Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
`
` "Don't go," they called in pity. `
` `
` "I must," he answered, shaking; "I am so afraid of Peter." `
` `
` It was at this tragic moment that they heard a sound which made `
` the heart of every one of them rise to his mouth. They heard `
` Peter crow. `
` `
` "Peter!" they cried, for it was always thus that he signalled `
` his return. `
` `
` "Hide her," they whispered, and gathered hastily around Wendy. `
` But Tootles stood aloof. `
` `
` Again came that ringing crow, and Peter dropped in front of `
` them. "Greetings, boys," he cried, and mechanically 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 cheers would not come. He `
` overlooked it in his haste to tell the glorious tidings. `
` `
` "Great news, boys," he cried, "I have brought at last a mother `
` for you all." `
` `
` Still no sound, except a little thud from Tootles as he dropped `
` on his knees. `
` `
` "Have you not seen her?" asked Peter, becoming troubled. "She `
` flew this way." `
` `
` "Ah me!" once voice said, and another said, "Oh, mournful day." `
` `
` Tootles rose. "Peter," he said quietly, "I will show her to `
` you," and when the others would still have hidden her he said, `
` "Back, twins, let Peter see." `
` `
` So they all stood 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 `
` frightened at being dead." `
` `
` He thought of hopping off in a comic sort of way till he was `
` out of sight of her, and then never going near the spot any more. `
` They would all have been glad to follow if he had done this. `
` `
` But there was the arrow. He took it from her heart and faced `
` his band. `
` `
` "Whose arrow?" he demanded sternly. `
` `
` "Mine, Peter," said Tootles on his knees. `
` `
` "Oh, dastard hand," Peter said, and he raised the arrow to use `
` it as a dagger. `
` `
` Tootles did not flinch. He bared his breast. "Strike, Peter," `
` he said firmly, "strike true." `
` `
` Twice did Peter raise the arrow, and twice did his hand fall. `
` "I cannot strike," he said with awe, "there is something stays my `
` hand." `
` `
` All looked at him in wonder, save Nibs, who fortunately looked `
` at Wendy. `
` `
` "It is she," he cried, "the Wendy lady, see, her arm!" `
` `
` Wonderful to relate [tell], Wendy had raised her arm. Nibs `
` bent over her and listened reverently. "I think she said, `Poor `
` Tootles,'" he whispered. `
` `
` "She lives," Peter said briefly. `
` `
` Slightly cried instantly, "The Wendy lady lives." `
` `
` Then Peter knelt beside her and found his button. You remember `
` she had put it on a chain that she wore round her neck. `
` `
` "See," he said, "the arrow struck against this. It is the kiss `
` I gave her. It has saved her life." `
` `
` "I remember kisses," Slightly interposed quickly, "let me see it. `
` Ay, that's a kiss." `
` `
` Peter did not hear him. He was begging Wendy to get better `
` quickly, so that he could show her the mermaids. Of course she `
` could not answer yet, being still in a frightful faint; but from `
` overhead came a wailing note. `
` `
` "Listen to Tink," said Curly, "she is crying because the Wendy lives." `
` `
` Then they had to tell Peter of Tink's crime, and almost never `
` had they seen him look so stern. `
` `
` "Listen, Tinker Bell," he cried, "I am your friend no more. `
` Begone from me for ever." `
` `
` She flew on to his shoulder and pleaded, but he brushed her `
` off. Not until Wendy again raised her arm did he relent `
` sufficiently to say, "Well, not for ever, but for a whole week." `
` `
` Do you think Tinker Bell was grateful to Wendy for raising her `
` arm? Oh dear no, never wanted to pinch her so much. Fairies `
` indeed are strange, and Peter, who understood them best, often `
` cuffed [slapped] them. `
` `
` But what to do with Wendy in her present delicate state of `
` health? `
` `
` "Let us carry her down into the house," Curly suggested. `
` `
` "Ay," said Slightly, "that is what one does with ladies." `
` `
` "No, no," Peter said, "you must not touch her. It would not be `
` sufficiently respectful." `
` `
` "That," said Slightly, "is what I was thinking." `
` `
` "But if she lies there," Tootles said, "she will die." `
` `
` "Ay, she will die," Slightly admitted, "but there is no way `
` out." `
` `
` "Yes, there is," cried Peter. "Let us build a little house `
` round 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 busy as tailors the night before a `
