At once four men came striding through the fern from different directions. Since flight and hiding were no longer possible, Frodo and Sam sprang to their feet, putting back to back and whipping out their small swords.
If they were astonished at what they saw, their captors were even more astonished.
Four tall Men stood there. Two had spears in
their hands with broad bright heads. Two had great bows, almost of their own
height, and great quivers of long green-feathered arrows. All had swords at
their sides, and were clad in green and brown of varied hues, as if the better
to walk unseen in the glades of Ithilien. Green gauntlets covered their hands,
and their faces were hooded and masked with green, except for their eyes, which
were very keen and bright. At once Frodo
thought of Boromir, for these Men were like
him in stature and bearing, and in their manner of speech.
'We have not found what we sought,' said one. 'But what have we found?'
'Not Orcs,' said another, releasing the hilt
of his sword, which he had seized when he saw the glitter of Sting in Frodo's
hand.
'Elves?' said a third doubtfully.
'Nay! Not Elves,' said the fourth, the tallest, and as it appeared the chief among them. 'Elves do not walk in Ithilien in these days. And Elves are wonderous fair to look upon, or so
'tis said.'
'Meaning were not, I take you,' said Sam.
'Thank you kindly. And when you've finished discussing us, perhaps you'll say
who you are, and why you can't let two tired travellers rest.'
The tall green man laughed grimly. "I am Faramir,
Captain of Gondor,' he said. 'But there are
no travellers in this land: only the servants of the Dark Tower, or of the White.'
'But we are neither,' said Frodo. 'And
travellers we are, whatever Captain Faramir may say.'