What
A Dryad is seen in the Buckland, and talk spreads.

Who
Filby Pott (#29680)........Dollo Underhill
Reginald Bolger (#10657)...himself
Folco Boffin (#28450)......Palto Headstrong
Reginald and Filby.........Topaz Brownlock

"Dollo! Oh Dollo!" A trail of excited shouts follow in the Underhill's wake. It is not a until a few seconds later that the source of the ruckus comes into sight. Bulling down the steps, nearly at top speed, comes Reginald Bolger, accompanied by discruntled hollers and the slamming of doors. He is pulling on his vest as he stumbles down the last obstacle and stands in the common room. Placing a hand

Dollo looks up from his seat at Reginald, staring confusedly at the Bolger. "As always, Mister Bolger, it's a pleasure to see you... what's wrong?"

A wide smile occupying his face just for the Underhill he approaches, now with more slow and graceful steps. "Wrong? Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all! Wrong with me at least. Events around here have been absolutely wrong of late, that's for sure. I just saw you in the hall, not more than a few seconds ago I say. But you were off before I even had a chance to step up beside you!" He pats the Underhill's shoulder in a friendly manner, and takes a deep breath to recharge himself after his most recent sprint. "Quite perilous, those steps. Do you mind terribly if I join you? I THINK we've something to discuss, regarding one Mister Filby Pott." He gestures to a seat, and is pulling it out before a response is even given.

Sitting up a bit, Dollo looks quizzically at Reginald. "About Filby, eh?" The Underhill's face brightens up a bit as he awaits the news. "Is Filby all right, Reggie?" Dollo leans forward, waiting for the Bolger to tell.

Reginald settles into the chair across from Dollo, his grin fading and a small frown appearing on the expressive surface of his forehead. "First!" he exclaims, the corners of his lips quirkng. 'First..." he doesn't seem to know what it was he was going to say. "First.. how has Sigina been?"

Stomping heavily down the stairs rubbing his eyes drearily, Palto Headstrong enters the common room yawning, "Hum.. mm.. good morning all." he greest to nobody inparticular. Standing at the foot of the stairs, he blinks a few times to adjust to the light coming from all the lamps in the main room. "Ow! Topaz.. a bit of the wolf that bit me if ya would." he orders glancing finally at the hobbits gathered in the room.

"Sigina?" Dollo's face darkens considerably at the mention of his wife. "I'm afraid I don't know where or how she is; with the curfew and all I've not had a chance to get home to Haysend." Dollo shifts in his seat and looks down at the floor. "I hope she's all right, what with this... this creature loose in Buckland." Looking up at Reginald he adds, "Now, what were you going to say about Mister Pott?"

"Creature..." He mumbles. "Well... I don't know if it's anything really. Oh I do hope it's nothing!" Palto's arrival serves as a momentary distraction, and Reggie's face lights up suddenly as he presents that award-winning smile of his to the Headstrong. That toothsome grin drains out of his pink-stained face a bit more slowly than it appeared, leaving him with a ghost of a smile that is hardly chracteristic of the usual face that Reggie puts forht. "It's jsut that.. oh how do I go about saying this... Mister Pott said some things, some derogatory things, about you Dollo." The merry little being's head tilts to one side and his eyes narrow slightly. "Some things that might be taken with a bit of suspicion. And I mean MIGHT be taken with a bit of suspicion."

Taken somewhat aback Dollo straightens up consdierably. "Did he, now? I'm afraid to ask, but... what did he say?" He braces himself as for a shock.

Palto glancing at the others in the room and noting that it is still dark outside, Palto frowns and heads back upstairs.

Palto heads upstairs.
Palto has left.

Tracing a ring on the table with one idle finger, Reggie ponders his next response. The smile has faded altogether form his countenance, leaving the red-haired saleshobbit with a stolid face. "ell..." he begins yet again. "To start he called you a 'lucky idiot' or a 'lucky fool', something of the sort." The formerly merry hobbit says hesitantly, then adds "At which point I heartily defended you of course!" Green eyes trail fromthe tabletop up to Dollo's face.

Dollo frowns as Reginald relates the news. "He... he did?"

Nodding slowly, the Saleshobbit continues with: "But that's not all."

Dollo stifles a sob and says, "Go on, please..."

"You must know, for ease in understanding what more I have to say, that this all occurred after I mentioned that your business was picking up, he responded as such in elation." Reggie's fidgety movements cease and he addresses the Underhill with all earnesty. "Mister Pott proceeded to say that he would prosper in soem fashion due to your business. That since you were reopening his contacts in certain surrounding cities would be renewed." Pausing, Reginald lets it sink in, but wait.. there's more! "I retorted first to his use of your name in a derogatory way, after which he claimed that you were rather lacking in wit. I once agian rose to the occassion! I then questioned him of the other matter, which he denied thoroughly to my recollection." Now there is silence.. Reggie is finished.

Placing a hand over his mouth Dollo mutters, "I'm sure he didn't... mean anything by it..." The Underhill motions to Topaz, "I think I need something to drink, Miss Brownlock..."

Reginald's mouth twists to one side. "I do hope so, I do Dollo! But he was acting mighty.. well as I said before, he was acting mighty suspicious. He didn't seem like good hobbits to me, no not at all." Slumping in his chair, Reggie's eyes shift towards the clock. "I thought you should know is all. So that you might.. I don't know.. be on your guard?" His great smile appears once again. "I do hope he didn't mean anything by it."

"Miss Brownlock... a cognac, please..." The Underhill starts to look rather downcast and depressed. "And a plate of crawdads too, I need food and drink to ease my mind..."

A sigh escapes the Bolger's wide-lips, and a frown forms on his forehead. "I'd hoped you wouldn't react as such." He leans over and pats Dollo's shoulder comfortingly. "There, there Dollo. Perhaps it was one of those, spur of the moment, enthuiastic type things!" Pudgy hands are thrown up in the air as Reggie grins wildly. "Perhaps he was SO absolutely happy for you that he forgot himself." Lowering his arms, he shrugs. "It's always a theory."

"Yes... I suppose that's it..." the depressed Underhill breathes a sigh of relief as his drink arrives. Taking a gulp of the expensive cognac he mutters, "I feel better already..."

Smiling brightly, Reginald nods. His eyes flit once again to the clock, then to the window, then back to his friend. "I'm afraid," the saleshobbit begins as he pushes his chair back and rises. "That I must take my leave. I've some sleep to catch up on." He pats Dollo's shoulder once more while moving away. "I'm glad you're feeling a bit better Dollo. Very glad indeed!"

Catching his friend by the shoulder Dollo reminds him, "Don't go out there! There's a blood-sucking monster out there!"

Reginald can't help but jump out of surprise as Dollo stops him. "Ohmi gosh!" he exclaims, the putting a hand over his heart turns towards Dollo. He smiles kindly though his eyes still appear a bit anxious from his recent fright. "Thank you for your concern Dollo, but I was headed upstairs to my room! Lordy you gave me a fright!"

Dollo nods to Reginald then collapses in a babbling mass of drunken hobbit-goo.

Moving towards the stairs, Reggie pauses to speak with Topaz for moment. They both look concernedly at Dollo. The saleshobbit then mounts the steps and dissappears upstairs.