` wedding. They skurried this way and that, down for bedding, up `
` for firewood, and while they were at it, who should appear but `
` John and Michael. As they dragged along the ground they fell `
` asleep standing, stopped, woke up, moved another step and slept `
` again. `
` `
` "John, John," Michael would cry, "wake up! Where is Nana, `
` John, and mother?" `
` `
` And then John would rub his eyes and mutter, "It is true, we `
` did fly." `
` `
` You may be sure they were very relieved to find Peter. `
` `
` "Hullo, Peter," they said. `
` `
` "Hullo," replied Peter amicably, though he had quite forgotten `
` them. He was very busy at the moment measuring Wendy with his `
` feet to see how large a house she would need. Of course he meant `
` to leave room for chairs and a table. John and Michael watched `
` him. `
` `
` "Is Wendy asleep?" they asked. `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "John," Michael proposed, "let us wake her and get her to make `
` supper for us," but as he said it some of the other boys rushed `
` on carrying branches for the building of the house. "Look at `
` them!" he cried. `
` `
` "Curly," said Peter in his most captainy voice, "see that these `
` boys help in the building of the house." `
` `
` "Ay, ay, sir." `
` `
` "Build a house?" exclaimed John. `
` `
` "For the Wendy," said Curly. `
` `
` "For Wendy?" John said, aghast. "Why, she is only a girl!" `
` `
` "That," explained Curly, "is why we are her servants." `
` `
` "You? Wendy's servants!" `
` `
` "Yes," said Peter, "and you also. Away with them." `
` `
` The astounded brothers were dragged away to hack and hew and `
` carry. "Chairs and a fender [fireplace] first," Peter ordered. `
` "Then we shall build a house round them." `
` `
` "Ay," said Slightly, "that is how a house is built; it all `
` comes back to me." `
` `
` Peter thought of everything. "Slightly," he cried, "fetch a `
` doctor." `
` `
` "Ay, ay," said Slightly at once, and disappeared, scratching his `
` head. But he knew Peter must be obeyed, and he returned in a `
` moment, wearing John's hat and looking solemn. `
` `
` "Please, sir," said Peter, going to him, "are you a doctor?" `
` `
` The difference between him and the other boys at such a time `
`
` "Don't go," they called in pity. `
` `
` "I must," he answered, shaking; "I am so afraid of Peter." `
` `
` It was at this tragic moment that they heard a sound which made `
` the heart of every one of them rise to his mouth. They heard `
` Peter crow. `
` `
` "Peter!" they cried, for it was always thus that he signalled `
` his return. `
` `
` "Hide her," they whispered, and gathered hastily around Wendy. `
` But Tootles stood aloof. `
` `
` Again came that ringing crow, and Peter dropped in front of `
` them. "Greetings, boys," he cried, and mechanically 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 cheers would not come. He `
` overlooked it in his haste to tell the glorious tidings. `
` `
` "Great news, boys," he cried, "I have brought at last a mother `
` for you all." `
` `
` Still no sound, except a little thud from Tootles as he dropped `
` on his knees. `
` `
` "Have you not seen her?" asked Peter, becoming troubled. "She `
` flew this way." `
` `
` "Ah me!" once voice said, and another said, "Oh, mournful day." `
` `
` Tootles rose. "Peter," he said quietly, "I will show her to `
` you," and when the others would still have hidden her he said, `
` "Back, twins, let Peter see." `
` `
` So they all stood 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 `
` frightened at being dead." `
` `
` He thought of hopping off in a comic sort of way till he was `
` out of sight of her, and then never going near the spot any more. `
` They would all have been glad to follow if he had done this. `
` `
` But there was the arrow. He took it from her heart and faced `
` his band. `
` `
` "Whose arrow?" he demanded sternly. `
` `
` "Mine, Peter," said Tootles on his knees. `
` `
` "Oh, dastard hand," Peter said, and he raised the arrow to use `
` it as a dagger. `
` `
` Tootles did not flinch. He bared his breast. "Strike, Peter," `
` he said firmly, "strike true." `
` `
` Twice did Peter raise the arrow, and twice did his hand fall. `
` "I cannot strike," he said with awe, "there is something stays my `
` hand." `
` `
` All looked at him in wonder, save Nibs, who fortunately looked `
` at Wendy. `
` `
` "It is she," he cried, "the Wendy lady, see, her arm!" `
` `
