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sted off down the stream； and out into the main current Then he found it quite as difficult to stick on as he had feared； but he managed it somehow； though it was miserably unfortable。 Luckily he was very light； and the barrel was a good big one and being rather leaky had now shipped a small amount of water。 All the same it was like trying to ride； without bridle or stirrups； a round…bellied pony that was always thinking of rolling on the grass。 In this way at last Mr。 Baggins came to a place where the trees on either hand grew thinner。 He could see the paler sky between them。 The dark river opened suddenly wide； and there it was joined to the main water of the Forest River flowing down in haste from the king's great doors。 There was a dim sheet of water no longer overshadowed； and on its sliding surface there were dancing and broken reflections of clouds and of stars。 Then the hurrying water of the Forest River swept all the pany of casks and tubs away to the north bank； in which it had eaten out a wide bay。 This had a shingly shore under hanging banks and was walled at the eastern end by a little jutting cape of hard rock。 On the shallow shore most of the barrels ran aground； though a few went on to bump against the stony pier。 There were people on the look…out on the banks。 They quickly poled and pushed all the barrels together into the shallows； and when they had counted them they roped them together and left them till the morning。 Poor dwarves！ Bilbo was not so badly off now。 He slipped from his barrel and waded ashore； and then sneaked along to some huts that he could see near the water's edge。 He no longer thought twice about picking up a supper uninvited if he got the chance； he had been obliged to do it for so long； and he knew only too well what it was to be really hungry； not merely politely interested in the dainties of a well…filled larder。 Also he had caught a glimpse of a fire through the trees； and that appealed to him with his dripping and ragged clothes clinging to him cold and clammy。
There is no need to tell you much of his adventures that night； for now we are drawing near the end of the eastward journey and ing to the last and greatest adventure； so we must hurry on。 Of course helped by his magic ring he got on very well at first； but he was given away in the end by his wet footsteps and the trail of drippings that he left wherever he went or sat； and also he began to snivel； and wherever he tried to hide he was found out by the terrific explosions of his suppressed sneezes。 Very soon there was a fine motion in the village by the riverside； but Bilbo escaped into the woods carrying a loaf and a leather bottle of wine and a pie that did not belong to him。 The rest of the night he had to pass wet as he was and far from a fire； but the bottle helped him to do that； and he actually dozed a little on some dry leaves； even though the year was getting late and the air was chilly。
He woke again with a specially loud sneeze。 It was already grey morning； and there was a merry racket down by the river。 They were making up a raft of barrels； and the raft…elves would soon be steering it off down the stream to Lake…town。 Bilbo sneezed again。 He was no longer dripping but he felt cold all over。 He scrambled down as fast as his stiff legs would take him and managed just in time to get on to the mass of casks without being noticed in the general bustle。 Luckily there was no sun at the time to cast an awkward shadow； and for a mercy he did not sneeze again for a good while。 There was a mighty pushing of poles。 The elves that were standing in the shallow 。water heaved and shoved。 The barrels now all lashed together creaked and fretted。 。
〃This is a heavy load！〃 some grumbled。 〃They float too deep…some of these are never empty。 If they had e ashore in the daylight； we might have had a look inside；〃 they said。
〃No time now！〃 cried the raftman。 〃Shove off！〃
And off they went at last； slowly at first； until they had passed the point of rock where other elves stood to fend them off with poles； and then quicker and quicker as they caught the main stream and went sailing away down； down towards the Lake。
They had escaped the dungeons of the king and were through the wood； but whether alive or dead still remains to be seen。
Chapter 10
A Warm Wele
The day grew lighter and warmer as they floated along。 After a while the river rounded a steep shoulder of land that came down upon their left。 Under its rocky feet like an inland cliff the deepest stream had flowed lapping and bubbling。 Suddenly the cliff fell away。 The shores sank。 The trees ended。 Then Bilbo saw a sight： The lands opened wide about him； filled with the waters of the river which broke up and wandered in a hundred winding courses； or halted in marshes and pools dotted with isles on every side： but still a strong water flowed on steadily through the midst。 And far away； its dark head in a torn cloud； there loomed the Mountain！ Its nearest neighbours to the North…East and the tumbled land that joined it to them could not be seen。 All alone it rose and looked across the marshes to the forest。 The Lonely Mountain！ Bilbo had e far and through many adventures to see it； and now he did not like the look of it in the least。
As he listened to the talk of the raftmen and pieced together the scraps of information they let fall； he soon realized that he was very fortunate ever to have seen it at all； even from this distance。 Dreary as had been his imprisonment and unpleasant as was his position （to say nothing of the poor dwarves underneath him） still； he had been more lucky than he had guessed。 The talk was all of the trade that came and went on the waterways and the growth of the traffic on the river； as the roads out of the East towards Mirkwood vanished or fell into disuse； and of the bickerings of the Lake…men and the Wood…elves about the upkeep of the Forest River and the care of the banks。
Those lands had changed much since the days when dwarves dwelt in the Mountain； days which most people now remembered only as a very shadowy tradition。 They had changed even in recent years； and since the last news that Gandalf had had of them。 Great floods and rains had swollen the waters that flowed east； and there had been an earthquake or two （which some were inclined to attribute to the dragon…alluding to him chiefly with a curse and an ominous nod in the direction of the Mountain）。 The marshes and bogs had spread wider and wider on either side。 Paths had vanished； and many a rider and wanderer too； if they had tried to find the lost ways across。 The elf…road through the wood which the dwarves had followed on the advice of Beorn now came to a doubtful and little used end at the eastern edge of the forest； only the river offered any longer a safe way from the skirts of Mirkwood in the North to the mountain…shadowed plains beyond； and the river was guarded by the Wood…elves' king。
So you see Bilbo had e in the end by the only road that was any good。 It might have been some fort to Mr。 Baggins shivering on the barrels； if he had known that news of this had reached Gandalf far away and given him great anxiety； and that he was in fact finishing his other business （which does not e into this tale） and getting ready to e in search of Thorin's pany。 But Bilbo did not know it。
All he knew was that the river seemed to go on and on and on for ever； and he was hungry； and had a nasty cold in the nose； and did not like the way the Mountain seemed to frown at him and threaten him as it drew ever nearer。 After a while； however； the river took a more southerly course and the Mountain receded again； and at last； late in the day the shores grew rocky； the river gathered all its wandering waters together into a deep and rapid flood； and they swept along at great speed。
The sun had set when turning with another sweep towards the East the forest…river rushed into the Long Lake。 There it had a wide mouth with stony clifflike gates at either side whose feet were piled with shingles。 The Long Lake！ Bilbo had never imagined that any water that was not the sea could look so big。 It was so wide that the opposite shores looked small and far； but it was so long that its northerly end； which pointed towards the Mountain； could not be seen at all。 Only from the map did Bilbo know that away up there； where the stars of the Wain were already twinkling； the Running River came down into the lake from Dale and with the Forest River filled with deep waters what must once have been a great deep rocky valley。 At the southern end the doubled waters poured out again over high waterfalls and ran away hurriedly to unknown lands。 In the still evening air the noise of the falls could be heard like a distant roar。
Not far from the mouth of the Forest River was the strange town he heard the elves speak of in the king's cellars。 It was not built on the shore； though there were a few huts and buildings there； but right out on the surface of the lake； protected from the swirl of the entering river by a promontory of rock which formed a calm bay。 A great 。 bridge made of wood ran out to where on huge piles made of forest trees was built a busy wooden town； not a town of elves but of Men；