Several hobbits sit at a table making a lot of noise and surrounded by empty mugs and plates.
"Did you hear what the Gaffer said happened?" Rosamund says.
"I haven't heard about the Gaffer in a long time how's the old boy doing?" Arnoul asks.
"He's doing good but I think he's going senile."
"Why's that?" Lorga asks.
"He was telling me about some strange things he had seen happen at bag end," Rosamund says.
"Wait let me guess," Arnoul says "he was telling you about Mad Old Bilbo disappearing in front of his eyes. I've heard that one before."
"I wasn't talking about that," Rosamund says "but think about it nobody has seen the old baggins since his birthday party."
"Even the old Gaffer doesn't know where he is," Lorga says.
"If it's not that story what else is old Hamfast saying?" Arnoul asks.
"He says one of the tall folk asked him about the Baggins when Frodo and Samwise were gone," Rosamund says.
"Tall folk are always running around the Shire."
"This one wore a black cloak and had a hood pulled down to completely hide his face."
"That is strange," Arnoul says "but the tall folk do all kinds of odd things."
"Old Gaffer said this one spoke in a wierd way and hissed at him when he told the man Frodo wasn't home."
"I've never heard a tall man hiss before," Lorga says.
"Maybe the Gaffer is just starting to lose his hearing," Arnoul says.
"That's possible," Rosamund says "at his age that's bound to be happening. The Gaffer also said that it felt like the temperature dropped when the man was nearby."
"Now we know he's making stuff up," Arnoul says.
"He's just a tired old man getting cold chills," Lorga says.
"Show the Gaffer more respect," Rosamund scolds the two men with her.
"Sorry Rosamund," both men say at once.
"The Gaffer said that after his son left to attend to Frodo the gray wizard himself appeared," Rosamund says. "The wizard told him that Sam would have a long road that needed to be traveled."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Arnoul asks.
"I have no idea."