Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
`
` "He must be swimming out to us," Starkey said, when they had `
` looked for him in vain. `
` `
` "We are putting the redskin on the rock," Smee called out. `
` `
` "Set her free," came the astonishing answer. `
` `
` "Free!" `
` `
` "Yes, cut her bonds and let her go." `
` `
` "But, captain -- " `
` `
` "At once, d'ye hear," cried Peter, "or I'll plunge my hook in `
` you." `
` `
` "This is queer!" Smee gasped. `
` `
` "Better do what the captain orders," said Starkey nervously. `
` `
` "Ay, ay." Smee said, and he cut Tiger Lily's cords. At once `
` like an eel she slid between Starkey's legs into the water. `
` `
` Of course Wendy was very elated over Peter's cleverness; but `
` she knew that he would be elated also and very likely crow and `
` thus betray himself, so at once her hand went out to cover his `
` mouth. But it was stayed even in the act, for "Boat ahoy!" rang `
` over the lagoon in Hook's voice, and this time it was not Peter `
` who had spoken. `
` `
` Peter may have been about to crow, but his face puckered in a `
` whistle of surprise instead. `
` `
` "Boat ahoy!" again came the voice. `
` `
` Now Wendy understood. The real Hook was also in the water. `
` `
` He was swimming to the boat, and as his men showed a light to `
` guide him he had soon reached them. In the light of the lantern `
` Wendy saw his hook grip the boat's side; she saw his evil swarthy `
` face as he rose dripping from the water, and, quaking, she would `
` have liked to swim away, but Peter would not budge. He was `
` tingling with life and also top-heavy with conceit. "Am I not a `
` wonder, oh, I am a wonder!" he whispered to her, and though she `
` thought so also, she was really glad for the sake of his `
` reputation that no one heard him except herself. `
` `
` He signed to her to listen. `
` `
` The two pirates were very curious to know what had brought `
` their captain to them, but he sat with his head on his hook in a `
` position of profound melancholy. `
` `
` "Captain, is all well?" they asked timidly, but he answered `
` with a hollow moan. `
` `
` "He sighs," said Smee. `
` `
` "He sighs again," said Starkey. `
` `
` "And yet a third time he sighs," said Smee. `
` `
` Then at last he spoke passionately. `
` `
` "The game's up," he cried, "those boys have found a mother." `
` `
` Affrighted though she was, Wendy swelled with pride. `
` `
` "O evil day!" cried Starkey. `
` `
` "What's a mother?" asked the ignorant Smee. `
` `
` Wendy was so shocked that she exclaimed. "He doesn't know!" `
` and always after this she felt that if you could have a pet `
` pirate Smee would be her one. `
` `
` Peter pulled her beneath the water, for Hook had started up, `
` crying, "What was that?" `
` `
` "I heard nothing," said Starkey, raising the lantern over the `
` waters, and as the pirates looked they saw a strange sight. It `
` was the nest I have told you of, floating on the lagoon, and the `
` Never bird was sitting on it. `
` `
` "See," said Hook in answer to Smee's question, "that is a `
` mother. What a lesson! The nest must have fallen into the `
` water, but would the mother desert her eggs? No." `
` `
` There was a break in his voice, as if for a moment he recalled `
` innocent days when -- but he brushed away this weakness with his `
` hook. `
` `
` Smee, much impressed, gazed at the bird as the nest was borne `
` past, but the more suspicious Starkey said, "If she is a mother, `
` perhaps she is hanging about here to help Peter." `
` `
` Hook winced. "Ay," he said, "that is the fear that haunts me." `
` `
` He was roused from this dejection by Smee's eager voice. `
` `
` "Captain," said Smee, "could we not kidnap these boys' mother `
` and make her our mother?" `
` `
` "It is a princely scheme," cried Hook, and at once it took `
` practical shape in his great brain. "We will seize the children `
` and carry them to the boat: the boys we will make walk the `
` plank, and Wendy shall be our mother." `
` `
` Again Wendy forgot herself. `
` `
` "Never!" she cried, and bobbed. `
` `
` "What was that?" `
` `
` But they could see nothing. They thought it must have been a `
` leaf in the wind. "Do you agree, my bullies?" asked Hook. `
` `
` "There is my hand on it," they both said. `
` `
` "And there is my hook. Swear." `
` `
` They all swore. By this time they were on the rock, and `
` suddenly Hook remembered Tiger Lily. `
` `
` "Where is the redskin?" he demanded abruptly. `
` `
` He had a playful humour at moments, and they thought this was `
` one of the moments. `
` `
` "That is all right, captain," Smee answered complacently; "we `
` let her go." `
` `
