English
That,PeterhadtoldWendy,wasthewaytotheNeverland;butevenbirds,carryingmapsandconsultingthematwindycorners,couldnothavesighteditwiththeseinstructions.
Peter,yousee,justsaidanythingthatcameintohishead.
Atfirsthiscompanionstrustedhimimplicitly,andsogreatwerethedelightsofflyingthattheywastedtimecirclingroundchurchspiresoranyothertallobjectsonthewaythattooktheirfancy.
JohnandMichaelraced,Michaelgettingastart.
Theyrecalledwithcontemptthatnotsolongagotheyhadthoughtthemselvesfinefellowsforbeingabletoflyroundaroom.
Notlongago.Buthowlongago?TheywereflyingovertheseabeforethisthoughtbegantodisturbWendyseriously.Johnthoughtitwastheirsecondseaandtheirthirdnight.
Sometimesitwasdarkandsometimeslight,andnowtheywereverycoldandagaintoowarm.
Didtheyreallyfeelhungryattimes,orweretheymerelypretending,becausePeterhadsuchajollynewwayoffeedingthem?
Hiswaywastopursuebirdswhohadfoodintheirmouthssuitableforhumansandsnatchitfromthem;thenthebirdswouldfollowandsnatchitback;andtheywouldallgochasingeachothergailyformiles,partingatlastwithmutualexpressionsofgood-will.
ButWendynoticedwithgentleconcernthatPeterdidnotseemtoknowthatthiswasratheranoddwayofgettingyourbreadandbutter,noreventhatthereareotherways.
Certainlytheydidnotpretendtobesleepy,theyweresleepy;andthatwasadanger,forthemomenttheypoppedoff,downtheyfell.TheawfulthingwasthatPeterthoughtthisfunny.
"Therehegoesagain!"hewouldcrygleefully,asMichaelsuddenlydroppedlikeastone.
"Savehim,savehim!"criedWendy,lookingwithhorroratthecruelseafarbelow.
EventuallyPeterwoulddivethroughtheair,andcatchMichaeljustbeforehecouldstrikethesea,anditwaslovelythewayhedidit;buthealwayswaitedtillthelastmoment,andyoufeltitwashisclevernessthatinterestedhimandnotthesavingofhumanlife.
Alsohewasfondofvariety,andthesportthatengrossedhimonemomentwouldsuddenlyceasetoengagehim,sotherewasalwaysthepossibilitythatthenexttimeyoufellhewouldletyougo.
Hecouldsleepintheairwithoutfalling,bymerelylyingonhisbackandfloating,butthiswas,partlyatleast,becausehewassolightthatifyougotbehindhimandblewhewentfaster.
"Dobemorepolitetohim,"WendywhisperedtoJohn,whentheywereplaying"FollowmyLeader."
"Thentellhimtostopshowingoff,"saidJohn.
WhenplayingFollowmyLeader,Peterwouldflyclosetothewaterandtoucheachshark'stailinpassing,justasinthestreetyoumayrunyourfingeralonganironrailing.
Theycouldnotfollowhiminthiswithmuchsuccess,soperhapsitwasratherlikeshowingoff,especiallyashekeptlookingbehindtoseehowmanytailstheymissed.
"Youmustbenicetohim,"Wendyimpressedonherbrothers."Whatcouldwedoifheweretoleaveus!"
"Wecouldgoback,"Michaelsaid.
"Howcouldweeverfindourwaybackwithouthim?"
"Well,then,wecouldgoon,"saidJohn.
"Thatistheawfulthing,John.Weshouldhavetogoon,forwedon'tknowhowtostop."
Thiswastrue,Peterhadforgottentoshowthemhowtostop.
Johnsaidthatiftheworstcametotheworst,alltheyhadtodowastogostraighton,fortheworldwasround,andsointimetheymustcomebacktotheirownwindow.
"Andwhoistogetfoodforus,John?"
"Inippedabitoutofthateagle'smouthprettyneatly,Wendy."
"Afterthetwentiethtry,"Wendyremindedhim."Andeventhoughwebecamegoodapickingupfood,seehowwebumpagainstcloudsandthingsifheisnotneartogiveusahand."
Indeedtheywereconstantlybumping.Theycouldnowflystrongly,thoughtheystillkickedfartoomuch;butiftheysawacloudinfrontofthem,themoretheytriedtoavoidit,themorecertainlydidtheybumpintoit.
