Peter Pan

THE NEVER BIRD

The last Peter he was alone were the retiring one by one to their under the sea. He was too away to their doors shut; but every door in the where they live a when it opens or (as in all the houses on the mainland), and he the bells.

Steadily the rose till they were at his feet; and to pass the time until they their final gulp, he the only thing on the lagoon. He it was a piece of paper, part of the kite, and how long it would take to ashore.

Presently he noticed as an odd thing that it was out upon the with some purpose, for it was the tide, and sometimes winning; and when it won, Peter, always to the side, not help clapping; it was such a piece of paper.

It was not a piece of paper; it was the Never bird, making to Peter on the nest. By her wings, in a way she had learned since the into the water, she was able to some to her craft, but by the time Peter her she was very exhausted. She had come to save him, to give him her nest, though there were eggs in it. I wonder at the bird, for though he had been to her, he had also sometimes her. I can only that, like Mrs. Darling and the of them, she was melted he had all his teeth.

She called out to him what she had come for, and he called out to her what she was doing there; but of neither of them the other’s language. In people can talk to the freely, and I wish for the moment I that this were such a story, and say that Peter to the Never bird; but truth is best, and I want to tell you only what happened. Well, not only they not each other, but they their manners.

“I—want—you—to—get—into—the—nest,” the bird called, speaking as slowly and as possible, “and—then—you—can—drift—ashore, but—I—am—too—tired—to—bring—it—any—nearer—so—you—must—try to—swim—to—it.”

“What are you about?” Peter answered. “Why don’t you let the as usual?”

“I—want—you—” the bird said, and it all over.

Then Peter slow and distinct.

“What—are—you—quacking—about?” and so on.

The Never bird irritated; they have very tempers.

“You little jay!” she screamed, “Why don’t you do as I tell you?”

Peter that she was calling him names, and at a he hotly:

“So are you!”

Then they out the same remark:

“Shut up!”

Nevertheless the bird was to save him if she could, and by one last she the against the rock. Then up she flew; her eggs, so as to make her meaning clear.

Then at last he understood, and the and his thanks to the bird as she overhead. It was not to his thanks, however, that she there in the sky; it was not to watch him into the nest; it was to see what he did with her eggs.

There were two large white eggs, and Peter them up and reflected. The bird her with her wings, so as not to see the last of them; but she not help the feathers.

I I have told you that there was a on the rock, into it by some of long ago to mark the site of treasure. The children had the hoard, and when in a mood used to of moidores, diamonds, pearls and pieces of eight to the gulls, who upon them for food, and then away, at the that had been played upon them. The was still there, and on it Starkey had his hat, a tarpaulin, watertight, with a brim. Peter put the eggs into this and set it on the lagoon. It beautifully.

The Never bird saw at once what he was up to, and her of him; and, alas, Peter his agreement with her. Then he got into the nest, the in it as a mast, and up his shirt for a sail. At the same moment the bird upon the and once more sat on her eggs. She in one direction, and he was off in another, cheering.

Of when Peter he his in a place where the bird would easily it; but the was such a great success that she the nest. It about till it to pieces, and often Starkey came to the of the lagoon, and with many the bird on his hat. As we shall not see her again, it may be here that all Never now in that shape of nest, with a on which the take an airing.

Great were the when Peter the home under the ground almost as soon as Wendy, who had been and by the kite. Every boy had to tell; but the biggest of all was that they were hours late for bed. This so them that they did to up still longer, such as bandages; but Wendy, though in having them all home again safe and sound, was by the of the hour, and cried, “To bed, to bed,” in a voice that had to be obeyed. Next day, however, she was tender, and gave out to every one, and they played till bed-time at about and their arms in slings.