Peter Pan
THE LITTLE HOUSE
Foolish Tootles was like a over Wendy’s when the other boys sprang, armed, from their trees.
“You are too late,” he proudly, “I have the Wendy. Peter will be so pleased with me.”
Overhead Tinker Bell “Silly ass!” and into hiding. The others did not her. They had Wendy, and as they looked a terrible upon the wood. If Wendy’s had been they would all have it.
Slightly was the to speak. “This is no bird,” he said in a voice. “I think this must be a lady.”
“A lady?” said Tootles, and a-trembling.
“And we have killed her,” Nibs said hoarsely.
They all off their caps.
“Now I see,” Curly said: “Peter was her to us.” He himself on the ground.
“A lady to take of us at last,” said one of the twins, “and you have killed her!”
They were sorry for him, but for themselves, and when he took a step nearer them they from him.
Tootles’ was very white, but there was a about him now that had been there before.
“I did it,” he said, reflecting. “When ladies used to come to me in dreams, I said, ‘Pretty mother, mother.’ But when at last she came, I her.”
He moved slowly away.
“Don’t go,” they called in pity.
“I must,” he answered, shaking; “I am so of Peter.”
It was at this moment that they a which the of every one of them to his mouth. They Peter crow.
“Peter!” they cried, for it was always thus that he his return.
“Hide her,” they whispered, and around Wendy. But Tootles aloof.
Again came that crow, and Peter in of them. “Greetings, boys,” he cried, and they saluted, and then again was silence.
He frowned.
“I am back,” he said hotly, “why do you not cheer?”
They opened their mouths, but the would not come. He it in his to tell the tidings.
“Great news, boys,” he cried, “I have at last a mother for you all.”
Still no sound, a little from Tootles as he on his knees.
“Have you not her?” asked Peter, troubled. “She this way.”
“Ah me!” one voice said, and another said, “Oh, day.”
Tootles rose. “Peter,” he said quietly, “I will her to you,” and when the others would still have her he said, “Back, twins, let Peter see.”
So they all back, and let him see, and after he had looked for a little time he did not know what to do next.
“She is dead,” he said uncomfortably. “Perhaps she is at being dead.”
He of off in a of way till he was out of of her, and then going near the spot any more. They would all have been to if he had done this.
But there was the arrow. He took it from her and his band.
“Whose arrow?” he sternly.
“Mine, Peter,” said Tootles on his knees.
“Oh, hand,” Peter said, and he the to use it as a dagger.
Tootles did not flinch. He his breast. “Strike, Peter,” he said firmly, “strike true.”
Twice did Peter the arrow, and twice did his hand fall. “I cannot strike,” he said with awe, “there is something my hand.”
All looked at him in wonder, save Nibs, who looked at Wendy.
“It is she,” he cried, “the Wendy lady, see, her arm!”
Wonderful to relate, Wendy had her arm. Nibs over her and reverently. “I think she said, ‘Poor Tootles,’” he whispered.
“She lives,” Peter said briefly.
Slightly instantly, “The Wendy lady lives.”
Then Peter her and his button. You she had put it on a that she her neck.
“See,” he said, “the against this. It is the I gave her. It has saved her life.”
“I kisses,” Slightly quickly, “let me see it. Ay, that’s a kiss.”
Peter did not him. He was Wendy to quickly, so that he her the mermaids. Of she not answer yet, being still in a faint; but from overhead came a note.
“Listen to Tink,” said Curly, “she is the Wendy lives.”
Then they had to tell Peter of Tink’s crime, and almost had they him look so stern.
“Listen, Tinker Bell,” he cried, “I am your friend no more. Begone from me for ever.”
She on to his and pleaded, but he her off. Not until Wendy again her arm did he to say, “Well, not for ever, but for a whole week.”
Do you think Tinker Bell was to Wendy for her arm? Oh dear no, wanted to pinch her so much. Fairies are strange, and Peter, who them best, often them.
But what to do with Wendy in her present of health?
“Let us her into the house,” Curly suggested.
“Ay,” said Slightly, “that is what one with ladies.”
“No, no,” Peter said, “you must not touch her. It would not be respectful.”
“That,” said Slightly, “is what I was thinking.”
“But if she there,” Tootles said, “she will die.”
“Ay, she will die,” Slightly admitted, “but there is no way out.”
“Yes, there is,” Peter. “Let us a little house her.”
They were all delighted. “Quick,” he ordered them, “bring me each of you the best of what we have. Gut our house. Be sharp.”
In a moment they were as as tailors the night a wedding. They this way and that, for bedding, up for firewood, and while they were at it, who should appear but John and Michael. As they along the ground they asleep standing, stopped, up, moved another step and slept again.
“John, John,” Michael would cry, “wake up! Where is Nana, John, and mother?”
And then John would his and mutter, “It is true, we did fly.”
You may be sure they were very to Peter.
“Hullo, Peter,” they said.
“Hullo,” Peter amicably, though he had them. He was very at the moment Wendy with his to see how large a house she would need. Of he meant to room for chairs and a table. John and Michael him.
“Is Wendy asleep?” they asked.
“Yes.”
“John,” Michael proposed, “let us wake her and her to make supper for us,” but as he said it some of the other boys on for the of the house. “Look at them!” he cried.
