English
Oddthingshappentoallofusonourwaythroughlifewithoutournoticingforatimethattheyhavehappened.
Thus,totakeaninstance,wesuddenlydiscoverthatwehavebeendeafinoneearforwedon'tknowhowlong,but,say,halfanhour.
NowsuchanexperiencehadcomethatnighttoPeter.
Whenlastwesawhimhewasstealingacrosstheislandwithonefingertohislipsandhisdaggerattheready.
Hehadseenthecrocodilepassbywithoutnoticinganythingpeculiaraboutit,butbyandbyherememberedthatithadnotbeenticking.
Atfirsthethoughtthiseerie,butsoonconcludedrightlythattheclockhadrundown.
Withoutgivingathoughttowhatmightbethefeelingsofafellow-creaturethusabruptlydeprivedofitsclosestcompanion,Peterbegantoconsiderhowhecouldturnthecatastrophetohisownuse;andhedecidedtotick,sothatwildbeastsshouldbelievehewasthecrocodileandlethimpassunmolested.
Hetickedsuperbly,butwithoneunforeseenresult.
Thecrocodilewasamongthosewhoheardthesound,anditfollowedhim,thoughwhetherwiththepurposeofregainingwhatithadlost,ormerelyasafriendunderthebeliefthatitwasagaintickingitself,willneverbecertainlyknown,for,likeslavestoafixedidea,itwasastupidbeast.
Peterreachedtheshorewithoutmishap,andwentstraighton,hislegsencounteringthewaterasifquiteunawarethattheyhadenteredanewelement.
Thusmanyanimalspassfromlandtowater,butnootherhumanofwhomIknow.
Asheswamhehadbutonethought:"Hookormethistime."
Hehadtickedsolongthathenowwentontickingwithoutknowingthathewasdoingit.
Hadheknownhewouldhavestopped,fortoboardthebrigbyhelpofthetick,thoughaningeniousidea,hadnotoccurredtohim.
Onthecontrary,hethoughthehadscaledhersideasnoiselessasamouse;andhewasamazedtoseethepiratescoweringfromhim,withHookintheirmidstasabjectasifhehadheardthecrocodile.
Thecrocodile!NosoonerdidPeterrememberitthanheheardtheticking.
Atfirsthethoughtthesounddidcomefromthecrocodile,andhelookedbehindhimswiftly.
Theyherealisedthathewasdoingithimself,andinaflashheunderstoodthesituation."Howcleverofme!"
hethoughtatonce,andsignedtotheboysnottoburstintoapplause.
ItwasatthismomentthatEdTeyntethequartermasteremergedfromtheforecastleandcamealongthedeck.
Now,reader,timewhathappenedbyyourwatch.Peterstrucktrueanddeep.
Johnclappedhishandsontheill-fatedpirate'smouthtostiflethedyinggroan.Hefellforward.
Fourboyscaughthimtopreventthethud.
Petergavethesignal,andthecarrionwascastoverboard.Therewasasplash,andthensilence.Howlonghasittaken?
"One!"(Slightlyhadbeguntocount.)
Nonetoosoon,Peter,everyinchofhimontiptoe,vanishedintothecabin;formorethanonepiratewasscrewinguphiscouragetolookround.
Theycouldheareachother'sdistressedbreathingnow,whichshowedthemthatthemoreterriblesoundhadpassed.
"It'sgone,captain,"Smeesaid,wipingoffhisspectacles."All'sstillagain."
SlowlyHooklethisheademergefromhisruff,andlistenedsointentlythathecouldhavecaughttheechoofthetick.Therewasnotasound,andhedrewhimselfupfirmlytohisfullheight.
"Thenhere'stoJohnnyPlank!"hecriedbrazenly,hatingtheboysmorethaneverbecausetheyhadseenhimunbend.Hebrokeintothevillainousditty:
"Yoho,yoho,thefriskyplank,
Youwalksalongitso,
Tillitgoesdownandyougoesdown
ToDavyJonesbelow!"
Toterrorizetheprisonersthemore,thoughwithacertainlossofdignity,hedancedalonganimaginaryplank,grimacingatthemashesang;andwhenhefinishedhecried,"Doyouwantatouchofthecat[o'ninetails]beforeyouwalktheplank?"
Atthattheyfellontheirknees."No,no!"theycriedsopiteouslythateverypiratesmiled.
"Fetchthecat,Jukes,"saidHook;"it'sinthecabin."
Thecabin!Peterwasinthecabin!Thechildrengazedateachother.
"Ay,ay,"saidJukesblithely,andhestrodeintothecabin.Theyfollowedhimwiththeireyes;theyscarceknewthatHookhadresumedhissong,hisdogsjoininginwithhim:
"Yoho,yoho,thescratchingcat,Itstailsarenine,youknow,Andwhenthey'rewrituponyourback—"
Whatwasthelastlinewillneverbeknown,forofasuddenthesongwasstayedbyadreadfulscreechfromthecabin.
