bird； but it didn't sound quite
like that： more like somebody mimicking a bird…call； I thought。 And I'm
afraid my bit of fire's been smoking。 Now if I've gone and brought trouble；
I'll never forgive myself。 Nor won't have a chance； maybe！ '
‘Hush！ ' whispered Frodo。 ‘I thought I heard voices。'
The two hobbits trussed their small packs； put them on ready for
flight； and then crawled deeper into the fern。 There they crouched
listening。
There was no doubt of the voices。 They were speaking low and furtively；
but they were near； and ing nearer。 Then quite suddenly one spoke clearly
close at hand。
‘Here！ Here is where the smoke came from！ ' it said。 ‘'Twill be nigh at
hand。 In the fern； no doubt。 We shall have it like a coney in a trap。 Then
we shall learn what kind of thing it is。'
‘Aye； and what it knows！ ' said a second voice。
At once four men came striding through the fern from different
directions。 Since flight and hiding were no longer possible； Frodo and Sam
sprang to their feet； putting back to back and whipping out their small
swords。
If they were astonished at what they saw； their captors were even more
astonished。 Four tall Men stood there。 Two had spears in their hands with
broad bright heads。 Two had great bows； almost of their own height； and
great quivers of long green…feathered arrows。 All had swords at their sides；
and were clad in green and brown of varied hues； as if the better to walk
unseen in the glades of Ithilien。 Green gauntlets covered their hands； and
their faces were hooded and masked with green； except for their eyes； which
were very keen and bright。 At once Frodo thought of Boromir； for these Men
were like him in stature and bearing； and in their manner of speech。
‘We have not found what we sought；' said one。 ‘But what have we found？
'
'Not Orcs；' said another； releasing the hilt of his sword； which he had
seized when he saw the glitter of Sting in Frodo's hand。
‘Elves？ ' said a third； doubtfully。
‘Nay！ Not Elves；' said the fourth； the tallest； and as it appeared the
chief among them。 ‘Elves do not walk in Ithilien in these days。 And Elves
are wondrous fair to look upon； or so 'tis said。'
'Meaning we're not； I take you；' said Sam。 ‘Thank you kindly。 And when
you've finished discussing us； perhaps you'll say who you are； and why you
can't let two tired travellers rest。'
The tall green man laughed grimly。 ‘I am Faramir； Captain of Gondor；'
he said。 ‘But there are no travellers in this land： only the servants of the
Dark Tower； or of the White。'
‘But we are neither；' said Frodo。 ‘And travellers we are； whatever
Captain Faramir may say。'
'Then make haste to declare yourselves and your errand；' said Faramir。
'We have a work to do； and this is no time or place for riddling or
parleying。 e！ Where is the third of your pany？ '
‘The third？ '
'Yes； the skulking fellow that we saw with his nose in the pool down
yonder。 He had an ill…favoured look。 Some spying breed of Orc； I guess； or a
creature of theirs。 But he gave us the slip by some fox…trick。'
'I do not know where he is；' said Frodo。 'He is only a chance panion
met upon our road； and I am not answerable for him。 If you e on him；
spare him。 Bring him or send him to us。 He is only a wretched gangrel
creature； but I have him under my care for a while。 But as for us； we are
Hobbits of the Shire； far to the North and West； beyond many rivers。 Frodo
son of Drogo is my name； and with me is Samwise son of Hamfast； a worthy
hobbit in my service。 We have e by long ways out of Rivendell； or
Imladris as some call it。' Here Faramir started and grew intent。 'Seven
panions we had： one we lost at Moria； the others we left at Parth Galen
above Rauros： two of my kin； a Dwarf there was also； and an Elf； and two
Men。 They were Aragorn； and Boromir； who said that he came out of Minas
Tirith； a city in the South。'
'Boromir！ ' all the four men exclaimed。
'Boromir son of the Lord Denethor？' said Faramir； and a strange stern
look came into his face。 'You came with him？ That is news indeed； if it be
true。 Know； little strangers； that Boromir son of Denethor was High Warden
of the White Tower； and our Captain…General： sorely do we miss him。 Who are
you then； and what had you to do with him？ Be swift； for the Sun is
climbing！'
'Are the riddling words known to you that Boromir brought to Rivendell？
' Frodo replied。
Seek for the Sword that was Broken。
In Imladris it dwells。
'The words are known indeed；' said Faramir in astonishment。 ‘It is some
token of your truth that you also know them。'
‘Aragorn whom I named is the bearer of the Sword that was Broken；' said
Frodo。 'And we are the Halflings that the rhyme spoke of。'
‘That I see；' said Faramir thoughtfully。 ‘Or I see that it might be so。
And what is Isildur's Bane？ '
‘That is hidden；' answered Frodo。 ‘Doubtless it will be made clear in
time。'
‘We must learn more of this；' said Faramir； ‘and know what brings you
so far east under the shadow of yonder；' he pointed and said no name。 'But
not now。 We have business in hand。 You are in peril。 and you would not have
gone far by field or road this day。 There will be hard handstrokes nigh at
hand ere the day is full。 Then death； or swift flight bark to Anduin。 I will
leave two to guard you； for your good and for mine。 Wise man trusts not to
chance…meeting on the road in this land。 If I return；