` "Let her go!" cried Hook. `
` `
` "'Twas your own orders," the bo'sun faltered. `
` `
` "You called over the water to us to let her go," said Starkey. `
` `
` "Brimstone and gall," thundered Hook, "what cozening [cheating] `
` is going on here!" His face had gone black with rage, but he saw `
` that they believed their words, and he was startled. "Lads," he `
` said, shaking a little, "I gave no such order." `
` `
` "It is passing queer," Smee said, and they all fidgeted `
` uncomfortably. Hook raised his voice, but there was a quiver in `
` it. `
` `
` "Spirit that haunts this dark lagoon to-night," he cried, "dost `
` hear me?" `
` `
` Of course Peter should have kept quiet, but of course he did `
` not. He immediately answered in Hook's voice: `
` `
` "Odds, bobs, hammer and tongs, I hear you." `
` `
` In that supreme moment Hook did not blanch, even at the gills, `
` but Smee and Starkey clung to each other in terror. `
` `
` "Who are you, stranger? Speak!" Hook demanded. `
` `
` "I am James Hook," replied the voice, "captain of the JOLLY `
` ROGER." `
` `
` "You are not; you are not," Hook cried hoarsely. `
` `
` "Brimstone and gall," the voice retorted, "say that again, and `
` I'll cast anchor in you." `
` `
` Hook tried a more ingratiating manner. "If you are Hook," he `
` said almost humbly, "come tell me, who am I?" `
` `
` "A codfish," replied the voice, "only a codfish." `
` `
` "A codfish!" Hook echoed blankly, and it was then, but not till `
` then, that his proud spirit broke. He saw his men draw back from `
` him. `
` `
` "Have we been captained all this time by a codfish!" they `
` muttered. "It is lowering to our pride." `
` `
` They were his dogs snapping at him, but, tragic figure though `
` he had become, he scarcely heeded them. Against such fearful `
` evidence it was not their belief in him that he needed, it was `
` his own. He felt his ego slipping from him. "Don't desert me, `
` bully," he whispered hoarsely to it. `
` `
` In his dark nature there was a touch of the feminine, as in all `
` the great pirates, and it sometimes gave him intuitions. `
` Suddenly he tried the guessing game. `
` `
` "Hook," he called, "have you another voice?" `
` `
` Now Peter could never resist a game, and he answered blithely `
` in his own voice, "I have." `
` `
` "And another name?" `
` `
` "Ay, ay." `
` `
` "Vegetable?" asked Hook. `
`
` "He must be swimming out to us," Starkey said, when they had `
` looked for him in vain. `
` `
` "We are putting the redskin on the rock," Smee called out. `
` `
` "Set her free," came the astonishing answer. `
` `
` "Free!" `
` `
` "Yes, cut her bonds and let her go." `
` `
` "But, captain -- " `
` `
` "At once, d'ye hear," cried Peter, "or I'll plunge my hook in `
` you." `
` `
` "This is queer!" Smee gasped. `
` `
` "Better do what the captain orders," said Starkey nervously. `
` `
` "Ay, ay." Smee said, and he cut Tiger Lily's cords. At once `
` like an eel she slid between Starkey's legs into the water. `
` `
` Of course Wendy was very elated over Peter's cleverness; but `
` she knew that he would be elated also and very likely crow and `
` thus betray himself, so at once her hand went out to cover his `
` mouth. But it was stayed even in the act, for "Boat ahoy!" rang `
` over the lagoon in Hook's voice, and this time it was not Peter `
` who had spoken. `
` `
` Peter may have been about to crow, but his face puckered in a `
` whistle of surprise instead. `
` `
` "Boat ahoy!" again came the voice. `
` `
` Now Wendy understood. The real Hook was also in the water. `
` `
` He was swimming to the boat, and as his men showed a light to `
` guide him he had soon reached them. In the light of the lantern `
` Wendy saw his hook grip the boat's side; she saw his evil swarthy `
` face as he rose dripping from the water, and, quaking, she would `
` have liked to swim away, but Peter would not budge. He was `
` tingling with life and also top-heavy with conceit. "Am I not a `
` wonder, oh, I am a wonder!" he whispered to her, and though she `
` thought so also, she was really glad for the sake of his `
` reputation that no one heard him except herself. `
` `
` He signed to her to listen. `
` `
` The two pirates were very curious to know what had brought `
` their captain to them, but he sat with his head on his hook in a `
` position of profound melancholy. `
` `
` "Captain, is all well?" they asked timidly, but he answered `
` with a hollow moan. `
` `
` "He sighs," said Smee. `
` `
` "He sighs again," said Starkey. `
` `
` "And yet a third time he sighs," said Smee. `
` `
` Then at last he spoke passionately. `
` `
` "The game's up," he cried, "those boys have found a mother." `
` `
