refuse. I have got you out of two messes already, which were hardly in
the original bargain, so that I am, I think, already owed some reward.
But ‘third time pays for all’ as my father used to say, and somehow I
don’t think I shall refuse. Perhaps I have begun to trust my luck more
than I used to in the old days” - he meant last spring before he left
his own house, but it seemed centuries ago - “but anyway I think I
will go and have a peep at once and get it over. Now who is coming
with me?”
     
     Fili and Kili looked uncomfortable and stood on One leg, but the
others made no pretence of offering - except old Balin. the look-out
man, who was rather fond the hobbit. He said he would come inside at
least and perhaps a bit of the way too, really to call for help if
necessary.
     The most that can be said for the dwarves is this: they intended to
pay Bilbo really handsomely for his services; they had brought him to
do a nasty job for them, and they did not mind the poor little fellow
doing it if he would; but they would all have done their best to get
him out of trouble, if he got into it, as they did in the case of the
trolls at the beginning of their adventures before they had any