Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
ceiling, and there is almost nothing so delicious as that. Peter `
` gave Wendy a hand at first, but had to desist, Tink was so `
` indignant. `
` `
` Up and down they went, and round and round. Heavenly was `
` Wendy's word. `
` `
` "I say," cried John, "why shouldn't we all go out?" `
` `
` Of course it was to this that Peter had been luring them. `
` `
` Michael was ready: he wanted to see how long it took him to do `
` a billion miles. But Wendy hesitated. `
` `
` "Mermaids!" said Peter again. `
` `
` "Oo!" `
` `
` "And there are pirates." `
` `
` "Pirates," cried John, seizing his Sunday hat, "let us go at `
` once." `
` `
` It was just at this moment that Mr. and Mrs. Darling hurried `
` with Nana out of 27. They ran into the middle of the street to `
` look up at the nursery window; and, yes, it was still shut, but `
` the room was ablaze with light, and most heart-gripping sight of `
` all, they could see in shadow on the curtain three little figures `
` in night attire circling round and round, not on the floor but in `
` the air. `
` `
` Not three figures, four! `
` `
` In a tremble they opened the street door. Mr. Darling would `
` have rushed upstairs, but Mrs. Darling signed him to go softly. `
` She even tried to make her heart go softly. `
` `
` Will they reach the nursery in time? If so, how delightful for `
` them, and we shall all breathe a sigh of relief, but there will `
` be no story. On the other hand, if they are not in time, I `
` solemnly promise that it will all come right in the end. `
` `
` They would have reached the nursery in time had it not been `
` that the little stars were watching them. Once again the stars `
` blew the window open, and that smallest star of all called out: `
` `
` "Cave, Peter!" `
` `
` Then Peter knew that there was not a moment to lose. "Come," `
` he cried imperiously, and soared out at once into the night, `
` followed by John and Michael and Wendy. `
` `
` Mr. and Mrs. Darling and Nana rushed into the nursery too late. `
` The birds were flown. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 4 `
` `
` THE FLIGHT `
` `
` `
` "Second to the right, and straight on till morning." `
` `
` That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland; but `
` even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, `
` could not have sighted it with these instructions. Peter, you `
` see, just said anything that came into his head. `
` `
` At first his companions trusted him implicitly, and so great `
` were the delights of flying that they wasted time circling round `
` church spires or any other tall objects on the way that took `
` their fancy. `
` `
` John and Michael raced, Michael getting a start. `
` `
` They recalled with contempt that not so long ago they had `
` thought themselves fine fellows for being able to fly round a `
` room. `
` `
` Not long ago. But how long ago? They were flying over the sea `
` before this thought began to disturb Wendy seriously. John `
` thought it was their second sea and their third night. `
` `
` Sometimes it was dark and sometimes light, and now they were `
` very cold and again too warm. Did they really feel hungry at `
` times, or were they merely pretending, because Peter had such a `
` jolly new way of feeding them? His way was to pursue birds who `
` had food in their mouths suitable for humans and snatch it from `
` them; then the birds would follow and snatch it back; and they `
` would all go chasing each other gaily for miles, parting at last `
` with mutual expressions of good-will. But Wendy noticed with `
` gentle concern that Peter did not seem to know that this was `
` rather an odd way of getting your bread and butter, nor even `
` that there are other ways. `
` `
` Certainly they did not pretend to be sleepy, they were sleepy; `
` and that was a danger, for the moment they popped off, down they `
` fell. The awful thing was that Peter thought this funny. `
` `
` "There he goes again!" he would cry gleefully, as Michael `
` suddenly dropped like a stone. `
` `
` "Save him, save him!" cried Wendy, looking with horror at the `
` cruel sea far below. Eventually Peter would dive through the air, `
` and catch Michael just before he could strike the sea, and it was `
` lovely the way he did it; but he always waited till the last `
` moment, and you felt it was his cleverness that interested him `
` and not the saving of human life. Also he was fond of variety, `
` and the sport that engrossed him one moment would suddenly cease `
` to engage him, so there was always the possibility that the next `
` time you fell he would let you go. `
` `
` He could sleep in the air without falling, by merely lying on `
` his back and floating, but this was, partly at least, because he `
` was so light that if you got behind him and blew he went faster. `
` `
` "Do be more polite to him," Wendy whispered to John, when they `
` were playing "Follow my Leader." `
` `
` "Then tell him to stop showing off," said John. `
` `
` When playing Follow my Leader, Peter would fly close to the `
` water and touch each shark's tail in passing, just as in the `
` street you may run your finger along an iron railing. They `
` could not follow him in this with much success, so perhaps it was `
` rather like showing off, especially as he kept looking behind to `
` see how many tails they missed. `
` `
` "You must be nice to him," Wendy impressed on her brothers. `
` "What could we do if he were to leave us!" `
` `
` "We could go back," Michael said. `
` `
` "How could we ever find our way back without him?" `
` `
` "Well, then, we could go on," said John. `
` `
` "That is the awful thing, John. We should have to go on, for `
` we don't know how to stop." `
