05.2-CHAPTER 5 THE ISLAND COME TRUE part2-iv

CHAPTER 5 THE ISLAND COME TRUE  part2

It was only in Peter's absence that theycould speak of mothers, the subject being forbidden by him as silly.

"All I remember about mymother," Nibs told them, "is that she often said to my father, 'Oh,how I wish I had a cheque-book of my own!' I don't know what a cheque-bookis, but I should just love to give my mother one.” While they talked they heard adistant sound. You or I, not being wild things of the woods, would have heardnothing, but they heard it, and it was the grim song: "Yo ho, yo ho,the pirate life, The flag o' skull and bones, A merry hour, a hempenrope, And hey for Davy Jones." At once the lost boys—but where are they? They are no longer there. Rabbits could not havedisappeared more quickly.

I will tell you where they are. With theexception of Nibs, who has darted away to reconnoitre, they are already intheir home under the ground, a very delightful residence of which we shall seea good deal presently. But how have they reached it? for there is no entranceto be seen, not so much as a large stone, which if rolled away, would disclosethe mouth of a cave. Look closely, however, and you may note that there arehere seven large trees, each with a hole in its hollow trunk as large as a boy.These are the seven entrances to the home under the ground, for which Hook hasbeen searching in vain these many moons. Will he find it tonight? As thepirates advanced, the quick eye of Starkey sighted Nibs disappearing throughthe wood, and at once his pistol flashed out. But an iron claw gripped hisshoulder.

"Captain, let go!" hecried,writhing.

Now for the first time we hear the voiceof Hook. It was a black voice. "Put back that pistol first," it saidthreateningly.

"It was one of those boys you hate.I could have shot him dead." "Ay, and the sound would havebrought Tiger Lily's Indians upon us. Do you want to lose yourscalp?" "Shall I after him, Captain," asked pathetic Smee,"and tickle him with Johnny Corkscrew?" Smee had pleasant namesfor everything, and his cutlass was Johnny Corkscrew, because he wiggled it inthe wound. One could mention many lovable traits in Smee. For instance, afterkilling, it was his spectacles he wiped instead of his weapon.

"Johnny's a silent fellow," hereminded Hook.

"Not now, Smee," Hook saiddarkly. "He is only one, and I want to mischief all the seven. Scatter andlook for them." The pirates disappeared among the trees, and in amoment their Captain and Smee were alone. Hook heaved a heavy sigh, and I knownot why it was, perhaps it was because of the soft beauty of the evening, butthere came over him a desire to confide to his faithful bo'sun the story of hislife. He spoke long and earnestly, but what it was all about Smee, who wasrather stupid, did not know in the least. Hook heaved a heavy sigh, and I knownot why it was, perhaps it was because of the soft beauty of the evening, butthere came over him a desire to confide to his faithful bo'sun the story of hislife. Anon he caught the word Peter.

"Most of all," Hook was sayingpassionately, "I want their captain, Peter Pan. Twas he cut off myarm." He brandished the hook threateningly. "I've waited long toshake his hand with this. Oh, I'll tear him!" "And yet,"said Smee, "I have often heard you say that hook was worth a score ofhands, for combing the hair and other homely uses." "Ay,"the captain answered. "if I was a mother I would pray to have my childrenborn with this instead of that," and he cast a look of pride upon his ironhand and one of scorn upon the other. Then again he frowned.

"Peter flung my arm," he said,wincing, "to a crocodile that happened to be passingby." "I have often," said Smee, "noticed your strangedread of crocodiles." "Not of crocodiles," Hook correctedhim, "but of that one crocodile." He lowered his voice. "Itliked my arm so much, Smee, that it has followed me ever since, from sea to seaand from land to land, licking its lips for the rest of me." "Ina way," said Smee, "it's sort of a compliment." "Iwant no such compliments," Hook barked petulantly. "I want Peter Pan,who first gave the brute its taste for me." He sat down on a largemushroom, and now there was a quiver in his voice. "Smee," he saidhuskily, "that crocodile would have had me before this, but by a luckychance it swallowed a clock which goes tick tick inside it, and so before itcan reach me I hear the tick and bolt." He laughed, but in a hollowway.

