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Brown looked around at the scared, pale faces of the other hobbits, who now stood in a circle around Gaffer Hugo's lifeless form. Of course the expedition could not go on. They had just been out to have some fun before, but real life had taken a hand. Rudy and Mira would have to see to Hugo's burial, break the news to the family, and so on. And the others would likely be disheartened by the tragedy, which had cast a sudden dark pall over their merry adventure - which of them would wish to continue given the circumstances? It hardly seemed right.
Snatch wiggled his way through the legs of the observers and bounced up to Gaffer Hugo. Ordinarily he would have wanted to romp, but he immediately sensed that something was amiss. Snatch approached, sniffed Hugo's feet, and stepped back. Nothing happened. He barked sharply, and still Gaffer Hugo did not move. Snatch leapt up on the platform, sniffed Hugo carefully, and began to lick his face, whining softly all the while. The solemn band watched silently, and Mira cried on Rudy's shoulder.
Brown felt suddenly that he was intruding upon this mourning family, and, without a word, walked slowly back into the inn. They wouldn't be leaving for a while yet, he knew.
Sitting down at his bench again, he began to think. And, as he thought, he realized that there was no reason he couldn't continue north on his own, even if the others had no will to go on.
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