` Wonderful to relate [tell], Wendy had raised her arm. Nibs `
` bent over her and listened reverently. "I think she said, `Poor `
` Tootles,'" he whispered. `
` `
` "She lives," Peter said briefly. `
` `
` Slightly cried instantly, "The Wendy lady lives." `
` `
` Then Peter knelt beside her and found his button. You remember `
` she had put it on a chain that she wore round her neck. `
` `
` "See," he said, "the arrow struck against this. It is the kiss `
` I gave her. It has saved her life." `
` `
` "I remember kisses," Slightly interposed quickly, "let me see it. `
` Ay, that's a kiss." `
` `
` Peter did not hear him. He was begging Wendy to get better `
` quickly, so that he could show her the mermaids. Of course she `
` could not answer yet, being still in a frightful faint; but from `
` overhead came a wailing note. `
` `
` "Listen to Tink," said Curly, "she is crying because the Wendy lives." `
` `
` Then they had to tell Peter of Tink's crime, and almost never `
` had they seen him look so stern. `
` `
` "Listen, Tinker Bell," he cried, "I am your friend no more. `
` Begone from me for ever." `
` `
` She flew on to his shoulder and pleaded, but he brushed her `
` off. Not until Wendy again raised her arm did he relent `
` sufficiently to say, "Well, not for ever, but for a whole week." `
` `
` Do you think Tinker Bell was grateful to Wendy for raising her `
` arm? Oh dear no, never wanted to pinch her so much. Fairies `
` indeed are strange, and Peter, who understood them best, often `
` cuffed [slapped] them. `
` `
` But what to do with Wendy in her present delicate state of `
` health? `
` `
` "Let us carry her down into the house," Curly suggested. `
` `
` "Ay," said Slightly, "that is what one does with ladies." `
` `
` "No, no," Peter said, "you must not touch her. It would not be `
` sufficiently respectful." `
` `
` "That," said Slightly, "is what I was thinking." `
` `
` "But if she lies there," Tootles said, "she will die." `
` `
` "Ay, she will die," Slightly admitted, "but there is no way `
` out." `
` `
` "Yes, there is," cried Peter. "Let us build a little house `
` round 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 busy as tailors the night before a `
` wedding. They skurried this way and that, down for bedding, up `
` for firewood, and while they were at it, who should appear but `
` John and Michael. As they dragged along the ground they fell `
` asleep standing, stopped, woke up, moved another step and slept `
` again. `
` `
` "John, John," Michael would cry, "wake up! Where is Nana, `
` John, and mother?" `
` `
` And then John would rub his eyes and mutter, "It is true, we `
` did fly." `
` `
` You may be sure they were very relieved to find Peter. `
` `
` "Hullo, Peter," they said. `
` `
` "Hullo," replied Peter amicably, though he had quite forgotten `
` them. He was very busy at the moment measuring Wendy with his `
` feet to see how large a house she would need. Of course he meant `
` to leave room for chairs and a table. John and Michael watched `
` him. `
` `
` "Is Wendy asleep?" they asked. `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "John," Michael proposed, "let us wake her and get her to make `
` supper for us," but as he said it some of the other boys rushed `
` on carrying branches for the building of the house. "Look at `
` them!" he cried. `
` `
` "Curly," said Peter in his most captainy voice, "see that these `
` boys help in the building of the house." `
` `
` "Ay, ay, sir." `
` `
` "Build a house?" exclaimed John. `
` `
` "For the Wendy," said Curly. `
` `
` "For Wendy?" John said, aghast. "Why, she is only a girl!" `
` `
` "That," explained Curly, "is why we are her servants." `
` `
` "You? Wendy's servants!" `
` `
` "Yes," said Peter, "and you also. Away with them." `
` `
` The astounded brothers were dragged away to hack and hew and `
` carry. "Chairs and a fender [fireplace] first," Peter ordered. `
` "Then we shall build a house round them." `
` `
` "Ay," said Slightly, "that is how a house is built; it all `
` comes back to me." `
` `
` Peter thought of everything. "Slightly," he cried, "fetch a `
` doctor." `
` `
` "Ay, ay," said Slightly at once, and disappeared, scratching his `
` head. But he knew Peter must be obeyed, and he returned in a `
` moment, wearing John's hat and looking solemn. `
` `
` "Please, sir," said Peter, going to him, "are you a doctor?" `
` `
` The difference between him and the other boys at such a time `
`