Bullroarer

With directions from Merry the Hobbit's managed to find the entrance to the Knoll. By this time it was starting to get dark and they worked quickly tying a rope to Faramir's waste so that he didn't loose his direction crawling through the hole with a lamp held securely between his teeth. The tunnel twisted and sloped down, hiding the light so that his lamp was all by which he could see the faces of his friends, sat in a round chamber.

"And they say my family does silly things". Faramir joked; prompting a small giggle from the other three as they made ready to follow him back out. "Here we go.

Hold on to my foot Merry".

"Hold on to my foot Pippin".

"Hold on to my foot Hamfast".

"Hold on to my foot…oh".

As he crawled, Pippin's hand landed on something sharp. He could make out the shape of a small but rather bulky clothe bag, covered in soil and musty to smell. Eager to get out of the cave, he placed it quickly in his pocket without a word.

The feeling of cold night air on their faces after so long in the hot darkness was so welcoming that the Gardeners quickly forgot their fears as they lay on the grass, wiping dirt and soot from their faces, hair and clothes.

"Any of you hurt?" Meriadoc said.

"We're alright". Merry confirmed for the group. "Well all of us except Hamfast". With this he jumped on his younger brother, ruffling his hair, squeezing his stomach and generally making his existence one of misery.

"That's enough; you didn't have to follow him". Peregrin reminded him. He turned to see his namesake sat on the grass, looking at something intently in his hands. "What you got there Pippin-Lad".

"I don't know Uncle. I found it in the cave". The bag was made of a grey material, plain save for the letter T written in stitching on the top corner. It was held shut by tight draw strings, tied in a bow.

"A bag".

"An old bag".

"Open it, open it". Faramir called, holding up his lamp to help in the fading light. Pippin quickly got the bow untied and pulled the bag open on the ground. The resulting reflections danced in a mixture of colours on their faces.

"Shiny stones". Hamfast shouted gleefully.

"They're diamonds". Merry corrected.

Pippin emptied the bag into a pile on the grass, and among the Harfoot made jewels emerged an ornate gold pendent, held on a long chain. "What's that?"

Faramir lifted it into the light, and very nearly dropped it again. "Look it's the symbol of the Thain". He cried, for etched out in the golden stone was indeed the symbol that represented his Father's title. "What is this?"

Peregrin blinked a few times, opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and shook his head. He looked at the diamonds, at the chain, at the diamonds again.

"It can't be".

Meriadoc was thinking the same thing. "Bullroarer's treasure".

"The Bullroarer Took!" Said Faramir.

"Treasure?" Said Merry.

Meriadoc, still amazed, looked at the inquisitive boys. "Bandobras Took we should say. He was at one point the tallest Hobbit in the history of the Shire, and brother to the Took and Thain Ferumbras II".

Peregrin took up the narration. "At that time the Thainship was represented by great wealth, namely in the form of a golden pendant. It was said to be a gift from the King of Arthedain to Marco Fallohide upon the forming of the Shire, and was later taken by Bucca his descendant".

"How did it get into the cave?" Merry asked, enthralled.

"During Ferumbras's rein, there was an invasion of Goblins, the battle Of Greenfields. Right before the battle, it is said that Ferumbras gave to Bandobras the treasures of the Took Clan, along with his Thain Pendant, to hide in case they couldn't stop the army. This must be the hiding place Bandobras chose".

"What enormous luck". Meriadoc exclaimed.

"The bag must have been moved by an animal or something". Faramir said. "That's why Bullroarer couldn't find it afterwards. It was deeper into the cave".

"And lost for generations". Peregrin leaned over, ruffling Pippin's hair. "You've just made yourself a famous young lad Pip".

"And just in time for supper". Meriadoc said, his change of subject abrupt but well timed as every Hobbit present was starving. Collecting the diamonds and pendent back into their bag, they made their way for the camp.

The following day they started for the Great Smials, yet another adventure added to history.

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