Fool of a Took!
"Fool of a Took!"
Gandalf

Poor Pippin is a hobbit out of his depth as he travels back from Isengard with Gandalf and the others. He can't help but let his mind wander back to the strange orb that he retrieved for Gandalf from the floods of Isengard, in fact he is very mad that Gandalf took it away from him without so much as a thank you!
That night as everyone sleeps together he sees his opportunity. Gandalf lies asleep with the object in question nestled in the crook of his arm wrapped in rags. Pippin gets up and ignoring Merry's protests takes the ball. For a moment it looks as though Gandalf may be about to wake, but luckily he doesn't, however he seems to miss the weight in his arms and so Pippin finds a substitute for the sphere and then settles down to look at the real thing again.
The thing that Pippin steals is a Palantír and in it he contacts Sauron who demands to know who he is. When Pippin reveals that he is a hobbit Sauron's mind turns to the only hobbit that he knows of, Frodo the Ring-Bearer.
Now Pippin is in grave danger. Sauron things he has found the carrier of his Ring and so is sending out all his servants to find him. Once again the company must divide. Soon Pippin finds himself on the back of Shadowfax riding with Gandalf to Gondor, seeking Steward Denethor.

Ride onwards to Gondor
Face the Paths of the Dead with Aragorn and company
Return to Cirith Ennor