Free The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien Page B

Merry would be killed together with their captors, before ever the Men of Rohan were aware of them.
    A few of the riders appeared to be bowmen, skilled at shooting from a running horse. Riding swiftly into range they shot arrows
     at the Orcs that straggled behind, and several of them fell; then the riders wheeled away out of the range of the answering
     bows of their enemies, who shot wildly, not daring to halt. This happened many times, and on one occasion arrows fell among
     the Isengarders. One of them, just in front of Pippin, stumbled and did not get up again.
    Night came down without the Riders closing in for battle. Many Orcs had fallen, but fully two hundred remained. In the early
     darkness the Orcs came to a hillock. The eaves of the forest were very near, probably no more than three furlongs away, but
     they could go no further. The horsemen had encircled them. A small band disobeyed Uglúk’s command, and ran on towards the forest: only three returned.
    ‘Well, here we are,’ sneered Grishnákh. ‘Fine leadership! I hope the great Uglúk will lead us out again.’
    ‘Put those Halflings down!’ ordered Uglúk, taking no notice of Grishnákh. ‘You, Lugdush, get two others and stand guard over
     them! They’re not to be killed, unless the filthy Whiteskins break through. Understand? As long as I’m alive, I want ’em.
     But they’re not to cry out, and they’re not to be rescued. Bind their legs!’
    The last part of the order was carried out mercilessly. But Pippin found that for the first time he was close to Merry. The
     Orcs were making a great deal of noise, shouting and clashing their weapons, and the hobbits managed to whisper together for
     a while.
    ‘I don’t think much of this,’ said Merry. ‘I feel nearly done in. Don’t think I could crawl away far, even if I was free.’
    ‘
Lembas!
’ whispered Pippin. ‘
Lembas
: I’ve got some. Have you? I don’t think they’ve taken anything but our swords.’
    ‘Yes, I had a packet in my pocket,’ answered Merry, ‘but it must be battered to crumbs. Anyway I can’t put my mouth in my
     pocket!’
    ‘You won’t have to. I’ve—’; but just then a savage kick warned Pippin that the noise had died down, and the guards were watchful.
    The night was cold and still. All round the knoll on which the Orcs were gathered little watch-fires sprang up, golden-red
     in the darkness, a complete ring of them. They were within a long bowshot, but the riders did not show themselves against
     the light, and the Orcs wasted many arrows shooting at the fires, until Uglúk stopped them. The riders made no sound. Later
     in the night when the moon came out of the mist, then occasionally they could be seen, shadowy shapes that glinted now and
     again in the white light, as they moved in ceaseless patrol.
    ‘They’ll wait for the Sun, curse them!’ growled one of the
    guards. ‘Why don’t we get together and charge through? What’s old Uglúk think he’s doing, I should like to know?’
    ‘I daresay you would,’ snarled Uglúk stepping up from behind. ‘Meaning I don’t think at all, eh? Curse you! You’re as bad
     as the other rabble: the maggots and the apes of Lugbúrz. No good trying to charge with them. They’d just squeal and bolt,
     and there are more than enough of these filthy horse-boys to mop up our lot on the flat.
    ‘There’s only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark. But these Whiteskins have better night-eyes
     than most Men, from all I’ve heard; and don’t forget their horses! They can see the night-breeze, or so it’s said. Still there’s
     one thing the fine fellows don’t know: Mauhúr and his lads are in the forest, and they should turn up any time now.’
    Uglúk’s words were enough, apparently, to satisfy the Isengarders; but the other Orcs were both dispirited and rebellious.
     They posted a few watchers, but most of them lay on the ground, resting in the pleasant darkness. It