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‘Coward!’ he whispered ‘Oh, what a coward you are, Dustfinger!’ He bit his lips until they hurt ‘Come on!’ he told himself ‘This may be your last chance, you fool! Once Capricorn has the book he’ll never let you look at it again’ Once h to about the h to ive a little start in her sleep and bury her head under the covers Dustfinger waited ain, then leaned over her treasure chest with a deep sigh and put the book back under the others

Soundlessly, he closed the lid

‘Did you see that, Gwin?’ he whispered to the marten ‘I just dare not look Wouldn’t you rather find a braver master? Think it over’ Gwin chattered softly in his ear, but if that was an answer Dustfinger didn’t understand it

For a , then stole back to the door ‘Well, what does it matter?’ he muttered when he was out in the corridor ‘Who wants to know the end of a story in advance?’

He cliiven him and lay down on the narrow bed with the crates of books towering around it But he could not sleep untilFurther South

The Road goes ever on and on

Down froan

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And Iit eary feet,

Until it joins soer way

Where many paths and errands meet

And whither then? I cannot say

JRR Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring