a hole in the rock on his island, and was always going back to look at
it. And still sometimes he put it on, when he could not bear to be
parted from it any longer, or when he was very, very, hungry, and
tired of fish. Then he would creep along dark passages looking for
stray goblins. He might even venture into places where the torches
were lit and made his eyes blink and smart; for he would be
     Oh yes, quite safe. No one would see him, no one would notice him,
till he had his fingers on their throat. Only a few hours ago he had
worn it, and caught a small goblin-imp. How it squeaked! He still had
a bone or two left to gnaw, but he wanted something softer.
     “Quite safe, yes,” he whispered to himself. “It won’t see us, will it,
my precious? No. It won’t see us, and its nassty little sword will be
useless, yes quite.”
     That is what was in his wicked little mind, as he slipped suddenly
from Bilbo’s side, and flapped back to his boat, and went off into the
dark. Bilbo thought he had heard the last of him. Still he waited a
while; for he had no idea how to find his way out alone.
     Suddenly he heard a screech. It sent a shiver down his back. Gollum
was cursing and wailing away in the gloom, not very far off by the
sound of it. He was on his island, scrabbling here and there,