But so far trouble had not come; and as Mr. Baggins was generous with his money, most people were willing to forgive
him his oddities and his good fortune. He remained on visiting terms with his relatives (except, of course, the
Sackville-Bagginses), and he had many devoted admirers among the hobbits of poor and unimportant families. But he
had no close friends, until some of his younger cousins began to grow up.
The eldest of these, and Bilbo’s favourite, was young Frodo Baggins. When Bilbo was ninety-nine he adopted Frodo as his heir, and brought him to live at Bag End; and the hopes of the Sackville-Bagginses were finally dashed. Bilbo and Frodo happened to have the same birthday, September 22nd. ‘You had better come and live here, Frodo my lad,’ said Bilbo one day; ‘and then we can celebrate our birthday-parties
comfortably together.’ At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties between childhood and coming of age at thirty-three.