The beer tent was full to the brim when they arrived after the pony race.

"How ‘bout a round for the heroes of the Shire!" one hobbit shouted.

Merry looked amused, Pippin smiled proudly, Frodo sighed in frustration, Fredegar seemed smug, and Sam wanted to disappear into the ground. They were ushered to a table, and tall mugs of ale were set before them.

"I was not expecting this, but I’m more than willing to go along," Pippin said, before taking a long gulp of his ale.

Frodo watched his young cousin empty the mug’s contents in record time. He leaned over to Sam. "I have a feeling tonight will bring trouble."

Sam eyed Merry as he accepted the offer from another hobbit to have a drinking contest between them. "I don’t doubt that you’re right, Mr. Frodo."

They glanced at Fredegar, who was to their left. He was downing his mug rather quickly as well. Sam shrugged a shoulder, and got started on his mug of ale. Frodo frowned, knowing he’d be the only sober one left before the hour was up.

It happened that nearly every hobbit in the tent was wanting to buy Captain Meriadoc, Captain Peregrin, Captain Fredegar, ex-mayor Baggins, and Samwise Gamgee a mug of ale.

"Here’s one more, cousin," Mosco Baggins, a distant cousin of Frodo’s, said placing another ale in front of him.

"No, thank you, Mosco," Frodo replied, affably.

"Nonsense, Frodo!" Pippin exclaimed, appearing by his side and slapping him on the back. "If someone offers you something, it is not polite to turn it down, especially from a relative."

"I’m related to most everyone in this tent, Pippin."

"All the better to accept!" And with that, Pippin downed another ale.

Frodo pushed himself from the table, and stood to leave. "I think I’m going to go back to our tent. I’ve had enough for tonight."

"No!" Pippin exclaimed, grabbing his older cousin’s arm and nearly falling over in the process. "You’ve barely touched your ale."

"Really, Pip, I’m tired," Frodo replied, trying to remove Pippin’s hand, but to no success.

"What’s the meaning of this?" came a slightly slurred voice that belonged to Sam. "Now Mr. Pippin, it’s not proper to manhandle your elders." He pried Pippin’s hand from Frodo’s arm, and lead his master out the tent. Frodo was thankful to finally be away from the crowd.

Meanwhile on the other side of the beer tent, there was a little game going on between Merry and Fred. Merry had drunk his competitor under the table, but Fred had stepped to a new game.

"Tell me, Merry," Fred began, toying with the mug in front of him. "What is the worst thing you have done?"

Merry furrowed his brow. "Today or before?"

"Before, you goose!"

"All right." Merry thought for a moment then broke out into a lop-sided smile. "Remember the time at the Winter Ball at the Great Smials when the Thain told the guests to take a seat, but when they did, all the chairs collapses under them?"

Fred nearly choked on his ale. "That was you?!"

"Berilac and I planned it out for months before," Merry replied, proudly.

Fred let out a roar of laughter, which earned him another mug from a passing hobbit. "That is a classic. I always wondered who pull that off!"

"How ‘bout you, Freddy? What have you done?"

"Well, Filibo Bolger, our second cousin twice removed, was visiting us for a few days with his parents. He and Stella were just entering their tweens. He was kind of fond of Stella, so I convinced him to kiss her. What they didn’t know was I rounded up all the lads close by, and we throw buckets of water on them right before they touched lips. Stella was as mad as a hornet!"

"Why couldn’t that be me?" Merry mumbled against the top of his mug.

"What was that?" asked Fred, between his peels of laughter.

"I would very much like to kiss that lovely face of Estella’s," Merry said a little louder.

"I suggest you have a bit more to drink before you do. Stella’s stings do hurt!" Fred joked, elbowing him.

It happened that night after Fred, Merry, and Pippin made it back to their camp, that Merry tried to kiss Estella. But alas! he missed her lips and didn’t remember what he had done the next morning.

But that is another story...