"Some day," said Smee,"the clock will run down, and then he'll get you." Hook wettedhis dry lips. "Ay," he said, "that's the fear that hauntsme." Since sitting down he had felt curiously warm. "Smee,"he said, "this seat is hot." He jumped up. "Odds bobs,hammer and tongs I'm burning." They examined the mushroom, which wasof a size and solidity unknown on the mainland; they tried to pull it up, andit came away at once in their hands, for it had no root. Stranger still, smokebegan at once to ascend. The pirates looked at each other. "Achimney!" they both exclaimed.

They had indeed discovered the chimneyof the home under the ground. It was the custom of the boys to stop it with amushroom when enemies were in the neighbourhood.

Not only smoke came out of it. Therecame also children's voices, for so safe did the boys feel in theirhiding-place that they were gaily chattering. The pirates listened grimly, andthen replaced the mushroom. They looked around them and noted the holes in theseven trees.

"Did you hear them say Peter Pan'sfrom home?" Smee whispered,fidgeting with Johnny Corscrew.

Hook nodded. He stood for a long timelost in thought, and at last a curdling smile lit up his swarthy face. Smee hadbeen waiting for it. "Unrip your plan, captain," he cried eagerly.

"To return to the ship," Hookreplied slowly through his teeth, "and cook a large rich cake of a jollythickness with green sugar on it. There can be but one room below, for there isbut one chimney. The silly moles had not the sense to see that they did notneed a door apiece. That shows they have no mother. We will leave the cake on theshore of the Mermaids' Lagoon. These boys are always swimming about there,playing with the mermaids. They will find the cake and they will gobble it up,because, having no mother, they don't know how dangerous 'tis to eat rich dampcake." He burst into laughter, not hollow laughter now, but honestlaughter. "Aha, they will die." Smee had listened with growingadmiration.

"It's the wickedest, prettiestpolicy ever I heard of!" he cried, and in their exultation they danced andsang: 

"Avast, belay, when I appear, Byfear they're overtook; Nought's left upon your bones when you Have shakenclaws with Hook." 

They began the verse, but they neverfinished it, for another sound broke in and stilled them. It was at first sucha tiny sound that a leaf might have fallen on it and smothered it, but as itcame nearer it was more distinct.

Tick tick tick tick! Hook stoodshuddering, one foot in the air.

"The crocodile!" he gasped,and bounded away, followed by his bo'sun.

It was indeed the crocodile. It hadpassed the Indians, who were now on the trail of the other pirates. It oozed onafter Hook.

Once more the boys emerged into theopen; but the dangers of the night were not yet over, for presently Nibs rushedbreathless into their midst, pursued by a pack of wolves. The tongues of thepursuers were hanging out; the baying of them was horrible.

"Save me, save me!" criedNibs,falling on the ground.

"But what can we do, what can wedo?" It was a high compliment to Peter that at that dire moment theirthoughts turned to him.

"What would Peter do?" theycried simultaneously.

Almost in the same breath they cried,"Peter would look at them through his legs." And then, "Letus do what Peter would do." It is quite the most successful way ofdefying wolves, and as one boy they bent and looked through their legs. Thenext moment is the long one, but victory came quickly, for as the boys advancedupon them in the terrible attitude, the wolves dropped their tails and fled.

Now Nibs rose from the ground, and theothers thought that his staring eyes still saw the wolves. But it was notwolves he saw.

"I have seen a wonderfullerthing," he cried, as they gathered round him eagerly. "A great whitebird. It is flying this way." "What kind of a bird, do youthink?" "I don't know," Nibs said, awestruck, "but itlooks so weary, and as it flies it moans, 'Poor Wendy.'" "PoorWendy?" "I remember," said Slightly instantly, "thereare birds called Wendies." "See, it comes!" criedCurly,pointing to Wendy in the heavens.

Wendy was now almost overhead, and theycould hear her plaintive cry. But more distinct came the shrill voice of TinkerBell. The jealous fairy had now cast off all disguise of friendship, and wasdarting at her victim from every direction, pinching savagely each time shetouched.

"Hullo, Tink," cried thewondering boys.

Tink's reply rang out: "Peter wantsyou to shoot the Wendy." It was not in their nature to question whenPeter ordered. "Let us do what Peter wishes!" cried the simple boys.

"Quick, bows andarrows!" All but Tootles popped down their trees. He had a bow andarrow with him, and Tink noted it, and rubbed her little hands.

"Quick, Tootles, quick," shescreamed. "Peter will be so pleased." Tootles excitedly fittedthe arrow to his bow. "Out of the way, Tink," he shouted, and then hefired, and Wendy fluttered to the ground with an arrow in her breast.