That afternoon, when all the hobbits returned to the Inn, they gathered in Frodo's and Sam's room. Fatty, who was feeling a trifle unsteady, made his excuses and went home to have a nap before dinner. Merry and Pippin described their encounter with Val, and Sam repeated the old gardener's story about the lad seen with Camellia, which he had already told Frodo on their way back from Stillwater Hall.
"It must've been Rolo," said Pippin. "Who else could it be? Maybe your gardener's got the right idea, Sam, and he shoved her into the river because she wouldn't marry him. That's no doubt why Val was hanging around the Bridge today, looking for her."
Sam rolled his eyes at this japery. "You don't believe what Mr. Rakeweed said, do you, Frodo?"
"About the river? No. That this same lad was seen around Stillwater Hall before he and Camellia walked away together? Yes. I'm sure Pip's right--it must be Rolo." Pippin grinned, and Frodo went on, "But I must admit that I can't fathom what he's been up to. There are one or two things about him that puzzle me."
"You said that last night, that there was something odd about the whole business with the letters," said Merry.
"Very odd," Frodo answered. "How did Rolo know that those letters had been stolen if he didn't have something to do with Betula's taking them? And how did he just happen to be in Frogmorton to buy them? He seems a little too jack-on-the-spot. It can't be a coincidence. I didn't bother about it at the time, since the letters had been returned and I thought the matter was at an end, but I want to look into it now. It may be important. If Rolo was involved in the theft, why return the letters to me the instant he learned that we were looking for them? It can't be for the money. He was offended when I offered to reimburse him."
"Maybe he was afraid of you," Pippin said, teasing. "He knew your reputation, and knew you'd catch up with him sooner or later, so he might as well give up."
"Maybe he wanted to get back into Camellia's favor?" Merry suggested more seriously. "She'd be so grateful that he bought her letters to give to her that she'd agree to see him again."
"After he stole them from her?" asked Frodo.
"Well, he wouldn't tell her about that. He'd tell her how he'd chased down those scoundrels and rescued her property for love of her. He'd make himself the hero of the tale. If she was seeing him, it must've worked."
"Perhaps..." Frodo fell into a pensive silence, eyes growing unfocused as he sat curled at the foot of the bed and nibbled on a thumbnail. The others waited patiently until he lifted his head, rose, and went to the writing desk. He took a sheet of blank notepaper out of the drawer, and began hunting for a quill and ink. "We're leaving Budgeford," he announced. "I'll ask Fatty to keep his ears open for interesting news while we're gone, but I expect to return here before next week is out. I'm going to send you all on errands. Merry--and you too, Pip, if you aren't going home-"
"I'll go with Merry," Pippin answered.
"Good lad! I want you two to ride to Bindbole Wood. See if you can trace Rolo, find out if he's with his family, or if he has a lady with him. Be discreet."
"Do you want us to talk to them?" Merry asked.
"No, only see if they're there. When you find out, come and tell me. I'll speak to Camellia myself." Frodo turned to Sam. "Sam, you're to go to the Polwygle Inn at Frogmorton and speak to Betula Root. I want to know: Did she know Rolo Bindbole before he bought those letters from her? Did he ask her to take them, or did she have the idea on her own? If it was Betula's own mischief, what did she mean to do with them? I rather doubt it was her idea. Someone put her up to it. We've heard the local gossip that she'd been in some sort of trouble with a lad. Who was he? Jorly? Rolo? Someone else? I'm sure you can get the truth out of the girl. After you've done that, dear Sam, I want you to go home. You've earned a few days with Rosie." He looked around at his cousins. "We'll all meet at Bag End when we've finished our jobs."
"What about you?" asked Sam. "Where're you going?"
"I'm going home too. I have a few errands to run there myself." Frodo found an inkpot and a box of quills. "We've learned some interesting things here, but I can find out more in Hobbiton. There are one or two people I want to speak to. I intend to take Mr. Stillwaters's advice." He sat down at the desk to write a letter to Angelica, asking her to meet him at the Old Baggins Place on the coming Highday.
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