` `
` This was true, Peter had forgotten to show them how to stop. `
` `
` John said that if the worst came to the worst, all they had to `
` do was to go straight on, for the world was round, and so in time `
` they must come back to their own window. `
` `
` "And who is to get food for us, John?" `
` `
` "I nipped a bit out of that eagle's mouth pretty neatly, `
` Wendy." `
` `
` "After the twentieth try," Wendy reminded him. "And even `
` though we became good a picking up food, see how we bump against `
` clouds and things if he is not near to give us a hand." `
` `
` Indeed they were constantly bumping. They could now fly `
` strongly, though they still kicked far too much; but if they saw `
` a cloud in front of them, the more they tried to avoid it, the `
` more certainly did they bump into it. If Nana had been with them, `
` she would have had a bandage round Michael's forehead by this `
` time. `
` `
` Peter was not with them for the moment, and they felt rather `
` lonely up there by themselves. He could go so much faster than `
` they that he would suddenly shoot out of sight, to have some `
` adventure in which they had no share. He would come down `
` laughing over something fearfully funny he had been saying to a `
` star, but he had already forgotten what it was, or he would come `
` up with mermaid scales still sticking to him, and yet not be able `
` to say for certain what had been happening. It was really rather `
` irritating to children who had never seen a mermaid. `
` `
` "And if he forgets them so quickly," Wendy argued, "how can we `
` expect that he will go on remembering us?" `
` `
` Indeed, sometimes when he returned he did not remember them, at `
` least not well. Wendy was sure of it. She saw recognition come `
` into his eyes as he was about to pass them the time of day and go `
` on; once even she had to call him by name. `
` `
` "I'm Wendy," she said agitatedly. `
` `
` He was very sorry. "I say, Wendy," he whispered to her, `
` "always if you see me forgetting you, just keep on saying `I'm `
` Wendy,' and then I'll remember." `
` `
` Of course this was rather unsatisfactory. However, to make `
` amends he showed them how to lie out flat on a strong wind that `
` was going their way, and this was such a pleasant change that `
` they tried it several times and found that they could sleep thus with `
` security. Indeed they would have slept longer, but Peter tired `
` quickly of sleeping, and soon he would cry in his captain voice, `
` "We get off here." So with occasional tiffs, but on the whole `
` rollicking, they drew near the Neverland; for after many moons `
` they did reach it, and, what is more, they had been going pretty `
` straight all the time, not perhaps so much owing to the guidance `
` of Peter or Tink as because the island was looking for them. It `
` is only thus that any one may sight those magic shores. `
` `
` "There it is," said Peter calmly. `
`
` gave Wendy a hand at first, but had to desist, Tink was so `
` indignant. `
` `
` Up and down they went, and round and round. Heavenly was `
` Wendy's word. `
` `
` "I say," cried John, "why shouldn't we all go out?" `
` `
` Of course it was to this that Peter had been luring them. `
` `
` Michael was ready: he wanted to see how long it took him to do `
` a billion miles. But Wendy hesitated. `
` `
` "Mermaids!" said Peter again. `
` `
` "Oo!" `
` `
` "And there are pirates." `
` `
` "Pirates," cried John, seizing his Sunday hat, "let us go at `
` once." `
` `
` It was just at this moment that Mr. and Mrs. Darling hurried `
` with Nana out of 27. They ran into the middle of the street to `
` look up at the nursery window; and, yes, it was still shut, but `
` the room was ablaze with light, and most heart-gripping sight of `
` all, they could see in shadow on the curtain three little figures `
` in night attire circling round and round, not on the floor but in `
` the air. `
` `
` Not three figures, four! `
` `
` In a tremble they opened the street door. Mr. Darling would `
` have rushed upstairs, but Mrs. Darling signed him to go softly. `
` She even tried to make her heart go softly. `
` `
` Will they reach the nursery in time? If so, how delightful for `
` them, and we shall all breathe a sigh of relief, but there will `
` be no story. On the other hand, if they are not in time, I `
` solemnly promise that it will all come right in the end. `
` `
` They would have reached the nursery in time had it not been `
` that the little stars were watching them. Once again the stars `
` blew the window open, and that smallest star of all called out: `
` `
` "Cave, Peter!" `
` `
` Then Peter knew that there was not a moment to lose. "Come," `
` he cried imperiously, and soared out at once into the night, `
` followed by John and Michael and Wendy. `
` `
` Mr. and Mrs. Darling and Nana rushed into the nursery too late. `
` The birds were flown. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 4 `
` `
` THE FLIGHT `
` `
` `
` "Second to the right, and straight on till morning." `
` `
` That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland; but `
` even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, `
` could not have sighted it with these instructions. Peter, you `
` see, just said anything that came into his head. `
` `
` At first his companions trusted him implicitly, and so great `
` were the delights of flying that they wasted time circling round `
` church spires or any other tall objects on the way that took `
` their fancy. `
` `
` John and Michael raced, Michael getting a start. `
` `
` They recalled with contempt that not so long ago they had `
` thought themselves fine fellows for being able to fly round a `
` room. `
` `
` Not long ago. But how long ago? They were flying over the sea `
