Chapter One

Children?

Frodo and Sam were struggling on to Mordor (especially Frodo), and Sam was just about ready to give him a piggy back ride when up ahead of them they saw a town.

Sam was the one who saw it first.

"Cool," he said. "Maybe we can bring Frodo some place and let him sleep for a few decades."

Sticking Frodo on his back he went as fast as his legs could carry him.

Entering into the town he saw lots of Big People in funny hats. One guy spotted them, and mistook them for children.

"Orphans? Hank? You think they're orphans?"

"Yeah, prob'ly. No ma or pa, poor little tykes. Well, maybe 'Lizbeth can take 'em."

"Well Jim, 'Lizbeth is yer wife and you got kids. I want 'em."

"Well, we gotta give 'em a chance to get used to this place—Look, the big brother is carryin' his little brother."

"Howdy partners!" Jim said as they drew near.

Sam hadn't noticed them, and so the voice startled him. "Whoah!"

Stumbling with Frodo he looked up, and saw Hank and Jim bending over them.

"Them's kids alright!"

"Yeah shouldn't be too soft on 'em though."

"Yeah well Jim you can bring 'em to 'Lizbeth, they need a place to stay anyway."

Sam opened an eye.

"We aren't kids! Can't you see?"

"Hahahaha!" The two men shook with laughter. "Come on Hank, let's bring 'em to 'Lizbeth. They don't look too well. 'Specially the younger one."

Frodo was half asleep, and he obviously thought Sam was still carrying him.

"Sam?" He whispered. "Sam?"

"I'm over here Mr. Frodo, wherever here is. Somebody is carrying us."

A few minutes later they heard a door open, and a girl ran out.

"PAPA! PAPA! Who ya brung?"

"I got a coupl'a boys. Prob'ly 'bout 13 or 14, somethin' like that."

Then they heard a woman's voice above the noise of the other kids.

"Jim? Who are them kids ya got with ya?"

"I don't rightly know 'Lizbeth. They haven't given no names yet."

"Well, bring 'em on in, we'll see what we can do for 'em!"

Frodo and Sam were placed on soft cushiony beds, and 'Lizbeth went to warm up some tea.

"They're too young fer coffee, 'Lizbeth," Jim said.

"Much too young fer beer," Hank pointed out.

The younger kids crowded around Sam's bed, and would have done the same to Frodo but he was asleep.

They showered poor Sam with questions:

"What's yer name?"

"How old are ya?"

"Where ya from?"

"Who's yer pa?"

"Are you an orphan?"

"Do you have any brothers?"

"Do you have any sisters?"

"Who's yer ma?"

"Do you go to school?"

"Are you a cowboy?"

Finally 'Lizbeth shooed them outside, and Sam fell asleep.