IfNanahadbeenwiththem,shewouldhavehadabandageroundMichael'sforeheadbythistime.
Peterwasnotwiththemforthemoment,andtheyfeltratherlonelyuptherebythemselves.
Hecouldgosomuchfasterthantheythathewouldsuddenlyshootoutofsight,tohavesomeadventureinwhichtheyhadnoshare.
Hewouldcomedownlaughingoversomethingfearfullyfunnyhehadbeensayingtoastar,buthehadalreadyforgottenwhatitwas,orhewouldcomeupwithmermaidscalesstillstickingtohim,andyetnotbeabletosayforcertainwhathadbeenhappening.
Itwasreallyratherirritatingtochildrenwhohadneverseenamermaid.
"Andifheforgetsthemsoquickly,"Wendyargued,"howcanweexpectthathewillgoonrememberingus?"
Indeed,sometimeswhenhereturnedhedidnotrememberthem,atleastnotwell.Wendywassureofit.
Shesawrecognitioncomeintohiseyesashewasabouttopassthemthetimeofdayandgoon;onceevenshehadtocallhimbyname.
"I'mWendy,"shesaidagitatedly.
Hewasverysorry."Isay,Wendy,"hewhisperedtoher,"alwaysifyouseemeforgettingyou,justkeeponsaying'I'mWendy,'andthenI'llremember."
Ofcoursethiswasratherunsatisfactory.
However,tomakeamendsheshowedthemhowtolieoutflatonastrongwindthatwasgoingtheirway,andthiswassuchapleasantchangethattheytrieditseveraltimesandfoundthattheycouldsleepthuswithsecurity.
Indeedtheywouldhavesleptlonger,butPetertiredquicklyofsleeping,andsoonhewouldcryinhiscaptainvoice,"Wegetoffhere."
Sowithoccasionaltiffs,butonthewholerollicking,theydrewneartheNeverland;foraftermanymoonstheydidreachit,and,whatismore,theyhadbeengoingprettystraightallthetime,notperhapssomuchowingtotheguidanceofPeterorTinkasbecausetheislandwaslookingforthem.
Itisonlythusthatanyonemaysightthosemagicshores.
"Thereitis,"saidPetercalmly.
"Where,where?"
"Whereallthearrowsarepointing."
Indeedamilliongoldenarrowswerepointingitouttothechildren,alldirectedbytheirfriendthesun,whowantedthemtobesureoftheirwaybeforeleavingthemforthenight.
WendyandJohnandMichaelstoodontip-toeintheairtogettheirfirstsightoftheisland.
Strangetosay,theyallrecognizeditatonce,anduntilfearfelluponthemtheyhailedit,notassomethinglongdreamtofandseenatlast,butasafamiliarfriendtowhomtheywerereturninghomefortheholidays.
"John,there'sthelagoon."
"Wendy,lookattheturtlesburyingtheireggsinthesand."
"Isay,John,Iseeyourflamingowiththebrokenleg!"
"Look,Michael,there'syourcave!"
"John,what'sthatinthebrushwood?"
"It'sawolfwithherwhelps.Wendy,Idobelievethat'syourlittlewhelp!"
"There'smyboat,John,withhersidesstovein!"
"No,itisn't.Why,weburnedyourboat."
"That'sher,atanyrate.Isay,John,Iseethesmokeoftheredskincamp!"
"Where?Showme,andI'lltellyoubythewaysmokecurlswhethertheyareonthewar-path."
"There,justacrosstheMysteriousRiver."
"Iseenow.Yes,theyareonthewar-pathrightenough."
Peterwasalittleannoyedwiththemforknowingsomuch,butifhewantedtolorditoverthemhistriumphwasathand,forhaveInottoldyouthatanonfearfelluponthem?
Itcameasthearrowswent,leavingtheislandingloom.
IntheolddaysathometheNeverlandhadalwaysbeguntolookalittledarkandthreateningbybedtime.
Thenunexploredpatchesaroseinitandspread,blackshadowsmovedaboutinthem,theroarofthebeastsofpreywasquitedifferentnow,andaboveall,youlostthecertaintythatyouwouldwin.
Youwerequitegladthatthenight-lightswereon.
