[Morquesse]

Greetings, littlemanpoet, Gandalf_theGrey and lathspell. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
I can only find one problem with your theory, lmp: you said that perhaps Tom knew they were coming and that they would be lead to Old Man Willow and that he would come along to free them, but here's the problem: Tom said to the hobbits in his house that he did not hear their cries, and it was 'chance, if chance you call it' that he came just at the right time. So I'm guessing that he did not know that they were coming, and just happen to come at the right moment.
Just a guess,
~M

Edit: It seems that the adventures of Tom did happen before tWotR, but I will have to check and see.

[ October 21, 2002: Message edited by: Morquesse ]