Merry came back to the table with a pint of ale. The one pint soon
became three...then four...The whole time Merry had been guzzling pint
after pint, Pippin had been trying to eat the whole apple pie. Frodo, who
usually would have laughed at his cousins for this behavior, was quite
pleased. With Merry being too drunk to even dance on the tables it would
be much easier to keep Pippin from drinking.
Pippin finally returned to the table and sat down. Merry hiccuped. Sam stared at Rosie, who was...suddenly Frodo gasped. She was coming towards the table. Frodo knew Pippin all too well. He would ask for a drink. Frodo thought quickly. He could try to divert Pippin's attention again, but that might not work. He looked all around the pub for something, anything, that would stop Rosie from coming this way. His eyes rested on Sam and suddenly he had an idea. Frodo quickly slid out of his seat and grabbed Sam by the arm. "Go on, Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance!" And with that, he pulled Sam to his feet and pushed him in Rosie's direction.
Lotho scowled. This was far too easy for Frodo. There was no way Lotho was giving up even one of his precious mushrooms to Frodo, who he thought was an inconsiderate, terribly strange know-it-all, who's too perfect for his own good. Right then and there Lotho decided not to let that happen. He had a few good tricks up his sleeve.
As Sam danced Merrily with Rosie, Merry hiccuped and giggled, and Pippin watched Sam and Rosie, laughing at Sam occasionally for stepping on Rosie's feet, Frodo began planning what to do next. One half-pint surely wouldn't hurt Pippin any. Perhaps he should let him have one, so he wouldn't become too suspicious. "Would you like an Ale?"
"Would I!" exclaimed Pippin, as he got out his coin pouch. "Don't be silly, Pip. It's my treat! Say, is that the pouch you got in Tookborough?"
"Thank you, cousin Frodo! And yes, it is." Pippin replied quite thankfully. Frodo smiled. "May I have a look at it?" he inquired.
"Sure!" Pippin handed him the pouch eagerly, ready to do anything for someone who wanted to buy him an Ale. Frodo took the pouch and began examining it, as if extremely interested. "Oh yes, I almost forgot about the Ale! Be right back." He slipped out of his seat and went up to the counter. "May I help you, lad?" asked the fat Hobbit behind the counter. "Yes," replied Frodo "Two Ale's please" The bartender handed him two over- flowing mugs. "Thank you" said Frodo as he took them back to the table.
Pippin began drinking gladly. Frodo quietly slipped the pouch under the table, emptied it's contents into his hand, and placed the coins into his left pocket. He planned to return the coins to Pippin later that night, but for now it was a sure way to keep Pippin from buying another drink. Frodo continued to inspect the pouch with great interest.
When Pippin finished his Ale Frodo handed the coin pouch back to him. Fortunately Pippin didn't notice how light it was and put it back into his vest pocket. Merry passed out on the table. Frodo smiled and sat back to relax. This was going to be much easier than he had thought.
Lotho began to form several plans in his mind. They couldn't be in the least bit obvious or he knew Frodo, being the clever Hobbit he was, would suspect something. Lotho thought and thought for the perfect solution. Finally, it came to him. Lotho slid out of his seat and went to put his plan into action.
Pippin finally returned to the table and sat down. Merry hiccuped. Sam stared at Rosie, who was...suddenly Frodo gasped. She was coming towards the table. Frodo knew Pippin all too well. He would ask for a drink. Frodo thought quickly. He could try to divert Pippin's attention again, but that might not work. He looked all around the pub for something, anything, that would stop Rosie from coming this way. His eyes rested on Sam and suddenly he had an idea. Frodo quickly slid out of his seat and grabbed Sam by the arm. "Go on, Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance!" And with that, he pulled Sam to his feet and pushed him in Rosie's direction.
Lotho scowled. This was far too easy for Frodo. There was no way Lotho was giving up even one of his precious mushrooms to Frodo, who he thought was an inconsiderate, terribly strange know-it-all, who's too perfect for his own good. Right then and there Lotho decided not to let that happen. He had a few good tricks up his sleeve.
As Sam danced Merrily with Rosie, Merry hiccuped and giggled, and Pippin watched Sam and Rosie, laughing at Sam occasionally for stepping on Rosie's feet, Frodo began planning what to do next. One half-pint surely wouldn't hurt Pippin any. Perhaps he should let him have one, so he wouldn't become too suspicious. "Would you like an Ale?"
"Would I!" exclaimed Pippin, as he got out his coin pouch. "Don't be silly, Pip. It's my treat! Say, is that the pouch you got in Tookborough?"
"Thank you, cousin Frodo! And yes, it is." Pippin replied quite thankfully. Frodo smiled. "May I have a look at it?" he inquired.
"Sure!" Pippin handed him the pouch eagerly, ready to do anything for someone who wanted to buy him an Ale. Frodo took the pouch and began examining it, as if extremely interested. "Oh yes, I almost forgot about the Ale! Be right back." He slipped out of his seat and went up to the counter. "May I help you, lad?" asked the fat Hobbit behind the counter. "Yes," replied Frodo "Two Ale's please" The bartender handed him two over- flowing mugs. "Thank you" said Frodo as he took them back to the table.
Pippin began drinking gladly. Frodo quietly slipped the pouch under the table, emptied it's contents into his hand, and placed the coins into his left pocket. He planned to return the coins to Pippin later that night, but for now it was a sure way to keep Pippin from buying another drink. Frodo continued to inspect the pouch with great interest.
When Pippin finished his Ale Frodo handed the coin pouch back to him. Fortunately Pippin didn't notice how light it was and put it back into his vest pocket. Merry passed out on the table. Frodo smiled and sat back to relax. This was going to be much easier than he had thought.
Lotho began to form several plans in his mind. They couldn't be in the least bit obvious or he knew Frodo, being the clever Hobbit he was, would suspect something. Lotho thought and thought for the perfect solution. Finally, it came to him. Lotho slid out of his seat and went to put his plan into action.