"Good day to you!" I says, going out to him. This lane don't lead anywhere, and wherever you may be going, your quickest way will be back to the road." I didn't like the looks of him; and when Grip came out, he took one sniff and let out a yelp as if he had been stung: he put down his tail and bolted off howling. The black fellow sat quite still.
'"I come from yonder," he said, slow and stiff-like, pointing back
west, over my fields, if you please. "Have you seen Baggins?" he asked
in a queer voice, and bent down towards me. I could not see any face, for his
hood fell down so low; and I felt a sort of shiver down my back. But I did not
see why he should come riding over my land so bold.
'"Be off!" I said. "There are no Bagginses here. You're in the
wrong part of the Shire. You had better go
back west to Hobbiton--but you can go by
road this time."
'"Baggins has left," he answered in a whisper. "He is coming.
He is not far away. I wish to find him. If he passes will you tell me? I will
come back with gold."
'"No you won't," I said. "You'll go back where you belong, double
quick. I give you one minute before I call all my dogs."
'He gave a sort of hiss. It might have been laughing, and it might not. Then
he spurred his great horse right at me, and I jumped out of the way only just
in time. I called the dogs, but he swung off, and rode through the gate and
up the lane towards the causeway like a bolt of thunder. What do you think of
that?'