It is a place that may well be noted, for it is unlike the
wood round about. There is a close thicket some two furlongs about
of thorn and briar and ill-grown ash and oak and other trees, planted
by the birds belike; and it stands as it were in an island amidst of
a wide-spreading woodlawn of fine turf, set about in the most goodly
fashion with great tall straight-boled oak-trees, that seem to have
been planted of set purpose by man's hand. Yea, dost thou know the
place?'
'Methinks I do,' said Gold-mane, 'and I seem to have heard the
Woodlanders give it a name and call it Boars-bait.'
'That may be,' said Hall-face. 'Well, there we were, the dogs and
the men, and we drew nigh the thicket and beset it, and doubted not
to find prey therein: but when we would set the dogs at the thicket
to enter it, they were uneasy, and would not take up the slot, but
growled and turned about this way and that, so that we deemed that
they winded some fierce beast at our flanks or backs.
'Even so it was, and fierce enough and deadly was the beast; for
suddenly we heard bow-strings twang, and shafts came flying; and
Iron-shield of the Upper Dale, who was close beside me, leapt up into
the air and fell down dead with an arrow through his back.
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