The shortcut

Merry and Pippin come across

Sam:

(emerges from a corn patch, alone) Mister Frodo? Frodo!

Frodo:

reappears from the path ahead

Sam:

I thought I'd lost you.

Frodo:

What are you talking about, Sam?

Sam:

It's just something Gandalf said.

Frodo:

What did he say?

Sam:

Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee. And I don't mean to

.

Frodo:

We're still in the Shire, Sam, what could possibly happen?

­­They get knocked over by Merry and Pippin.­­

Pippin:

Frodo! Look, Merry, it's Frodo Baggins!

Sam:

You get off him!

Sam:

shakes off Merry, picks Pippin off Frodo by the scruff of his neck

Merry:

(hands Sam an arm full of vegetables) Hold these.

Pippin:

What's the meaning of this?

Sam:

You've been into Farmer Maggott's crop!

­­They start running through a cornfield.­­

Merry:

I don't know what he's so upset about, it's only a few carrots.

Pippin:

And some cabbages. And the three bags of potatoes we lifted last week. And the mushrooms the week before that.

Merry:

Yes, Pippin! My point is, he's obviously overreacting!

­­They all fall over a cliff, land in a heap.­­

Pippin:

(lands inches away from a pile of manure) Ooh! That was a close one.

Merry:

I think I've broken something. (pulls out a broken carrot)

Sam:

Trust a Brandybuck and a Took!

Merry:

Nonsense! That was just a detour! A shortcut!

Sam:

Shortcut to what?

Pippin:

Mushrooms!

­­Three start gathering mushrooms into a bag.­­

Frodo:

looks down the road I think we should get off the road.
Get off the road, quick!

­­They hide under the roots of a tree. The Ringwraith comes, on his horse. Gets off the horse, sniffing as though he can smell that the Ring is close. A spider crawls out, and a centipede, and a lot of worms. For the first time, the Ring tries to impose its will on Frodo, pushing him to put it on so they will be found. Sam distracts him. Merry throws something to distract the Wraith, and they run away.­­

Pippin:

What was that?