YouevenlikedNanatosaythatthiswasjustthemantelpieceoverhere,andthattheNeverlandwasallmake-believe.
OfcoursetheNeverlandhadbeenmake-believeinthosedays,butitwasrealnow,andtherewerenonight-lights,anditwasgettingdarkereverymoment,andwherewasNana?
Theyhadbeenflyingapart,buttheyhuddledclosetoPeternow.
Hiscarelessmannerhadgoneatlast,hiseyesweresparkling,andatinglewentthroughthemeverytimetheytouchedhisbody.
Theywerenowoverthefearsomeisland,flyingsolowthatsometimesatreegrazedtheirfeet.
Nothinghorridwasvisibleintheair,yettheirprogresshadbecomeslowandlaboured,exactlyasiftheywerepushingtheirwaythroughhostileforces.
SometimestheyhungintheairuntilPeterhadbeatenonitwithhisfists.
"Theydon'twantustoland,"heexplained.
"Whoarethey?"Wendywhispered,shuddering.
Buthecouldnotorwouldnotsay.TinkerBellhadbeenasleeponhisshoulder,butnowhewakenedherandsentheroninfront.
Sometimeshepoisedhimselfintheair,listeningintently,withhishandtohisear,andagainhewouldstaredownwitheyessobrightthattheyseemedtoboretwoholestoearth.
Havingdonethesethings,hewentonagain.
Hiscouragewasalmostappalling."Wouldyoulikeanadventurenow,"hesaidcasuallytoJohn,"orwouldyouliketohaveyourteafirst?"
Wendysaid"teafirst"quickly,andMichaelpressedherhandingratitude,butthebraverJohnhesitated.
"Whatkindofadventure?"heaskedcautiously.
"There'sapirateasleepinthepampasjustbeneathus,"Petertoldhim."Ifyoulike,we'llgodownandkillhim."
"Idon'tseehim,"Johnsaidafteralongpause.
"Ido."
"Suppose,"Johnsaid,alittlehuskily,"heweretowakeup."
Peterspokeindignantly."Youdon'tthinkIwouldkillhimwhilehewassleeping!Iwouldwakehimfirst,andthenkillhim.That'sthewayIalwaysdo."
"Isay!Doyoukillmany?"
"Tons."
Johnsaid"Howripping,"butdecidedtohaveteafirst.Heaskedifthereweremanypiratesontheislandjustnow,andPetersaidhehadneverknownsomany.
"Whoiscaptainnow?"
"Hook,"answeredPeter,andhisfacebecameverysternashesaidthathatedword.
"Jas.Hook?"
"Ay."
ThenindeedMichaelbegantocry,andevenJohncouldspeakingulpsonly,fortheyknewHook'sreputation.
"HewasBlackbeard'sbo'sun,"Johnwhisperedhuskily."Heistheworstofthemall.HeistheonlymanofwhomBarbecuewasafraid."
"That'shim,"saidPeter.
"Whatishelike?Ishebig?"
"Heisnotsobigashewas."
"Howdoyoumean?"
"Icutoffabitofhim."
"You!"
"Yes,me,"saidPetersharply.
"Iwasn'tmeaningtobedisrespectful."
"Oh,allright."
"But,Isay,whatbit?"
"Hisrighthand."
"Thenhecan'tfightnow?"
"Oh,can'thejust!"
"Left-hander?"
"Hehasanironhookinsteadofarighthand,andheclawswithit."
"Claws!"
"Isay,John,"saidPeter.
"Yes."
"Say,'Ay,ay,sir.'"
"Ay,ay,sir."
"Thereisonething,"Petercontinued,"thateveryboywhoservesundermehastopromise,andsomustyou."
Johnpaled.
"Itisthis,ifwemeetHookinopenfight,youmustleavehimtome."
"Ipromise,"Johnsaidloyally.
Forthemomenttheywerefeelinglesseerie,becauseTinkwasflyingwiththem,andinherlighttheycoulddistinguisheachother.
Unfortunatelyshecouldnotflysoslowlyasthey,andsoshehadtogoroundandroundtheminacircleinwhichtheymovedasinahalo.
Wendyquitelikedit,untilPeterpointedoutthedrawbacks.
"Shetellsme,"hesaid,"thatthepiratessightedusbeforethedarknesscame,andgotLongTomout."
"Thebiggun?"