` before this thought began to disturb Wendy seriously. John `
` thought it was their second sea and their third night. `
` `
` Sometimes it was dark and sometimes light, and now they were `
` very cold and again too warm. Did they really feel hungry at `
` times, or were they merely pretending, because Peter had such a `
` jolly new way of feeding them? His way was to pursue birds who `
` had food in their mouths suitable for humans and snatch it from `
` them; then the birds would follow and snatch it back; and they `
` would all go chasing each other gaily for miles, parting at last `
` with mutual expressions of good-will. But Wendy noticed with `
` gentle concern that Peter did not seem to know that this was `
` rather an odd way of getting your bread and butter, nor even `
` that there are other ways. `
` `
` Certainly they did not pretend to be sleepy, they were sleepy; `
` and that was a danger, for the moment they popped off, down they `
` fell. The awful thing was that Peter thought this funny. `
` `
` "There he goes again!" he would cry gleefully, as Michael `
` suddenly dropped like a stone. `
` `
` "Save him, save him!" cried Wendy, looking with horror at the `
` cruel sea far below. Eventually Peter would dive through the air, `
` and catch Michael just before he could strike the sea, and it was `
` lovely the way he did it; but he always waited till the last `
` moment, and you felt it was his cleverness that interested him `
` and not the saving of human life. Also he was fond of variety, `
` and the sport that engrossed him one moment would suddenly cease `
` to engage him, so there was always the possibility that the next `
` time you fell he would let you go. `
` `
` He could sleep in the air without falling, by merely lying on `
` his back and floating, but this was, partly at least, because he `
` was so light that if you got behind him and blew he went faster. `
` `
` "Do be more polite to him," Wendy whispered to John, when they `
` were playing "Follow my Leader." `
` `
` "Then tell him to stop showing off," said John. `
` `
` When playing Follow my Leader, Peter would fly close to the `
` water and touch each shark's tail in passing, just as in the `
` street you may run your finger along an iron railing. They `
` could not follow him in this with much success, so perhaps it was `
` rather like showing off, especially as he kept looking behind to `
` see how many tails they missed. `
` `
` "You must be nice to him," Wendy impressed on her brothers. `
` "What could we do if he were to leave us!" `
` `
` "We could go back," Michael said. `
` `
` "How could we ever find our way back without him?" `
` `
` "Well, then, we could go on," said John. `
` `
` "That is the awful thing, John. We should have to go on, for `
` we don't know how to stop." `
` `
` This was true, Peter had forgotten to show them how to stop. `
` `
` John said that if the worst came to the worst, all they had to `
` do was to go straight on, for the world was round, and so in time `
` they must come back to their own window. `
` `
` "And who is to get food for us, John?" `
` `
` "I nipped a bit out of that eagle's mouth pretty neatly, `
` Wendy." `
` `
` "After the twentieth try," Wendy reminded him. "And even `
` though we became good a picking up food, see how we bump against `
` clouds and things if he is not near to give us a hand." `
` `
` Indeed they were constantly bumping. They could now fly `
` strongly, though they still kicked far too much; but if they saw `
` a cloud in front of them, the more they tried to avoid it, the `
` more certainly did they bump into it. If Nana had been with them, `
` she would have had a bandage round Michael's forehead by this `
` time. `
` `
` Peter was not with them for the moment, and they felt rather `
` lonely up there by themselves. He could go so much faster than `
` they that he would suddenly shoot out of sight, to have some `
` adventure in which they had no share. He would come down `
` laughing over something fearfully funny he had been saying to a `
` star, but he had already forgotten what it was, or he would come `
` up with mermaid scales still sticking to him, and yet not be able `
` to say for certain what had been happening. It was really rather `
` irritating to children who had never seen a mermaid. `
` `
` "And if he forgets them so quickly," Wendy argued, "how can we `
` expect that he will go on remembering us?" `
` `
` Indeed, sometimes when he returned he did not remember them, at `
` least not well. Wendy was sure of it. She saw recognition come `
` into his eyes as he was about to pass them the time of day and go `
` on; once even she had to call him by name. `
` `
` "I'm Wendy," she said agitatedly. `
` `
` He was very sorry. "I say, Wendy," he whispered to her, `
` "always if you see me forgetting you, just keep on saying `I'm `
` Wendy,' and then I'll remember." `
` `
` Of course this was rather unsatisfactory. However, to make `
` amends he showed them how to lie out flat on a strong wind that `
` was going their way, and this was such a pleasant change that `
` they tried it several times and found that they could sleep thus with `
` security. Indeed they would have slept longer, but Peter tired `
` quickly of sleeping, and soon he would cry in his captain voice, `
` "We get off here." So with occasional tiffs, but on the whole `
` rollicking, they drew near the Neverland; for after many moons `
` they did reach it, and, what is more, they had been going pretty `
` straight all the time, not perhaps so much owing to the guidance `
` of Peter or Tink as because the island was looking for them. It `
` is only thus that any one may sight those magic shores. `
` `
` "There it is," said Peter calmly. `
`