Itwailedthroughtheship,anddiedaway.
Thenwasheardacrowingsoundwhichwaswellunderstoodbytheboys,buttothepirateswasalmostmoreeeriethanthescreech.
"Whatwasthat?"criedHook.
"Two,"saidSlightlysolemnly.
TheItalianCeccohesitatedforamomentandthenswungintothecabin.Hetotteredout,haggard.
"What'sthematterwithBillJukes,youdog?"hissedHook,toweringoverhim.
"Thematterwi'himishe'sdead,stabbed,"repliedCeccoinahollowvoice.
"BillJukesdead!"criedthestartledpirates.
"Thecabin'sasblackasapit,"Ceccosaid,almostgibbering,"butthereissomethingterribleinthere:thethingyouheardcrowing."
Theexultationoftheboys,theloweringlooksofthepirates,bothwereseenbyHook.
"Cecco,"hesaidinhismoststeelyvoice,"gobackandfetchmeoutthatdoodle-doo."
Cecco,bravestofthebrave,coweredbeforehiscaptain,crying"No,no";butHookwaspurringtohisclaw.
"Didyousayyouwouldgo,Cecco?"hesaidmusingly.
Ceccowent,firstflinginghisarmsdespairingly.Therewasnomoresinging,alllistenednow;andagaincameadeath-screechandagainacrow.
NoonespokeexceptSlightly."Three,"hesaid.
Hookralliedhisdogswithagesture."'S'deathandoddsfish,"hethundered,"whoistobringmethatdoodle-doo?"
"WaittillCeccocomesout,"growledStarkey,andtheotherstookupthecry.
"IthinkIheardyouvolunteer,Starkey,"saidHook,purringagain.
"No,bythunder!"Starkeycried.
"Myhookthinksyoudid,"saidHook,crossingtohim."Iwonderifitwouldnotbeadvisable,Starkey,tohumourthehook?"
"I'llswingbeforeIgointhere,"repliedStarkeydoggedly,andagainhehadthesupportofthecrew.
"Isthismutiny?"askedHookmorepleasantlythanever."Starkey'sringleader!"
"Captain,mercy!"Starkeywhimpered,allofatremblenow.
"Shakehands,Starkey,"saidHook,profferinghisclaw.
Starkeylookedroundforhelp,butalldesertedhim.
AshebackedupHookadvanced,andnowtheredsparkwasinhiseye.
WithadespairingscreamthepirateleaptuponLongTomandprecipitatedhimselfintothesea.
"Four,"saidSlightly.
"Andnow,"Hooksaidcourteously,"didanyothergentlemensaymutiny?"
Seizingalanternandraisinghisclawwithamenacinggesture,"I'llbringoutthatdoodle-doomyself,"hesaid,andspedintothecabin.
"Five."HowSlightlylongedtosayit.Hewettedhislipstobeready,butHookcamestaggeringout,withouthislantern.
"Somethingblewoutthelight,"hesaidalittleunsteadily.
"Something!"echoedMullins.
"WhatofCecco?"demandedNoodler.
"He'sasdeadasJukes,"saidHookshortly.
Hisreluctancetoreturntothecabinimpressedthemallunfavourably,andthemutinoussoundsagainbrokeforth.
Allpiratesaresuperstitious,andCooksoncried,"Theydosaythesurestsignaship'saccurstiswhenthere'soneonboardmorethancanbeaccountedfor."
"I'veheard,"mutteredMullins,"healwaysboardsthepiratecraftlast.Hadheatail,captain?"
"Theysay,"saidanother,lookingviciouslyatHook,"thatwhenhecomesit'sinthelikenessofthewickedestmanaboard."
"Hadheahook,captain?"askedCooksoninsolently;andoneafteranothertookupthecry,"Theship'sdoomed!"
Atthisthechildrencouldnotresistraisingacheer.
Hookhadwell-nighforgottenhisprisoners,butasheswungroundonthemnowhisfacelitupagain.
"Lads,"hecriedtohiscrew,"nowhere'sanotion.Openthecabindooranddrivethemin.
Letthemfightthedoodle-doofortheirlives.
Iftheykillhim,we'resomuchthebetter;ifhekillsthem,we'renonetheworse."
ForthelasttimehisdogsadmiredHook,anddevotedlytheydidhisbidding.Theboys,pretendingtostruggle,werepushedintothecabinandthedoorwasclosedonthem.
"Now,listen!"criedHook,andalllistened.Butnotonedaredtofacethedoor.
Yes,one,Wendy,whoallthistimehadbeenboundtothemast.