"Yes.Andofcoursetheymustseeherlight,andiftheyguesswearenearittheyaresuretoletfly."
"Wendy!"
"John!"
"Michael!"
"Tellhertogoawayatonce,Peter,"thethreecriedsimultaneously,butherefused.
"Shethinkswehavelosttheway,"herepliedstiffly,"andsheisratherfrightened.Youdon'tthinkIwouldsendherawayallbyherselfwhensheisfrightened!"
Foramomentthecircleoflightwasbroken,andsomethinggavePeteralovinglittlepinch.
"Thentellher,"Wendybegged,"toputoutherlight."
"Shecan'tputitout.Thatisabouttheonlythingfairiescan'tdo.Itjustgoesoutofitselfwhenshefallsasleep,sameasthestars."
"Thentellhertosleepatonce,"Johnalmostordered.
"Shecan'tsleepexceptwhenshe'ssleepy.Itistheonlyotherthingfairiescan'tdo."
"Seemstome,"growledJohn,"thesearetheonlytwothingsworthdoing."
Herehegotapinch,butnotalovingone.
"Ifonlyoneofushadapocket,"Petersaid,"wecouldcarryherinit."However,theyhadsetoffinsuchahurrythattherewasnotapocketbetweenthefourofthem.
Hehadahappyidea.John'shat!
Tinkagreedtotravelbyhatifitwascarriedinthehand.
Johncarriedit,thoughshehadhopedtobecarriedbyPeter.
PresentlyWendytookthehat,becauseJohnsaiditstruckagainsthiskneeasheflew;andthis,asweshallsee,ledtomischief,forTinkerBellhatedtobeunderanobligationtoWendy.
Intheblacktopperthelightwascompletelyhidden,andtheyflewoninsilence.
Itwasthestillestsilencetheyhadeverknown,brokenoncebyadistantlapping,whichPeterexplainedwasthewildbeastsdrinkingattheford,andagainbyaraspingsoundthatmighthavebeenthebranchesoftreesrubbingtogether,buthesaiditwastheredskinssharpeningtheirknives.
Eventhesenoisesceased.ToMichaelthelonelinesswasdreadful."Ifonlysomethingwouldmakeasound!"hecried.
Asifinanswertohisrequest,theairwasrentbythemosttremendouscrashhehadeverheard.ThepirateshadfiredLongTomatthem.
Theroarofitechoedthroughthemountains,andtheechoesseemedtocrysavagely,"Wherearethey,wherearethey,wherearethey?"
Thussharplydidtheterrifiedthreelearnthedifferencebetweenanislandofmake-believeandthesameislandcometrue.
Whenatlasttheheavensweresteadyagain,JohnandMichaelfoundthemselvesaloneinthedarkness.Johnwastreadingtheairmechanically,andMichaelwithoutknowinghowtofloatwasfloating.
"Areyoushot?"Johnwhisperedtremulously.
"Ihaven'ttried[myselfout]yet,"Michaelwhisperedback.
Weknownowthatnoonehadbeenhit.Peter,however,hadbeencarriedbythewindoftheshotfarouttosea,whileWendywasblownupwardswithnocompanionbutTinkerBell.
ItwouldhavebeenwellforWendyifatthatmomentshehaddroppedthehat.
Idon'tknowwhethertheideacamesuddenlytoTink,orwhethershehadplanneditontheway,butsheatoncepoppedoutofthehatandbegantolureWendytoherdestruction.
Tinkwasnotallbad;or,rather,shewasallbadjustnow,but,ontheotherhand,sometimesshewasallgood.
Fairieshavetobeonethingortheother,becausebeingsosmalltheyunfortunatelyhaveroomforonefeelingonlyatatime.
Theyare,however,allowedtochange,onlyitmustbeacompletechange.
AtpresentshewasfullofjealousyofWendy.
WhatshesaidinherlovelytinkleWendycouldnotofcourseunderstand,andIbelievesomeofitwasbadwords,butitsoundedkind,andsheflewbackandforward,plainlymeaning"Followme,andallwillbewell."
WhatelsecouldpoorWendydo?ShecalledtoPeterandJohnandMichael,andgotonlymockingechoesinreply.
ShedidnotyetknowthatTinkhatedherwiththefiercehatredofaverywoman.
Andso,bewildered,andnowstaggeringinherflight,shefollowedTinktoherdoom.
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