Хоббит
Barrels Out of Bond
Theluckturnedallrightbeforelong:theeddyingcurrentcarriedseveralbarrelscloseashoreatonepointandthereforawhiletheystuckagainstsomehiddenroot.ThenBilbotooktheopportunityofscramblingupthesideofhisbarrelwhileitwasheldsteadyagainstanother.Uphecrawledlikeadrownedrat,andlayonthetopspreadouttokeepthebalanceasbesthecould.Thebreezewascoldbutbetterthanthewater,andhehopedhewouldnotsuddenlyrolloffagainwhentheystartedoffoncemore.Beforelongthebarrelsbrokefreeagainandturnedandtwistedoffdownthestream,andoutintothemaincurrentThenhefounditquiteasdifficulttostickonashehadfeared;buthemanageditsomehow,thoughitwasmiserablyuncomfortable.Luckilyhewasverylight,andthebarrelwasagoodbigoneandbeingratherleakyhadnowshippedasmallamountofwater.Allthesameitwasliketryingtoride,withoutbridleorstirrups,around-belliedponythatwasalwaysthinkingofrollingonthegrass.InthiswayatlastMr.Bagginscametoaplacewherethetreesoneitherhandgrewthinner.Hecouldseethepalerskybetweenthem.Thedarkriveropenedsuddenlywide,andthereitwasjoinedtothemainwateroftheForestRiverflowingdowninhastefromtheking’sgreatdoors.Therewasadimsheetofwaternolongerovershadowed,andonitsslidingsurfacethereweredancingandbrokenreflectionsofcloudsandofstars.
