There may be no Smaug at the bottom but then again there may be. Don’t
let us take any unnecessary risks!”
     Down, down they went. The dwarves could not, course, compare with the
hobbit in real stealth, and the made a deal of puffing and shuffling
which echoes magnified alarmingly; but though every now and again
Bilbo in fear stopped and listened, not a sound stirred below Near the
bottom, as well as he could judge, Bilbo slipped on his ring and went
ahead. But he did not need it: the darkness was complete, and they
were all invisible, ring or no ring. In fact so black was it that the
hobbit came to the opening unexpectedly, put his
     There he lay face downwards on the floor and did no dare to get up, or
hardly even to breathe. But nothing moved. There was not a gleam of
light- unless, as seemed to him, when at last he slowly raised his
head, there was a pale white glint, above him and far off in the
gloom. But certainly it was not a spark of dragon-fire, though the
wormstench was heavy in the place, and the taste of vapour was on his
tongue.
     At length Mr. Baggins could bear it no longer. “Come found you, Smaug,
you worm!” he squeaked aloud. “Stop playing hide-and-seek! Give me a
light, and then eat me if you can catch me!”