Itwasforneitherascreamnoracrowthatshewaswatching,itwasforthereappearanceofPeter.
Shehadnotlongtowait.Inthecabinhehadfoundthethingforwhichhehadgoneinsearch:thekeythatwouldfreethechildrenoftheirmanacles,andnowtheyallstoleforth,armedwithsuchweaponsastheycouldfind.
Firstsigningthemtohide,PetercutWendy'sbonds,andthennothingcouldhavebeeneasierthanforthemalltoflyofftogether;butonethingbarredtheway,anoath,"Hookormethistime."
SowhenhehadfreedWendy,hewhisperedforhertoconcealherselfwiththeothers,andhimselftookherplacebythemast,hercloakaroundhimsothatheshouldpassforher.Thenhetookagreatbreathandcrowed.
Tothepiratesitwasavoicecryingthatalltheboyslayslaininthecabin;andtheywerepanic-stricken.
Hooktriedtoheartenthem;butlikethedogshehadmadethemtheyshowedhimtheirfangs,andheknewthatifhetookhiseyesoffthemnowtheywouldleapathim.
"Lads,"hesaid,readytocajoleorstrikeasneedbe,butneverquailingforaninstant,"I'vethoughtitout.There'saJonahaboard."
"Ay,"theysnarled,"amanwi'ahook."
"No,lads,no,it'sthegirl.Neverwasluckonapirateshipwi'awomanonboard.We'llrighttheshipwhenshe'sgone."
SomeofthemrememberedthatthishadbeenasayingofFlint's."It'sworthtrying,"theysaiddoubtfully.
"Flingthegirloverboard,"criedHook;andtheymadearushatthefigureinthecloak.
"There'snonecansaveyounow,missy,"Mullinshissedjeeringly.
"There'sone,"repliedthefigure.
"Who'sthat?"
"PeterPantheavenger!"cametheterribleanswer;andashespokePeterflungoffhiscloak.
Thentheyallknewwho'twasthathadbeenundoingtheminthecabin,andtwiceHookessayedtospeakandtwicehefailed.
InthatfrightfulmomentIthinkhisfierceheartbroke.
Atlasthecried,"Cleavehimtothebrisket!"butwithoutconviction.
"Down,boys,andatthem!"Peter'svoicerangout;andinanothermomenttheclashofarmswasresoundingthroughtheship.
Hadthepirateskepttogetheritiscertainthattheywouldhavewon;buttheonsetcamewhentheywerestillunstrung,andtheyranhitherandthither,strikingwildly,eachthinkinghimselfthelastsurvivorofthecrew.
Mantomantheywerethestronger;buttheyfoughtonthedefensiveonly,whichenabledtheboystohuntinpairsandchoosetheirquarry.
Someofthemiscreantsleaptintothesea;othershidindarkrecesses,wheretheywerefoundbySlightly,whodidnotfight,butranaboutwithalanternwhichheflashedintheirfaces,sothattheywerehalfblindedandfellasaneasypreytothereekingswordsoftheotherboys.
Therewaslittlesoundtobeheardbuttheclangofweapons,anoccasionalscreechorsplash,andSlightlymonotonouslycounting—five—six—seveneight—nine—ten—eleven.
IthinkallweregonewhenagroupofsavageboyssurroundedHook,whoseemedtohaveacharmedlife,ashekeptthematbayinthatcircleoffire.
Theyhaddoneforhisdogs,butthismanaloneseemedtobeamatchforthemall.
Againandagaintheycloseduponhim,andagainandagainhehewedaclearspace.
Hehadlifteduponeboywithhishook,andwasusinghimasabuckler[shield],whenanother,whohadjustpassedhisswordthroughMullins,sprangintothefray.
"Putupyourswords,boys,"criedthenewcomer,"thismanismine."
ThussuddenlyHookfoundhimselffacetofacewithPeter.Theothersdrewbackandformedaringaroundthem.
Forlongthetwoenemieslookedatoneanother,Hookshudderingslightly,andPeterwiththestrangesmileuponhisface.
"So,Pan,"saidHookatlast,"thisisallyourdoing."
"Ay,JamesHook,"camethesternanswer,"itisallmydoing."
"Proudandinsolentyouth,"saidHook,"preparetomeetthydoom."
"Darkandsinisterman,"Peteranswered,"haveatthee."
Withoutmorewordstheyfellto,andforaspacetherewasnoadvantagetoeitherblade.
Peterwasasuperbswordsman,andparriedwithdazzlingrapidity;everandanonhefollowedupafeintwithalungethatgotpasthisfoe'sdefence,buthisshorterreachstoodhiminillstead,andhecouldnotdrivethesteelhome.
