Peter Pan
THE ISLAND COME TRUE
Feeling that Peter was on his way back, the Neverland had again into life. We ought to use the and say wakened, but is and was always used by Peter.
In his are on the island. The take an hour longer in the morning, the to their young, the for six days and nights, and when and boys meet they bite their thumbs at each other. But with the of Peter, who lethargy, they are under way again: if you put your ear to the ground now, you would the whole with life.
On this the of the were as follows. The boys were out looking for Peter, the were out looking for the boys, the were out looking for the pirates, and the were out looking for the redskins. They were going and the island, but they did not meet all were going at the same rate.
All wanted blood the boys, who liked it as a rule, but to-night were out to their captain. The boys on the vary, of course, in numbers, according as they killed and so on; and when they to be up, which is against the rules, Peter them out; but at this time there were six of them, the as two. Let us to here among the sugar-cane and watch them as they by in single file, each with his hand on his dagger.
They are by Peter to look in the least like him, and they wear the skins of the by themselves, in which they are so and that when they they roll. They have therefore very sure-footed.
The to pass is Tootles, not the least but the most of all that band. He had been in than any of them, the big just when he had the corner; all would be quiet, he would take the opportunity of going off to a for firewood, and then when he returned the others would be up the blood. This ill-luck had a to his countenance, but of his nature had it, so that he was the of the boys. Poor Tootles, there is in the air for you to-night. Take an is now offered you, which, if accepted, will you in woe. Tootles, the Tink, who is on this night is looking for a tool, and she thinks you are the most easily of the boys. ’Ware Tinker Bell.
Would that he us, but we are not on the island, and he by, his knuckles.
Next comes Nibs, the and debonair, by Slightly, who out of the trees and to his own tunes. Slightly is the most of the boys. He thinks he the days he was lost, with their manners and customs, and this has his nose an tilt. Curly is fourth; he is a pickle, and so often has he had to deliver up his person when Peter said sternly, “Stand the one who did this thing,” that now at the he he has done it or not. Last come the Twins, who cannot be we should be sure to be the one. Peter what were, and his were not allowed to know anything he did not know, so these two were always about themselves, and did their best to give by close together in an of way.
The boys in the gloom, and after a pause, but not a long pause, for go on the island, come the on their track. We them they are seen, and it is always the same song:
“Avast belay, yo ho, to,
A-pirating we go,
And if we’re by a shot
We’re sure to meet below!”
A more villainous-looking in a on Execution dock. Here, a little in advance, and again with his to the ground listening, his great arms bare, pieces of eight in his ears as ornaments, is the Italian Cecco, who cut his name in of blood on the of the of the prison at Gao. That black him has had many names since he the one with which mothers still their children on the banks of the Guadjo-mo. Here is Bill Jukes, every of him tattooed, the same Bill Jukes who got six dozen on the Walrus from Flint he would the of moidores; and Cookson, said to be Black Murphy’s (but this was proved), and Gentleman Starkey, once an in a public and still in his of killing; and Skylights (Morgan’s Skylights); and the Irish bo’sun Smee, an man who stabbed, so to speak, without offence, and was the only Non-conformist in Hook’s crew; and Noodler, hands were on backwards; and Robt. Mullins and Alf Mason and many another long and on the Spanish Main.
In the of them, the and largest in that dark setting, James Hook, or as he himself, Jas. Hook, of it is said he was the only man that the Sea-Cook feared. He at his in a and by his men, and of a right hand he had the iron with which and he them to their pace. As dogs this terrible man and them, and as dogs they him. In person he was and blackavized, and his was in long curls, which at a little looked like black candles, and gave a to his countenance. His were of the of the forget-me-not, and of a melancholy, save when he was his into you, at which time two red appeared in them and them up horribly. In manner, something of the still to him, so that he you up with an air, and I have been told that he was a of repute. He was more than when he was most polite, which is the test of breeding; and the of his diction, when he was swearing, no less than the of his demeanour, him one of a different from his crew. A man of courage, it was said that the only thing he at was the of his own blood, which was thick and of an colour. In dress he the with the name of Charles II, having it said in some period of his career that he a to the ill-fated Stuarts; and in his mouth he had a of his own which him to two at once. But the part of him was his iron claw.
Let us now kill a pirate, to Hook’s method. Skylights will do. As they pass, Skylights against him, his collar; the forth, there is a and one screech, then the is aside, and the pass on. He has not taken the from his mouth.