“Curly,” said Peter in his most voice, “see that these boys help in the of the house.”
“Ay, ay, sir.”
“Build a house?” John.
“For the Wendy,” said Curly.
“For Wendy?” John said, aghast. “Why, she is only a girl!”
“That,” Curly, “is why we are her servants.”
“You? Wendy’s servants!”
“Yes,” said Peter, “and you also. Away with them.”
The were away to and and carry. “Chairs and a first,” Peter ordered. “Then we shall a house them.”
“Ay,” said Slightly, “that is how a house is built; it all comes to me.”
Peter of everything. “Slightly,” he cried, “fetch a doctor.”
“Ay, ay,” said Slightly at once, and disappeared, his head. But he Peter must be obeyed, and he returned in a moment, John’s and looking solemn.
“Please, sir,” said Peter, going to him, “are you a doctor?”
The him and the other boys at such a time was that they it was make-believe, while to him make-believe and true were the same thing. This sometimes them, as when they had to make-believe that they had had their dinners.
If they in their make-believe he them on the knuckles.
“Yes, my little man,” Slightly replied, who had knuckles.
“Please, sir,” Peter explained, “a lady very ill.”
She was at their feet, but Slightly had the not to see her.
“Tut, tut, tut,” he said, “where she lie?”
“In glade.”
“I will put a thing in her mouth,” said Slightly, and he made-believe to do it, while Peter waited. It was an moment when the thing was withdrawn.
“How is she?” Peter.
“Tut, tut, tut,” said Slightly, “this has her.”
“I am glad!” Peter cried.
“I will call again in the evening,” Slightly said; “give her tea out of a cup with a to it;” but after he had returned the to John he big breaths, which was his on from a difficulty.
In the meantime the had been alive with the of axes; almost needed for a already at Wendy’s feet.
“If only we knew,” said one, “the of house she best.”
“Peter,” another, “she is moving in her sleep.”
“Her mouth opens,” a third, looking into it. “Oh, lovely!”
“Perhaps she is going to sing in her sleep,” said Peter. “Wendy, sing the of house you would like to have.”
Immediately, without opening her eyes, Wendy to sing:
“I wish I had a house,
The seen,
With little red walls
And of green.”
They with at this, for by the good luck the they had were with red sap, and all the ground was with moss. As they up the little house they into song themselves:
“We’ve the little and roof
And a door,
So tell us, mother Wendy,
What are you wanting more?”
To this she answered greedily:
“Oh, next I think I’ll have
Gay all about,
With roses in, you know,
And out.”
With a of their they windows, and large yellow were the blinds. But roses—?
“Roses,” Peter sternly.
Quickly they made-believe to the roses up the walls.
Babies?
To prevent Peter ordering they into song again:
“We’ve the roses out,
The are at the door,
We cannot make ourselves, you know,
’Cos we’ve been before.”
Peter, this to be a good idea, at once that it was his own. The house was beautiful, and no Wendy was very within, though, of course, they no longer see her. Peter up and down, ordering touches. Nothing his eyes. Just when it finished:
“There’s no on the door,” he said.
They were very ashamed, but Tootles gave the of his shoe, and it an excellent knocker.
Absolutely now, they thought.
Not of of it. “There’s no chimney,” Peter said; “we must have a chimney.”
“It need a chimney,” said John importantly. This gave Peter an idea. He the off John’s head, out the bottom, and put the on the roof. The little house was so pleased to have such a that, as if to say thank you, to come out of the hat.
Now and it was finished. Nothing to do but to knock.
“All look your best,” Peter them; “first are important.”
He was no one asked him what are; they were all too looking their best.
He politely, and now the was as still as the children, not a to be from Tinker Bell, who was from a branch and openly sneering.
What the boys were was, would any one answer the knock? If a lady, what would she be like?
The door opened and a lady came out. It was Wendy. They all off their hats.
She looked properly surprised, and this was just how they had she would look.
“Where am I?” she said.
Of Slightly was the to his word in. “Wendy lady,” he said rapidly, “for you we this house.”
“Oh, say you’re pleased,” Nibs.
“Lovely, house,” Wendy said, and they were the very they had she would say.
“And we are your children,” the twins.
Then all on their knees, and out their arms cried, “O Wendy lady, be our mother.”
“Ought I?” Wendy said, all shining. “Of it’s fascinating, but you see I am only a little girl. I have no experience.”
“That doesn’t matter,” said Peter, as if he were the only person present who all about it, though he was the one who least. “What we need is just a person.”
“Oh dear!” Wendy said, “you see, I that is what I am.”
“It is, it is,” they all cried; “we saw it at once.”
“Very well,” she said, “I will do my best. Come at once, you children; I am sure your are damp. And I put you to I have just time to the of Cinderella.”
In they went; I don’t know how there was room for them, but you can very tight in the Neverland. And that was the of the many they had with Wendy. By and by she them up in the great in the home under the trees, but she herself slept that night in the little house, and Peter watch with sword, for the be away and the were on the prowl. The little house looked so and safe in the darkness, with a light through its blinds, and the beautifully, and Peter on guard. After a time he asleep, and some had to climb over him on their way home from an orgy. Any of the other boys the path at night they would have mischiefed, but they just Peter’s nose and passed on.
