A warm, sunny morning awaited Frodo, as he woke up and decided to step outside, from where he could hear the faint sound of voices, mingling into a soft whisper. Gandalf and his Uncle Bilbo were sitting on the bench, smoking. Gandalf's horse was patiently waiting for him at the gate. This was a sign that Gandalf was now leaving. He had already been approaching Bag End when Frodo went outside to meet him last night. He could see his tall figure riding his horse uphill. He had missed Gandalf, and the thought of his sudden departure saddened him.

'Frodo, my lad!'

'Good morning, Uncle Bilbo!'

Gandalf turned aside to look at him, lowering his pipe and smiling. 'I fear you gave your friends quite a fright last night, my dear Frodo', he said. 'Neither of them dares to show their faces, even if it is morning, and even if there are people on the road', Gandalf added, opening his eyes wider, still smiling.

'They'll be here soon', Frodo answered. 'They are too anxious to see if you're still around, and if there is any sign of strange happenings.'

Bilbo nodded and stood up, straightening his back. He knew the two young hobbits very well, and Frodo was right, for not a whole half hour had passed until they saw Merry and Pippin making their way towards Bag End, with curious-looking faces and searching eyes.

'Gandalf!' Pippin exclaimed, running towards the gate, half surprised to see Gandalf there. After last night, they believed little could surprise them, although they feared the worst. 'Do you have news of…of the creature?' he said inquisitively, wringing his hands and lowering his voice as he uttered the last words.

'There are no creatures in the Shire, young Peregrin Took', Gandalf answered authoritatively. 'At least not now, and unless you make them up yourself'.

'Frodo!' Pippin said angrily, turning towards his cousin.

'You haven't figured that one yet, Pip?' Merry intervened, a smug look on his face.

'So, we're not in any real danger, Gandalf?'

'These borders are well protected', the old wizard looked at them, slowly raising his eyebrows as he spoke. He then sat pondering for a while, his gaze on the edge of the hills far away, distant and yet searching.

'If by well-protected you mean my cousin Merry and I, and Frodo here, then you couldn't be more right', Pippin declared. 'No harm could ever come to these lands, as long as we are here to defend it. Isn't that so, Merry?'

Frodo was looking at Gandalf intently. He thought he saw something in the wizard's expression, concern perhaps, yet he could not be sure. Only a mere feeling kept his gaze up, fixed on Gandalf's old face, half concealed by the shadow which his hat bestowed upon it, and the other half well covered by his long, grey beard.

'Don't you think you're overdoing it a bit, Pip? You weren't so eager to defend it last night,' Merry spoke aside to Pippin.

'Yes, but last night we were merely practicing.'

'But you didn't know that.'

'Maybe you want to tell Gandalf who was so afraid to go to his own place by himself, that he had to find lodgings in Tookborough Halls?'

'Yes, perhaps,' Gandalf said, talking more to himself than to the others, still looking into the distance. 'Perhaps you will have your own parts to play, before the story is over. And your courage will be needed before it all comes to an end. But for now you mustn't worry yourselves with these matters. There are other forces that dwell in Middle Earth, forces of good.'

Gandalf stood up and made for the gate, with the hobbits behind him.

'Now I must bid you farewell,' Gandalf added, mounting on his horse. 'The road awaits and there is not a moment to lose. Goodbye, for now!' Swiftly like the wind the dark horse started, and they watched the two, horse and his rider, as they made for the great unknown that lay beyond the borders of the Shire. They would pass through Bree by nightfall, were they to take that road at all, and what other places they would choose to see, the hobbits could not tell.

'Didn't Gandalf seem a bit odd?' Frodo asked, as they returned.

'Gandalf is always peculiar', Merry answered.

'A bit scary at times, if you ask me', a voice added. Frodo looked on his left, only to see Sam standing there, a pair of gardening scissors in his hands.

'Oh, beg your pardon Mr. Frodo. I didn't mean to intrude'.

'Don't worry Sam. Your opinion is always welcome', smiled Frodo.

'My old Gaffer always says, "stay away from trouble and no trouble will come to you". And if that Gandalf don't look like trouble, I don't know what does'.

'He always speaks in riddles', Pippin said. 'Like just now, what do you suppose he meant by that?'

'At least we know we are safe', Frodo answered.

'Yes, Frodo, what were you thinking of, scaring us like that?'

'Frodo wanted to get back at us for that little prank we pulled on him, Pip', Merry said.

'Yes', Pippin added as he started laughing, 'that was a mighty idea, waking him up in the middle of the night to see the elves passing by his doorstep'.

'I hope you've had your revenge now, Frodo', Merry said. 'I wasn't able to pick up any mushrooms yesterday'.

'Maybe we can go back there today? Frodo asked, but neither Merry nor Pippin looked eager to give in to this challenge.

'Maybe next time', Merry said at length. 'We'd better rest today'.

Pippin moved gently back and forth on his toes and heels, glancing aside to Merry.

'Coward', he said to him. Merry looked at him and burst into laughing. So did Frodo.