Such is the terrible man against Peter Pan is pitted. Which will win?
On the of the pirates, the war-path, which is not visible to eyes, come the redskins, every one of them with his peeled. They and knives, and their with paint and oil. Strung around them are scalps, of boys as well as of pirates, for these are the Piccaninny tribe, and not to be with the softer-hearted Delawares or the Hurons. In the van, on all fours, is Great Big Little Panther, a of so many that in his present position they his progress. Bringing up the rear, the place of danger, comes Tiger Lily, proudly erect, a in her own right. She is the most of Dianas and the of the Piccaninnies, coquettish, cold and by turns; there is not a who would not have the thing to wife, but she off the with a hatchet. Observe how they pass over without making the noise. The only to be is their breathing. The is that they are all a little just now after the gorging, but in time they will work this off. For the moment, however, it their danger.
The as they have come like shadows, and soon their place is taken by the beasts, a great and procession: lions, tigers, bears, and the smaller that from them, for every of beast, and, more particularly, all the man-eaters, live by on the island. Their are out, they are to-night.
When they have passed, comes the last of all, a crocodile. We shall see for she is looking presently.
The passes, but soon the boys appear again, for the must continue until one of the parties stops or its pace. Then they will be on top of each other.
All are a look-out in front, but none that the may be up from behind. This how the was.
The to out of the moving circle was the boys. They themselves on the sward, close to their home.
“I do wish Peter would come back,” every one of them said nervously, though in and still more in they were all larger than their captain.
“I am the only one who is not of the pirates,” Slightly said, in the that his being a favourite; but some him, for he added hastily, “but I wish he would come back, and tell us he has anything more about Cinderella.”
They talked of Cinderella, and Tootles was that his mother must have been very like her.
It was only in Peter’s that they speak of mothers, the being by him as silly.
“All I about my mother,” Nibs told them, “is that she often said to my father, ‘Oh, how I wish I had a cheque-book of my own!’ I don’t know what a cheque-book is, but I should just love to give my mother one.”
While they talked they a sound. You or I, not being wild of the woods, would have nothing, but they it, and it was the song:
“Yo ho, yo ho, the life,
The flag o’ and bones,
A hour, a rope,
And for Davy Jones.”
At once the boys—but where are they? They are no longer there. Rabbits not have more quickly.
I will tell you where they are. With the of Nibs, who has away to reconnoitre, they are already in their home under the ground, a very of which we shall see a good presently. But how have they it? for there is no entrance to be seen, not so much as a large stone, which if rolled away, would the mouth of a cave. Look closely, however, and you may note that there are here seven large trees, each with a in its as large as a boy. These are the seven to the home under the ground, for which Hook has been in these many moons. Will he it tonight?
As the advanced, the quick of Starkey Nibs through the wood, and at once his pistol out. But an iron his shoulder.
“Captain, let go!” he cried, writhing.
Now for the time we the voice of Hook. It was a black voice. “Put that pistol first,” it said threateningly.
“It was one of those boys you hate. I have him dead.”
“Ay, and the would have Tiger Lily’s upon us. Do you want to your scalp?”
“Shall I after him, Captain,” asked Smee, “and him with Johnny Corkscrew?” Smee had names for everything, and his was Johnny Corkscrew, he it in the wound. One mention many in Smee. For instance, after killing, it was his he of his weapon.
“Johnny’s a fellow,” he Hook.
“Not now, Smee,” Hook said darkly. “He is only one, and I want to all the seven. Scatter and look for them.”
The among the trees, and in a moment their Captain and Smee were alone. Hook a sigh, and I know not why it was, it was of the soft of the evening, but there came over him a to to his bo’sun the of his life. He spoke long and earnestly, but what it was all about Smee, who was stupid, did not know in the least.
Anon he the word Peter.
“Most of all,” Hook was saying passionately, “I want their captain, Peter Pan. ’Twas he cut off my arm.” He the threateningly. “I’ve waited long to shake his hand with this. Oh, I’ll tear him!”
“And yet,” said Smee, “I have often you say that was a score of hands, for the and other uses.”
“Ay,” the captain answered, “if I was a mother I would pray to have my children with this of that,” and he a look of upon his iron hand and one of upon the other. Then again he frowned.
“Peter my arm,” he said, wincing, “to a that to be by.”
