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Tim could hardy believe the position that he found himself in now. Before he could say anything, Wren and Woody had scurried out from beneath the table cloth, and he was left alone, kneeling on the dry, springy grass beneath the cakes and other desserts. He looked around him, bent his head to look below the cloth, and then straightened again and set his eyes on Hanson.
“Come on, then,” he said, nodding towards the hanging cloth. “We’d better find the properest cake to grab while no one’s around.” Hanson nodded, his face still widened by a huge smile full of fun. He and Tim scrambled out quickly, though carefully, from beneath the table, and stood up. “Come on. . .come on,” he said. “We don’t want to be seen hanging around here before we actually have to steel it. Let’s check it from a little ways away.”
Without turning his head, he walked several paces off and put a few people between him and the table of desserts. Hanson followed at his side. They turned together and stood still, eyeing the possible booty and considering carefully which would be the best.
There were about five cakes, all not very large, five pies, and several plates of an assortment of cookies. Tim figured there was likely more food in the kitchen to back these up, in case the cakes and pies were eaten before the night was quite out.
After looking over all of them, Tim spotted a likely cake, one with creamy yellow icing surrounding the white, flaky cake. One or two pieces had been cut out of it, but nothing that they would miss too much. He suggested it to Hanson, and the hobbit child nodded, his eyes sparkling as they settled on the cake and his tongue slowly licked his lower lips.
“Well, we’d better go back,” Tim said. “Keep a sharp eye out that we’re not seen. There’s Woody and Wren now. . .their mission happily accomplished.”
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