The next morning, Frodo went with Hob to view the place where Ilbie had been attacked. The empty cottage was across the lane from Dinodas's and Celie's, behind an overgrown shrubbery in a little yard of grass and flowers grown wild and entangled with weeds. Ilbie had been found in the eastward side of this area, the side nearest Ivysmial. In the daylight, Dodi's and Isalda's cottage was easily visible from the dilapidated yard, and presumably vice versa. Frodo wondered what had brought Ilbie here last night to be struck down; if there'd been any quarrel or struggle, they would certainly have heard it.
As it had been where Merimas was killed, the grass here was too trampled down to tell much of a tale, but in searching the yard, Frodo found a short, thick section of a tree branch with muddy-red but recent stains of blood on it. This branch lay several feet from where Ilbie had been found, before the brick facade of the empty cottage, as if the assailant had flung it as far as he could after striking his victim with it. Hob put this important clue into a sack he had brought with him, and took it back to Newbury to be stored in a strongbox with the rocks that had been gathered near the Hedge.
When he left the cottage, Frodo went to the Hall to learn how Ilbie was recovering, and to speak to his other cousins.
"You were all of great help to me yesterday," he told them. "I'll need your help again today. I want to interview everyone invited to Ivysmial, find out where they went when they left us, what time they returned home, and if they saw anything on their way. You realize now that asking such questions may be dangerous. I won't blame anyone who wants to stay out of the investigation from now on."
"Of course I'll do it," said Dodi. His wife looked anxious, but he was firm about this. "I said so last night, didn't I? This creature's attacked my brother now too, and I won't stand for it."
"I'm not afraid," said Melly.
"You can count me in too," Fatty added. "I know 'Stel isn't afraid either, but I think she'd feel better sitting by Ilbie rather than going out and asking questions. She doesn't want to be away from him any longer than she can help, in case he awakes."
"Then he hasn't woken up yet?" Frodo asked, and received several sorrowful shakes of heads in reply.
"He's opened his eyes a few times and stares as if he doesn't know where he is or who we are," reported Dodi, "then he goes back to sleep. He hasn't said anything--at least, not a word that makes sense. But that's quite the usual thing for our Ilb."
"You'll have to leave Celie out of it too," said Melly. "I know she wants to help, but this second attack has upset her terribly. She's sure it's all happening because of her. She shut herself in her room after you left last night, Frodo, and only came out to go up to the nursery with me this morning. I think she'd been crying the whole time between."
"May I make a suggestion?" asked Fatty. "If we're going to go into people's houses, asking questions of possible murderers, we ought to go in pairs to be on the safe side. In light of what happened to poor Ilbie, we can see that this person won't hesitate to strike again. I think it's best if at least one other person always knows our whereabouts, and we stay in sight if we can."
Merry nodded in agreement. "None of us should wander alone." He looked at Frodo in particular as he spoke, for he'd been surprised and concerned when Frodo had arrived at the Hall by himself, unaccompanied by a shirriff.
Dodi wrote out his guest list from the previous night and the group gathered around to decide who was going to go with whom and which people they would talk to. Frodo chose the persons he was most interested in speaking to for himself, leaving the less threatening prospects for the others. "I think I'll begin with Marly and El."
"But Marly went off with Celie," said Merry. "We all saw them leave together."
"Yes, I know, but what about his brother? Where did Eliduc go? I also want to talk to Miss Underhaye and that cousin of hers."
"Why Rilla?" Melly wondered.
"They were the last to go, and I have an idea that she knows more about Celie's personal difficulties than anybody else. She seems the most likely confidante."
"All right. I'll go with you," Melly volunteered.
"I'll take Hy Bunce," said Pippin. "Not that I suspect him of anything, but he's a nice-looking boy, don't you think? Maybe I can steal him away from those Marishe girls."
"You're not talking to him alone," Merry replied severely. "I'm going with you and see you don't get yourself into trouble."
Pippin grinned, pleased at this announcement.
Isalda insisted that she wasn't afraid for her own safety, but for her husband's; she was sure Dodi would be struck down next. Fatty promised to keep close watch over Dodi while they called on the Downends and Oleander Woodbury. Flora convinced her sister to accompany her to call upon the Marishe girls, who were the most unlikely suspects, but had walked home by way of the lane past the cottages and might have seen something.
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