Pippin returned from Buckland in better spirits, and Ferdibrand was also refreshed from time in Woody End with Hally and Rosemary, hunting and carving and simply sitting quietly together.

Their routine changed slightly. The Thain had decreed that, since Pippin's pony Socks had a bad habit of kicking out his stall, his son needed to take him on a pre-breakfast outing to work off some of his restlessness, which meant, of course, that Ferdi and Hilly were also up early to accompany him. Ferdi didn't mind that much, but Hilly was unhappy, as he was not by nature an early riser.

Otherwise, things continued as they had before, days slipping by, from planting season, into the growing season. Ferdi raced Dapple once again at the pony races, improving her record as she won third place overall. Pippin's Socks, of course, took first, which pleased the Thain immensely. A few weeks after the pony races, Pippin's birthday was a quieter affair this year, lasting only one day, though Saradoc, Esmeralda and Merry Brandybuck travelled from Buckland to join the celebration.

Not long after Pippin's birthday, Pippin and Ferdi had their most serious falling-out to date. Pippin had left his pony in the field overnight, only to find him in a different field in the morning. Several mares were evidently in season, Ferdi's among them, and Socks had found the fence no barrier at all. The Thain paid off the owners involved, including his escort, but Ferdi took Pippin to task for his carelessness.

'Why didn't you stable him last night?' he demanded, thinking of the inconvenience of his pony in foal, if she were in foal. What would he do for a mount, a few months hence?

'I was tired,' Pippin said defensively. 'You know we've been up early every morning, working hard through the day, and out in the fields after teatime to survey the crops. I wanted to sleep in, for once.'

'Nice of you to tell me that,' Ferdi said sourly. He'd been up as usual, at the stables at the appointed time, to find no Pippin, and the mischief already done.

'Well, think of it this way, with the winner of the pony races siring the foal, and the dam having run in the finals, you ought to get a fast foal out of it, and no stud fee in the bargain... as a matter of fact, the Thain paid you off well, I happen to know.'

'Not well enough to buy another pony to use while Dapple's off work,' Ferdi said under his breath.

'So that's what worries you?' Pippin said. 'Here,' he added, digging in his pocket. 'I still have most of the purse from winning the pony races. How much do you need?'

Ferdibrand's pride was stung. 'Naught,' he said shortly, and turned to walk away, but Pippin's hand caught his shoulder.

'It's my fault, you said,' he hissed, 'and so you will let me rectify my error.' Pressing the purse into Ferdi's unwilling hands, he said, 'Use what you need, you can give the rest back to me if you like, or take it down to the Spotted Duck and stand everyone to a round or two. I would have squandered it, anyhow; you know what a wastrel I am.' The last words were bitter, and Ferdi stared after him as he walked back to the Smials, the usual bounce missing from his step, shoulders stiff, head high.

Things were constrained between them for days afterwards, Ferdi carefully polite, and Pippin distant. Of course, he was distant with everyone these days, cold, even. The Bolgers came for another visit, and Pippin thawed slightly under Estella's warming influence, but once they left, he froze again. Ferdi worried; knowing Pippin's temperament, there must be some sort of pressure building up beneath that icy calm, but the other rejected all his overtures.

The second time the Thain disowned his son came just as harvest was ending. This time, Ferdi was nearly on the spot instead of in Tuckborough, eating his noonday meal in the great room, when Hilly came in search, eyes anxious.

'He's off again,' was all he said, and Ferdi rose abruptly, leaving his meal barely begun.

'What do you mean?' he asked.

'The Thain's thrown him out on his ear; I don't know what they argued about, but I saw him on his way to the stables.'

'Let's catch him,' Ferdi said. He had a feeling Pip would go a lot farther than Buckland, this trip. They strode rapidly to the stables, to find Pippin saddling Socks, evidently about ready to start out.

'Going somewhere, cousin?' Ferdi drawled, elaborately casual.

'Going off,' Pippin said shortly. 'You needn't bother to come.'

'But I'm your escort,' Ferdi answered. 'I have to come, or it's my job, you know.'

'All the way to Gondor?' Pippin said softly.

