..said Bilbo, but the dwarves did not listen, they were pre-occupied with fighting with each other. According to the dwarves, everyone else was to blame for them getting lost.
"Always climb the highest tree to find your way out of the forest", Bilbo repeated to himself, seeing that no-one else would listen. After all, it's just a prickly fir-tree.
There's always hope, when you're sitting on top of the tallest tree in the forest, with the rays of the sun dancing on your dirty face and have no idea of the carnage taking place down on the ground. The dwarves were paying the price for their arrogance. Can you call it arrogance, when their minds could not focus on anything else than their mountain gold?
Bilbo called down. "I see the way to the lonely mountain!" No answer. "Goddamn dwarves!"
Bilbo headed down.