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homeward bound 1297
know what became of that poor pony. He’s been on my mind
many a time, and the wolves howling and all.’
At last they came to The Prancing Pony, and that at least
looked outwardly unchanged; and there were lights behind
the red curtains in the lower windows. They rang the bell,
and Nob came to the door, and opened it a crack and peeped
through; and when he saw them standing under the lamp he
gave a cry of surprise.
‘Mr. Butterbur! Master!’ he shouted. ‘They’ve come back!’
‘Oh have they? I’ll learn them,’ came Butterbur’s voice,
and out he came with a rush, and he had a club in his hand.
But when he saw who they were he stopped short, and the
black scowl on his face changed to wonder and delight.
‘Nob, you woolly-pated ninny!’ he cried. ‘Can’t you give
old friends their names? You shouldn’t go scaring me like
that, with times as they are. Well, well! And where have you
come from? I never expected to see any of you folk again,
and that’s a fact: going off into the Wild with that Strider,
and all those Black Men about. But I’m right glad to see
you, and none more than Gandalf. Come in! Come in! The
same rooms as before? They’re free. Indeed most rooms are
empty these days, as I’ll not hide from you, for you’ll find it
out soon enough. And I’ll see what can be done about supper,
as soon as may be; but I’m short-handed at present. Hey,
Nob you slowcoach! Tell Bob! Ah, but there I’m forgetting,
Bob’s gone: goes home to his folk at nightfall now. Well, take
the guests’ ponies to the stables, Nob! And you’ll be taking
your horse to his stable yourself, Gandalf, I don’t doubt. A
fine beast, as I said when I first set eyes on him. Well, come
in! Make yourselves at home!’
Mr. Butterbur had at any rate not changed his manner
of talking, and still seemed to live in his old breathless
bustle. And yet there was hardly anybody about, and all
was quiet; from the Common Room there came a low murmur
of no more than two or three voices. And seen closer in
the light of two candles that he lit and carried before them