Hook,scarcelyhisinferiorinbrilliancy,butnotquitesonimbleinwristplay,forcedhimbackbytheweightofhisonset,hopingsuddenlytoendallwithafavouritethrust,taughthimlongagobyBarbecueatRio;buttohisastonishmenthefoundthisthrustturnedasideagainandagain.
Thenhesoughttocloseandgivethequietuswithhisironhook,whichallthistimehadbeenpawingtheair;butPeterdoubledunderitand,lungingfiercely,piercedhimintheribs.
Atthesightofhisownblood,whosepeculiarcolour,youremember,wasoffensivetohim,theswordfellfromHook'shand,andhewasatPeter'smercy.
"Now!"criedalltheboys,butwithamagnificentgesturePeterinvitedhisopponenttopickuphissword.Hookdidsoinstantly,butwithatragicfeelingthatPeterwasshowinggoodform.
Hithertohehadthoughtitwassomefiendfightinghim,butdarkersuspicionsassailedhimnow.
"Pan,whoandwhatartthou?"hecriedhuskily.
"I'myouth,I'mjoy,"Peteransweredataventure,"I'malittlebirdthathasbrokenoutoftheegg."
This,ofcourse,wasnonsense;butitwasprooftotheunhappyHookthatPeterdidnotknowintheleastwhoorwhathewas,whichistheverypinnacleofgoodform.
"To'tagain,"hecrieddespairingly.
Hefoughtnowlikeahumanflail,andeverysweepofthatterribleswordwouldhaveseveredintwainanymanorboywhoobstructedit;butPeterflutteredroundhimasiftheverywinditmadeblewhimoutofthedangerzone.
Andagainandagainhedartedinandpricked.
Hookwasfightingnowwithouthope.Thatpassionatebreastnolongeraskedforlife;butforoneboonitcraved:toseePetershowbadformbeforeitwascoldforever.
Abandoningthefightherushedintothepowdermagazineandfiredit.
"Intwominutes,"hecried,"theshipwillbeblowntopieces."
Now,now,hethought,trueformwillshow.
ButPeterissuedfromthepowdermagazinewiththeshellinhishands,andcalmlyflungitoverboard.
WhatsortofformwasHookhimselfshowing?
Misguidedmanthoughhewas,wemaybeglad,withoutsympathisingwithhim,thatintheendhewastruetothetraditionsofhisrace.
Theotherboyswereflyingaroundhimnow,flouting,scornful;andhestaggeredaboutthedeckstrikingupatthemimpotently,hismindwasnolongerwiththem;itwasslouchingintheplayingfieldsoflongago,orbeingsentup[totheheadmaster]forgood,orwatchingthewall-gamefromafamouswall.
Andhisshoeswereright,andhiswaistcoatwasright,andhistiewasright,andhissockswereright.
JamesHook,thounotwhollyunheroicfigure,farewell.
Forwehavecometohislastmoment.
SeeingPeterslowlyadvancinguponhimthroughtheairwithdaggerpoised,hespranguponthebulwarkstocasthimselfintothesea.
Hedidnotknowthatthecrocodilewaswaitingforhim;forwepurposelystoppedtheclockthatthisknowledgemightbesparedhim:alittlemarkofrespectfromusattheend.
Hehadonelasttriumph,whichIthinkweneednotgrudgehim.
AshestoodonthebulwarklookingoverhisshoulderatPeterglidingthroughtheair,heinvitedhimwithagesturetousehisfoot.ItmadePeterkickinsteadofstab.
AtlastHookhadgottheboonforwhichhecraved.
"Badform,"hecriedjeeringly,andwentcontenttothecrocodile.
ThusperishedJamesHook.
"Seventeen,"Slightlysangout;buthewasnotquitecorrectinhisfigures.
Fifteenpaidthepenaltyfortheircrimesthatnight;buttworeachedtheshore:Starkeytobecapturedbytheredskins,whomadehimnurseforalltheirpapooses,amelancholycome-downforapirate;andSmee,whohenceforthwanderedabouttheworldinhisspectacles,makingaprecariouslivingbysayinghewastheonlymanthatJas.Hookhadfeared.
Wendy,ofcourse,hadstoodbytakingnopartinthefight,thoughwatchingPeterwithglisteningeyes;butnowthatallwasovershebecameprominentagain.
Shepraisedthemequally,andshuddereddelightfullywhenMichaelshowedhertheplacewherehehadkilledone;andthenshetookthemintoHook'scabinandpointedtohiswatchwhichwashangingonanail.Itsaid"half-pastone!"
Thelatenessofthehourwasalmostthebiggestthingofall.
Shegotthemtobedinthepirates'bunksprettyquickly,youmaybesure;allbutPeter,whostruttedupanddownonthedeck,untilatlasthefellasleepbythesideofLongTom.
Hehadoneofhisdreamsthatnight,andcriedinhissleepforalongtime,andWendyheldhimtightly.
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