Page 197 - The Hobbit

"They may indeed," said Thorin. And already, so strong was the bewilderment

of the treasure upon him, he was pondering whether by the help of Dain he might
not recapture the Arkenstone and withhold the share of the reward.
And so Bilbo was swung down from the wall, and departed with nothing for

all his trouble, except the armour which Thorin had given him already. More than
one of the dwarves 'in their hearts felt shame and pity at his going.
"Farewell!" he cried to them. "We may meet again as friends."
"Be off!" called Thorin. "You have mail upon you, which was made by my

folk, and is too good for you. It cannot be pierced .by arrows; but if you do not
hasten, I will sting your miserable feet. So be swift!"
"Not so hasty!" said Bard. "We will give you until tomorrow. At noon we will

return, and see if you have brought from the hoard the portion that is to be set
against the stone. If that is done without deceit, then we will depart, and the elf-
host will go back to the Forest. In the meanwhile farewell!"
With that they went back to the camp; but Thorin sent messengers by Róac

telling Dain of what had passed, and bidding him come with wary speed.
That day passed and the night. The next day the wind shifted west, and the air
was dark and gloomy. The morning was still early when a cry was heard in the

camp. Runners came in to report that a host of dwarves had appeared round the
eastern spur of the Mountain and was now hastening to Dale. Dain had come. He
had hurried on through the night, and so had come upon them sooner than they
had expected. Each one of his folk was clad in a hauberk of steel mail that hung to

his knees, and his legs were covered with hose of a fine and flexible metal mesh,
the secret of whose making was possessed by Dain's people.
The dwarves are exceedingly strong for their height, but most of these were
strong even for dwarves. In battle they wielded heavy two-handed mattocks; but

each of them had also a short broad sword at his side and a round shield slung at
his back. Their beards were forked and plaited and thrust into their belts. Their
caps were of iron and they were shod with iron, and their faces were grim.
Trumpets called men and elves to arms. Before long the dwarves could be seen

coming up the valley at a great pace. They halted between the river and the
eastern spur; but a few held on their way, and crossing the river drew near the
camp; and there they laid down their weapons and held up their hands in sign of

peace. Bard went out to meet them, and with him went Bilbo.
"We are sent from Dain son of Nain," they said when questioned. "We are
hastening to our kinsmen in the Mountain, since we learn that the kingdom of old
is renewed. But who are you that sit in the plain as foes before defended walls?"