'Gondor,' Hilly gasped, while Ferdi regarded his cousin in amazement.

'Aye,' Pippin said. 'The Thain has cast me out again, told me to go as far as I can, so I figure Gondor's as good a place as any.'

'Well, you're not going anywhere without me,' Ferdi said doggedly, 'and you know it as well as I do, cousin.'

Pippin stared at him, quizzically, then began to smile. 'You'd really do this?' he asked, some of the hardness going out of him. 'Leave Tookland... forever?'

'Forever is more of a word than I care to use,' Ferdi answered, 'but yes, if need be.'

Hilly backed away, eyes staring. 'You're both daft,' he gulped, and then turned and took off at a run.

'Gone to get Regi, I expect,' Pippin murmured, turning back to Socks, as Ferdi slowly got his own saddle down and went to Dapple's stall.

Pippin was right, Hilly returned with Reginard on his heels. 'What's this, then?' Reginard said. 'Off on a commission for the Thain?'

'In a manner of speaking,' Pippin answered. 'He's tossed me out, Reg, said he didn't care if he ever laid eyes on me again.'

Reginard sighed. For the most part, he'd been able to act as a shield between the Thain and his son, but Paladin had sent him off on an errand this morning. Regi had been working harder than usual at keeping the peace, with the Thain out of sorts and Pip quieter than usual, since Socks had jumped the fence. Regi had had the feeling that Pippin himself might be about to jump a fence or two...

'Lad,' he said now, a restraining hand on Pippin's arm. 'You know how the gout's been bothering him, lately, how short his temper is... were you to go, really go, you'd send his grey head down to the grave in sorrow, you know you would...' he attempted to smile, 'and then where would that leave me?'

'You could be Thain,' Pippin said in frustration, 'and a good one, from what I hear. He's always throwing you in my face, you know.'

'I know,' Regi said quietly. 'That's the way he is, you know. Sings the praises of anyone but the one with him at the time... haven't you figured that out yet?' He shook his head, tightening his grip. 'Don't go,' he pleaded. 'Lad, don't do this. Stay, please stay.' Ferdi stared. It was the first time he'd ever seen Reginard humble himself, and it gave him an uneasy feeling, as if the foundations of the Smials had been shaken by an earth tremour.

'I just don't know,' Pippin said quietly, looking at the buckle he was adjusting on Socks' bridle. Looking back to Reg, he said, as if Ferdi and Hilly weren't even there, 'I'm losing myself, Reg... I'm not even sure who I am anymore. I feel as if I'm being swallowed whole, and I've got to go, I've got to get out before there's naught left of me...'

'Stay,' Reg said softly. 'Give it just one more try, cousin. I've never known you to quit before.'

Pippin smiled, a wry smile. 'So even a ne'er-do-well like myself has some good points, I take it?' Regi did not answer, and Ferdi found himself holding his breath. The son of the Thain sighed, then, and his shoulders slumped. 'Very well, Reg,' he said. 'I won't quit, not this time, anyhow.' Looking up again with a faint smile, he said, 'But what do I do now? He threw me out...'

'Stay the night at the Duck,' Regi said. 'By morning he'll have forgotten all about this, I wager.' He regarded Pippin with a keen eye. 'Do you have any money?'

Pippin started to shake his head, but Ferdi broke in. 'Yes, he does, as a matter of fact,' he said. 'Just a minute.' He went to where his saddlebags hung, to find the purse with Pippin's prize from the pony races. Ferdi had bought another pony, not a fine one, mind, but what he could afford, with the damages the Thain had paid him, together with his own prize money from the races. He had left Pippin's money in the bag, waiting for the right time to return it. Now he held it out to Pippin, saying, 'Here's your change.'

'I...' Pippin said, but Ferdi pressed the bag into his hand.

'It's yours, you know, you won it fair and square,' he said.

'I don't know what to say,' Pippin said.

'Thank you would be appropriate,' Ferdi said with a meaningful glance, and he was rewarded by the first real laugh he'd heard from Pippin in weeks.

'Thank you,' Pippin said obediently. 'Now, how'd you like to escort me down to the Spotted Duck? I'll buy you a mug, it seems I have coins to waste.'