“I have often,” said Smee, “noticed your of crocodiles.”
“Not of crocodiles,” Hook him, “but of that one crocodile.” He his voice. “It liked my arm so much, Smee, that it has me since, from sea to sea and from land to land, its for the of me.”
“In a way,” said Smee, “it’s of a compliment.”
“I want no such compliments,” Hook petulantly. “I want Peter Pan, who gave the its taste for me.”
He sat on a large mushroom, and now there was a in his voice. “Smee,” he said huskily, “that would have had me this, but by a lucky it a clock which goes tick it, and so it can me I the and bolt.” He laughed, but in a way.
“Some day,” said Smee, “the clock will down, and then he’ll you.”
Hook his lips. “Ay,” he said, “that’s the that me.”
Since he had warm. “Smee,” he said, “this seat is hot.” He jumped up. “Odds bobs, and I’m burning.”
They the mushroom, which was of a size and unknown on the mainland; they to it up, and it came away at once in their hands, for it had no root. Stranger still, at once to ascend. The looked at each other. “A chimney!” they exclaimed.
They had the of the home under the ground. It was the of the boys to stop it with a when were in the neighbourhood.
Not only came out of it. There came also children’s voices, for so safe did the boys in their hiding-place that they were chattering. The grimly, and then replaced the mushroom. They looked around them and noted the in the seven trees.
“Did you them say Peter Pan’s from home?” Smee whispered, with Johnny Corkscrew.
Hook nodded. He for a long time in thought, and at last a up his face. Smee had been waiting for it. “Unrip your plan, captain,” he eagerly.
“To return to the ship,” Hook slowly through his teeth, “and cook a large rich cake of a with green sugar on it. There can be but one room below, for there is but one chimney. The had not the to see that they did not need a door apiece. That they have no mother. We will the cake on the of the Mermaids’ Lagoon. These boys are always about there, playing with the mermaids. They will the cake and they will it up, because, having no mother, they don’t know how ’tis to eat rich cake.” He into laughter, not now, but laughter. “Aha, they will die.”
Smee had with admiration.
“It’s the wickedest, policy I of!” he cried, and in their they and sang:
“Avast, belay, when I appear,
By they’re overtook;
Nought’s left upon your when you
Have with Hook.”
They the verse, but they it, for another in and them. There was at such a that a might have on it and it, but as it came nearer it was more distinct.
Tick tick tick!
Hook shuddering, one in the air.
“The crocodile!” he gasped, and away, by his bo’sun.
It was the crocodile. It had passed the redskins, who were now on the of the other pirates. It on after Hook.
Once more the boys into the open; but the of the night were not yet over, for presently Nibs into their midst, by a pack of wolves. The of the were out; the of them was horrible.
“Save me, save me!” Nibs, on the ground.
“But what can we do, what can we do?”
It was a high to Peter that at that moment their to him.
“What would Peter do?” they simultaneously.
Almost in the same they cried, “Peter would look at them through his legs.”
And then, “Let us do what Peter would do.”
It is the most successful way of wolves, and as one boy they and looked through their legs. The next moment is the long one, but victory came quickly, for as the boys upon them in the terrible attitude, the their and fled.
Now Nibs rose from the ground, and the others that his still saw the wolves. But it was not he saw.
“I have a thing,” he cried, as they him eagerly. “A great white bird. It is this way.”
“What of a bird, do you think?”
“I don’t know,” Nibs said, awestruck, “but it looks so weary, and as it it moans, ‘Poor Wendy.’”
“Poor Wendy?”
“I remember,” said Slightly instantly, “there are called Wendies.”
“See, it comes!” Curly, pointing to Wendy in the heavens.
Wendy was now almost overhead, and they her cry. But more came the voice of Tinker Bell. The had now off all of friendship, and was at her from every direction, each time she touched.
“Hullo, Tink,” the boys.
Tink’s reply out: “Peter wants you to shoot the Wendy.”
It was not in their nature to question when Peter ordered. “Let us do what Peter wishes!” the boys. “Quick, and arrows!”
All but Tootles their trees. He had a and with him, and Tink noted it, and her little hands.
“Quick, Tootles, quick,” she screamed. “Peter will be so pleased.”
Tootles the to his bow. “Out of the way, Tink,” he shouted, and then he fired, and Wendy to the ground with an in her breast.
