Strider the Ranger is back

[Birdland]

So, was Pippin "insulting" Aragorn or what?

Far from it! Remember that Pippin comes from a society that has little truck with royalty (Ever hear of a King of the Hobbits?) Pippin would have regarded his comment as a compliment, in a way. Aragorn's enjoyment of a pipe with some old friends shows that he can still fit in with "just folks", and that all this talk of kingship has not gone to his head.

I imagine that Pippin was a little relieved to see the old "Strider", and perhaps Aragorn was a little relieved to assume that role again - if only for a little while.