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.I don't need the help of your legs to get youaway-and have you all to myself!'Suddenly he seized them.The strength in his long arms and shoulderswas terrifying.He tucked them one under each armpit, and crushed themfiercely to his sides; a great stifling hand was clapped over each of theirmouths.Then he sprang forward, stooping low.Quickly and silently he went,until he came to the edge of the knoll.There, choosing a gap between thewatchers, he passed like an evil shadow out into the night, down the slopeand away westward towards the river that flowed out of the forest.In thatdirection there was a wide open space with only one fire.After going a dozen yards he halted, peering and listening.Nothingcould be seen or heard.He crept slowly on, bent almost double.Then hesquatted and listened again.Then he stood up, as if to risk a sudden dash.At that very moment the dark form of a rider loomed up right in front ofhim.A horse snorted and reared.A man called out.Grishnbkh flung himself on the ground flat, dragging the hobbits underhim; then he drew his sword.No doubt he meant to kill his captives, ratherthan allow them to escape or to be rescued; but it was his undoing.Thesword rang faintly, and glinted a little in the light of the fire away tohis left.An arrow came whistling out of the gloom: it was aimed with skill,or guided by fate, and it pierced his right hand.He dropped the sword andshrieked.There was a quick beat of hoofs, and even as Grishnbkh leaped upand ran, he was ridden down and a spear passed through him.He gave ahideous shivering cry and lay still.The hobbits remained flat on the ground, as Grishnbkh had left them.Another horseman came riding swiftly to his comrade's aid.Whether becauseof some special keenness of sight, or because of some other sense, the horselifted and sprang lightly over them; but its rider did not see them, lyingcovered in their elven-cloaks, too crushed for the moment, and too afraid tomove.At last Merry stirred and whispered softly: 'So far so good: but howare we to avoid being spitted?'The answer came almost immediately.The cries of Grishnbkh had rousedthe Orcs.From the yells and screeches that came from the knoll the hobbitsguessed that their disappearance had been discovered: Ugl®k was probablyknocking off a few more heads.Then suddenly the answering cries oforc-voices came from the right, outside the circle of watch-fires, from thedirection of the forest and the mountains.Mauh®r had apparently arrived andwas attacking the besiegers.There was the sound of galloping horses.TheRiders were drawing in their ring close round the knoll, risking theorc-arrows, so as to prevent any sortie, while a company rode off to dealwith the newcomers.Suddenly Merry and Pippin realized that without movingthey were now outside the circle: there was nothing between them and escape.'Now,' said Merry, 'if only we had our legs and hands free, we mightget away.But I can't touch the knots, and I can't bite them.''No need to try,' said Pippin.'I was going to tell you: I've managedto free my hands.These loops are only left for show.You'd better have abit of lembas first.'He slipped the cords off his wrists, and fished out a packet.The cakeswere broken, but good, still in their leaf-wrappings.The hobbits each atetwo or three pieces.The taste brought back to them the memory of fairfaces, and laughter, and wholesome food in quiet days now far away.For awhile they ate thoughtfully, sitting in the dark, heedless of the cries andsounds of battle nearby.Pippin was the first to come back to the present.'We must be off,' he said.'Half a moment!' Grishnbkh's sword was lyingclose at hand, but it was too heavy and clumsy for him to use; so he crawledforward, and finding the body of the goblin he drew from its sheath a longsharp knife.With this he quickly cut their bonds.'Now for it!' he said.'When we've warmed up a bit, perhaps we shall beable to stand again, and walk.But in any case we had better start bycrawling.'They crawled.The turf was deep and yielding, and that helped them: butit seemed a long slow business.They gave the watch-fire a wide berth, andwormed their way forward bit by bit, until they came to the edge of theriver, gurgling away in the black shadows under its deep banks.Then theylooked back.The sounds had died away.Evidently Mauh®r and his 'lads' had beenkilled or driven off.The Riders had returned to their silent ominous vigil.It would not last very much longer.Already the night was old.In the East,which had remained unclouded, the sky was beginning to grow pale.'We must get under cover,' said Pippin, 'or we shall be seen.It willnot be any comfort to us, if these riders discover that we are not Orcsafter we are dead.' He got up and stamped his feet.'Those cords have cut melike wires; but my feet are getting warm again.I could stagger on now.Whatabout you, Merry?'Merry got up.'Yes,' he said, 'I can manage it.Lembas does put heartinto you! A more wholesome sort of feeling, too, than the heat of thatorc-draught.I wonder what it was made of.Better not to know, I expect.Let's get a drink of water to wash away the thought of it!''Not here, the banks are too steep,' said Pippin.'Forward now!'They turned and walked side by side slowly along the line of the river.Behind them the light grew in the East.As they walked they compared notes,talking lightly in hobbit-fashion of the things that had happened sincetheir capture.No listener would have guessed from their words that they hadsuffered cruelly, and been in dire peril, going without hope towards tormentand death; or that even now, as they knew well, they had little chance ofever finding friend or safety again.'You seem to have been doing well, Master Took,' said Merry.'You willget almost a chapter in old Bilbo's book, if ever I get a chance to reportto him.Good work: especially guessing that hairy villain's little game, andplaying up to him.But I wonder if anyone will ever pick up your trail andfind that brooch.I should hate to lose mine, but I am afraid yours is gonefor good.'I shall have to brush up my toes, if I am to get level with you.Indeed Cousin Brandybuck is going in front now.This is where he comes in.Idon't suppose you have much notion where we are; but I spent my time atRivendell rather better.We are walking west along the Entwash.The butt-endof the Misty Mountains is in front, and Fangorn Forest.'Even as he spoke the dark edge of the forest loomed up straight beforethem.Night seemed to have taken refuge under its great trees, creeping awayfrom the coming Dawn.'Lead on, Master Brandybuck!' said Pippin.'Or lead back! We have beenwarned against Fangorn
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