Folk of Bree-town are divided on whether or not the man named Tedrick is considered a ruffian, the like which has been coming up the Greenway, causing trouble in and around Bree-land. Many still remember him a good lad, an honest worker whose greatest offense was to unburden himself against some poor fellow's brick-walled house after a long evening of drinking at the Prancing Pony. But lately he has been surrounding himself with shady folk, pestering halflings with questions and stealing their silver pennies.
Recently, the squint-eyed southerner tasked Tedrick to head west into the Shire and find a hobbit named Lotho Sackville-Baggins. Along the road he was to keep an eye out for any other suspicious hobbits who shared Lotho's name. He "borrowed" a steed from the stable he used to work at and rode west. He would first stop by in Buckland and interrogate some of the halflings there for information about any passersby. The squint-eyed southerner was very specific: "if you hear anything about a Baggins, report it to Lotho."
Curious that Tedrick was to answer to a hobbit while he was waylaying hobbits at every turn. Who was this Lotho? The squint-eyed southerner only said Lotho works for them, and that it is within their interest to aid him gain influence in the Shire. Bill Ferny would have come along, but it seemed he had other business in Bree more pressing. He seemed rather distressed last Tedrick saw him.
And so it was that Tedrick arrived at Buckland after a good day's ride. It is here where his story will continue in a following chapter.
