Властелин колец: Возвращение короля

           Hewasinhighspirits."TheThainhasraisedallourcountry,"hesaid,"andthenewsisgoinglikefireallways.Theruffiansthatwerewatchingourlandhavefledoffsouth,thosethatescapedalive.TheThainhasgoneafterthem,toholdoffthebiggangdownthatway;buthe’ssentMrPeregrinbackwithalltheotherfolkhecanspare."

           Thenextnewswaslessgood.Merry,whohadbeenoutallnight,cameridinginaboutteno’clock."There’sabigbandaboutfourmilesaway,"hesaid."They’recomingalongtheroadfromWaymeet,butagoodmanystrayruffianshavejoinedupwiththem.Theremustbecloseonahundredofthem;andthey’refire-raisingastheycome.Cursethem!"

           "Ah!Thislotwon’tstaytotalk,they’llkill,iftheycan,"saidFarmerCotton."IfTooksdon’tcomesooner,we’dbestgetbehindcoverandshootwithoutarguing.There’sgottobesomefightingbeforethisissettled,Mr.Frodo."

           TheTooksdidcomesooner.Beforelongtheymarchedin,ahundredstrong,fromTuckboroughandtheGreenHillswithPippinattheirhead.Merrynowhadenoughsturdyhobbitrytodealwiththeruffians.Scoutsreportedthattheywerekeepingclosetogether.Theyknewthatthecountrysidehadrisenagainstthem,andplainlymeanttodealwiththerebellionruthlessly,atitscentreinBywater.Buthowevergrimthey,mightbe,theyseemedtohavenoleaderamongthemwhounderstoodwarfare.Theycameonwithoutanyprecautions.Merrylaidhisplansquickly.