The hobbits looked anxiously at the distant hills。 Sam looked up into thepale sky； fearing to see hawks or eagles hovering over them with bright
unfriendly eyes。 'You do make me feel unfortable and lonesome； Strider！' he
said。
'What do you advise us to do？' asked Frodo。
'I think；' answered Strider slowly； as if he was not quite sure； 'I thinkthe best thing is to go as straight eastward from here as we can； to make forthe line of hills； not for Weathertop。 There we can strike a path I know thatruns at their feet； it will bring us to Weathertop from the north and lessopenly。 Then we shall see what we shall see。'
All that day they plodded along； until the cold and early evening camedown。 The land became drier and more barren； but mists and vapours lay behindthem on the marshes。 A few melancholy birds were piping and wailing； until theround red sun sank slowly into the western shadows； then an empty silencefell。 The hobbits thought of the soft light of sunset glancing through thecheerful windows of Bag End far away。
At the day's end they came to a stream that wandered down from the hillsto lose itself in the stagnant marshland； and they went up along its bankswhile the light lasted。 It was already night when at last they halted and madetheir camp under some stunted alder…trees by the shores of the stream。 Aheadthere loomed now against the dusky sky the bleak and treeless backs of thehills。 That night they set a watch； and Strider； it seemed； did not sleep atall。 The moon was waxing； and in the early night…hours a cold grey light layon the land。
Next morning they set out again soon after sunrise。 There was a frost inthe air； and the sky was a pale clear blue。 The hobbits felt refreshed； as ifthey had had a night of unbroken sleep。 Already they were getting used to muchwalking on short mons – shorter at any rate than what in the Shire theywould have thought barely enough to keep them on their legs。 Pippin declaredthat Frodo was looking twice the hobbit that he had been。
'Very odd；' said Frodo； tightening his belt； 'considering that there isactually a good deal less of me。 I hope the thinning process will not go onindefinitely； or I shall bee a wraith。'
'Do not speak of such things！' said Strider quickly； and with surprisingearnestness。
The hills drew nearer。 They made an undulating ridge； often rising almostto a thousand feet； and here and there falling again to low clefts or passesleading into the eastern land beyond。 Along the crest of the ridge the hobbitscould see what looked to be the remains of green…grown walls and dikes； and inthe clefts there still stood the ruins of old works of stone。 By night theyhad reached the feet of the westward slopes； and there they camped。 It was thenight of the fifth of October； and they were six days out from Bree。
In the morning they found； for the first time since they had left theChetwood； a track plain to see。 They turned right and followed it southwards。
It ran cunningly； taking a line that seemed chosen so as to keep as muchhidden as possible from the view； both of the hill…tops above and of the flatsto the west。 It dived into dells； and hugged steep banks； and where it passedover flatter and more open ground on either side of it there were lines oflarge boulders and hewn stones that screened the travellers almost like ahedge。
'I wonder who made this path； and what for；' said Merry； as they walkedalong one of these avenues； where the stones were unusually large and closelyset。 'I am not sure that I like it： it has a – well； rather a barrow…wightishlook。 Is there any barrow on Weathertop？'
'No。 There is no barrow on Weathertop； nor on any of these hills；'
answered Strider。 'The Men of the West did not live here； though in theirlatter days they defended the hills for a while against the evil that came outof Angmar。 This path was made to serve the forts along the walls。 But longbefore； in the first days of the North Kingdom； they built a great watch…toweron Weathertop； Amon S。l they called it。 It was burned and broken； and nothing
remains of it now but a tumbled ring； like a rough crown on the old hill'shead。 Yet once it was tall and fair。 It is told that Elendil stood there
watching for the ing of Gil…galad out of the West； in the days of the LastAlliance。'
The hobbits gazed at Strider。 It seemed that he was learned in old lore；
as well as in the ways of the wild。 'Who was Gil…galad？' asked Merry； butStrider did not answer； and seemed to be lost in thought。 Suddenly a low voicemurmured：
Gil…galad was an Elven…king。
Of him the harpers sadly sing：
the last whose realm was fair and free
between the Mountains and the Sea。
His sword was long； his lance was keen；
his shining helm afar was seen；
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield。
But long ago he rode away；
and where he dwelleth none can say；
for into darkness fell his star
in Mordor where the shadows are。
The others turned in amazement； for the voice was Sam's。
'Don't stop！' said Merry。
'That's all I know；' stammered Sam； blushing。 'I learned it from Mr。
Bilbo when I was a lad。 He used to tell me tales like that； knowing how I wasalways one for hearing about Elves。 It was Mr。 Bilbo as taught me my letters。
He was mighty book…learned was dear old Mr。 Bilbo。 And he wrote _poetry。_ Hewrote what I have just said。'
'He did not make it up；' said Strider。 'It is pan of the lay that iscalled _The Fall of Gil…galad；_ which is in an ancient tongue。 Bilbo must havetranslated it。 I never knew that。'
'There was a lot more；' said Sam； 'all about Mordor。 I didn't learn thatpart； it gave me the shivers I never thought I should be going that waymyself！'
'Going to Mordor！' cried Pippin。 'I hope it won't e to that！'
'Do not speak that name so loudly！' said Strider。
It was already mid…day when they drew near the southern end of the path；
and saw before them； in the pale clear light of the October sun； a grey…greenbank； leading up like a bridge on to the northward slope of the hill Theydecided to make for the top at once； while the daylight was broad Concealmentwas no longer possible； and they could only hope that no enemy or spy wasobserving them。 Nothing was to be seen moving on the hill。 If Gandalf wasanywhere about； there was no sign of him。
On the western flank of Weathertop they found a sheltered hollow； at thebottom of which there was a bowl…shaped dell with grassy sides。 There theyleft Sam and Pippin with the pony and their packs and luggage。 The other threewent on。 After half an hour's plodding climb Strider reached the crown of thehill； Frodo and Merry followed； tired and breathless。 The last slope had beensteep and rocky。
On the top they found； as Strider had said； a wide ring of ancientstonework； now crumbling or covered with age…long grass。 But in the centre acairn of broken stones had been piled。 They were blackened as if with fire。
About them the turf was burned to the roots and all within the ring the grasswas scorched and shrivelled； as if flames had swept the hill…top； but therewas no sign of any living thing。
Standing upon the rim of the ruined circle； they saw all round below them
a wide prospe