` Affrighted though she was, Wendy swelled with pride. `
` `
` "O evil day!" cried Starkey. `
` `
` "What's a mother?" asked the ignorant Smee. `
` `
` Wendy was so shocked that she exclaimed. "He doesn't know!" `
` and always after this she felt that if you could have a pet `
` pirate Smee would be her one. `
` `
` Peter pulled her beneath the water, for Hook had started up, `
` crying, "What was that?" `
` `
` "I heard nothing," said Starkey, raising the lantern over the `
` waters, and as the pirates looked they saw a strange sight. It `
` was the nest I have told you of, floating on the lagoon, and the `
` Never bird was sitting on it. `
` `
` "See," said Hook in answer to Smee's question, "that is a `
` mother. What a lesson! The nest must have fallen into the `
` water, but would the mother desert her eggs? No." `
` `
` There was a break in his voice, as if for a moment he recalled `
` innocent days when -- but he brushed away this weakness with his `
` hook. `
` `
` Smee, much impressed, gazed at the bird as the nest was borne `
` past, but the more suspicious Starkey said, "If she is a mother, `
` perhaps she is hanging about here to help Peter." `
` `
` Hook winced. "Ay," he said, "that is the fear that haunts me." `
` `
` He was roused from this dejection by Smee's eager voice. `
` `
` "Captain," said Smee, "could we not kidnap these boys' mother `
` and make her our mother?" `
` `
` "It is a princely scheme," cried Hook, and at once it took `
` practical shape in his great brain. "We will seize the children `
` and carry them to the boat: the boys we will make walk the `
` plank, and Wendy shall be our mother." `
` `
` Again Wendy forgot herself. `
` `
` "Never!" she cried, and bobbed. `
` `
` "What was that?" `
` `
` But they could see nothing. They thought it must have been a `
` leaf in the wind. "Do you agree, my bullies?" asked Hook. `
` `
` "There is my hand on it," they both said. `
` `
` "And there is my hook. Swear." `
` `
` They all swore. By this time they were on the rock, and `
` suddenly Hook remembered Tiger Lily. `
` `
` "Where is the redskin?" he demanded abruptly. `
` `
` He had a playful humour at moments, and they thought this was `
` one of the moments. `
` `
` "That is all right, captain," Smee answered complacently; "we `
` let her go." `
` `
` "Let her go!" cried Hook. `
` `
` "'Twas your own orders," the bo'sun faltered. `
` `
` "You called over the water to us to let her go," said Starkey. `
` `
` "Brimstone and gall," thundered Hook, "what cozening [cheating] `
` is going on here!" His face had gone black with rage, but he saw `
` that they believed their words, and he was startled. "Lads," he `
` said, shaking a little, "I gave no such order." `
` `
` "It is passing queer," Smee said, and they all fidgeted `
` uncomfortably. Hook raised his voice, but there was a quiver in `
` it. `
` `
` "Spirit that haunts this dark lagoon to-night," he cried, "dost `
` hear me?" `
` `
` Of course Peter should have kept quiet, but of course he did `
` not. He immediately answered in Hook's voice: `
` `
` "Odds, bobs, hammer and tongs, I hear you." `
` `
` In that supreme moment Hook did not blanch, even at the gills, `
` but Smee and Starkey clung to each other in terror. `
` `
` "Who are you, stranger? Speak!" Hook demanded. `
` `
` "I am James Hook," replied the voice, "captain of the JOLLY `
` ROGER." `
` `
` "You are not; you are not," Hook cried hoarsely. `
` `
` "Brimstone and gall," the voice retorted, "say that again, and `
` I'll cast anchor in you." `
` `
` Hook tried a more ingratiating manner. "If you are Hook," he `
` said almost humbly, "come tell me, who am I?" `
` `
` "A codfish," replied the voice, "only a codfish." `
` `
` "A codfish!" Hook echoed blankly, and it was then, but not till `
` then, that his proud spirit broke. He saw his men draw back from `
` him. `
` `
` "Have we been captained all this time by a codfish!" they `
` muttered. "It is lowering to our pride." `
` `
` They were his dogs snapping at him, but, tragic figure though `
` he had become, he scarcely heeded them. Against such fearful `
` evidence it was not their belief in him that he needed, it was `
` his own. He felt his ego slipping from him. "Don't desert me, `
` bully," he whispered hoarsely to it. `
` `
` In his dark nature there was a touch of the feminine, as in all `
` the great pirates, and it sometimes gave him intuitions. `
` Suddenly he tried the guessing game. `
` `
` "Hook," he called, "have you another voice?" `
` `
` Now Peter could never resist a game, and he answered blithely `
` in his own voice, "I have." `
` `
` "And another name?" `
` `
` "Ay, ay." `
` `
` "Vegetable?" asked Hook. `
`