noses up at what they had got from the trolls’ larder. Their own
provisions were very scanty. Now they had bread and cheese, and plenty
of ale, and bacon to toast
     After that they slept, for their night had been disturbed; (and they
did nothing more till the afternoon. Then they I brought up their
ponies, and carried away the pots of gold, and buried them very
secretly not far from the track by the river, putting a great many
spells over them, just in case they ever had the-chance to come back
and recover them. When that was done, they all mounted once more, and
     “Where did you go to, if I may ask?” said Thorin to Gandalf as they
rode along.
     “To look ahead,” said he.
     “And what brought you back in the nick of time?”
     “Looking behind,” said he.
     “Exactly!” said Thorin; “but could you be more plain?” “I went on to
spy out our road. It will soon become dangerous and difficult. Also I
was anxious about replenishing our small stock of provisions. I had
not gone very far, however, when I met a couple of friends of mine
from Rivendell.”
     “Where’s that?” asked Bilbo,