Chapter 12: The story begins here

The dwarves' contract with Morgan was made conditionally.

Bilbo's contract was drawn up in advance because Gandalf had done so from the beginning.

However, due to the addition of Morgan, Bilbo's commission has changed somewhat.

The commission originally promised to Bilbo was one fourteenth of the total income, but was temporarily changed to one fifteenth.

And Morgan's commission, because the midgets can't get any more money for a while.

So, like Bilbo, he becomes one-fifteenth of the whole.

As to why this time, all the people on the team are clearly 16 people, but only 15 people are involved in profit sharing.

Morgan didn't know why and didn't ask much.

Thorin solemnly handed over the provisional pact to Morgan.

After Morgan gave it a quick read, he simply signed his name on the final line.

Bilbo, for his part, read all the terms of the contract.

He hesitated at the last moment of signing.

For a hobbit who hadn't been far from Hobbiton since he was born.

Leaving his warm home, away from the delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner and tranquility of Bag End.

It takes a lot of courage to embark on dangerous, tough and strenuous adventures.

Finally, Bilbo shook his head and went back to his room, saying that he needed to think about it.

At this point, it wasn't just Morgan who saw that Bilbo was no longer in the mood for adventure.

Gandalf saw it too.

As soon as Bilbo walked Gandalf followed him.

He was already dark.

The dwarfs, who had been making noise all day, also began to yawn.

Tomorrow they will leave early in the morning.

Bilbo's Bag End was too small to have a spare bed.

24. Dwarfs have to lie down on the ground or find a place to sleep.

Fortunately, it's still summer, it's hot and it doesn't matter if you sleep on the floor.

Morgan sat on the bench and slept at the dining room table all night.

The next morning.

Morgan woke up to see a group of dwarfs ready to go.

After a simple wash, Morgan led the dwarves to prepare ponies with greater endurance and greater load for this journey.

His horse and Gandalf's had been eliminated yesterday.

Morgan led the horse over to Gandalf, who was looking up at the morning sun with a pipe in his mouth, and asked, "Won't Bilbo go?"

"Why, do you think Bilbo doesn't want to go too?"

Gandalf turned his head and asked Morgan.

"Well... I don't think so."

"I just think it takes a lot of courage for an ordinary person to drop everything he has and take a chance on us."

"Of course I still trusted your vision, Gandalf!"

Seeing Gandalf's thoughtful look, Morgan patted him on the shoulder and smiled.

Bilbo is not up yet.

Thorin was not willing to wait any longer.

The dwarfs cleaned up everything they messed up in Bag End yesterday.

The group mounted ponies and left Bilbo's house.

Of course, the contract they gave him yesterday remained.

As long as Bilbo wanted to, as long as Bilbo didn't wake up too late, he could catch up with the group.

The late summer sun is not harsh.

Walk along high paths, lined with trees.

A group of dwarfs were chatting and talking about Bilbo.

Soon a bet was played again on whether Bilbo would catch up.

Morgan really saw what dwarves were capable of: they always seemed to have fun.

The dwarf Bofur, who loves to wear leather hats, was the first to speak: "I bet Mr. Baggins won't come. Who among you dares to bet with me?"

The young dwarf Fíli with the golden braids immediately shouted dissatisfied: "Hey, everyone knows that Mr. Baggins won't come, it's not fair!"

Immediately, a dwarf repeated: "That's right, that's true..."

The dwarf Kíli also replied: "Bofur, if you bet that Mr. Baggins will come, I will make this bet with you."

At this time, Morgan suddenly smiled and said, "I bet Mr. Baggins will catch up. Who among you dares to bet with me?"

If he didn't know the plot, because of Bilbo's performance yesterday and his failure to get up this morning, Morgan would never take this bet, because the chance is too small.

But now, if you can make money and gain Gandalf's favour, why not?

Sure enough, as soon as Morgan opened his mouth, Gandalf smiled and looked over.

He thinks that Morgan does all this because he believes in him.

You know, even now, he doesn't trust Bilbo to catch up with him.

Also, the dwarves were laughing at Bilbo's lack of guts, and it seemed like they were making fun of Gandalf as well, though by the personality of the dwarves it doesn't necessarily mean that.

But he had yesterday recommended Bilbo with all his might.

"Like Morgan, I bet on Bilbo..."

Gandalf tapped his pipe on his shoe and laughed merrily.

The voice fell, and the two voices immediately shouted one after another.

"I accepted Morgan's bet..."

"I took Gandalf's..."

Kíli and Bofur spoke quickly, causing the other dwarves who were willing to bet to take a step back.

"Count me in. Guess Mr. Baggins can catch up. We might as well give him some credit."

At this moment, White-bearded Balin opened his mouth, causing everyone to be stunned.

It was the dwarf Glóin who responded fastest, quickly saying, "I'll take Balin's wager!"

At that moment, the young dwarf Fíli was ready to speak.

"Fili, you're so slow, haha..."

Just as everyone in the expedition team made a joke about Bilbo's bet.

Inside the closed bag.

Bilbo had just woken up from his dream.

When I woke up, I saw that the house was empty and that everything was clean and tidy.

If it wasn't for the food that had disappeared from the pantry, Bilbo would have thought the whole of last night had been a dream.

Looking around the empty room, remembering the hustle and bustle of yesterday, Bilbo suddenly felt an inexplicable loss in his heart.

Soon, he saw the contract on the table that he refused to sign yesterday.

At that moment, Bilbo suddenly remembered Gandalf's words: "Bilbo, your father, your grandfather, your great-grandfather, your great-great-grandfather, were never ordinary..."

"You are also a descendant of the Tuk. Do you plan to live in this small house for the rest of your life?"

Gandalf's words seemed to still be in his ears.

An indescribable impulse suddenly grew in Bilbo's heart: "Yes, I don't want to, I don't want to live like this all my life, I don't want to be ordinary!"

Bilbo immediately grabbed a pen and signed his name on the contract.

Immediately, he grabbed his own luggage, put on clean clothes and left very quickly.

After half an hour.

Carrying a backpack that he couldn't even hold properly, Bilbo finally spotted the expedition team in the woods about to leave Hobbiton.

Bilbo waved the contract in his hand and ran happily.

The story starts here.