06.2-CHAPTER 6 THE LITTLE HOUSE part2-iv

CHAPTER 6 THE LITTLE HOUSE  part2

In the meantime the wood had been alivewith the sound of axes; almost everything needed for a cosy dwelling alreadylay at Wendy's feet.

"If only we knew," said one,"the kind of house she likes best." "Peter," shoutedanother, "she is moving in her sleep." "Her mouthopens," cried a third, looking respectfully into it. "Oh,lovely!" "Perhaps she is going to sing in her sleep," saidPeter. "Wendy, sing the kind of house you would like tohave." Immediately, without opening her eyes, Wendy began tosing: "I wish I had a pretty house, The littlest everseen, With funny little red walls And roof of mossygreen." They gurgled with joy at this, for by the greatest good luckthe branches they had brought were sticky with red sap, and all the ground wascarpeted with moss. As they rattled up the little house they broke into songthemselves: "We've built the little walls and roof And made alovely door, So tell us, mother Wendy, What are you wantingmore?" To this she answered greedily: "Oh, really next Ithink I'll have Gay windows all about, With roses peeping in, youknow, And babies peeping out." With a blow of their fists theymade windows, and large yellow leaves were the blinds. But roses—? "Roses,"cried Peter sternly.

Quickly they made-believe to grow theloveliest roses up the walls.

Babies? To prevent Peter ordering babiesthey hurried into song again: "We've made the roses peepingout, The babes are at the door, We cannot make ourselves, youknow, 'cos we've been made before." Peter, seeing this to be agood idea, at once pretended that it was his own. The house was quitebeautiful, and no doubt Wendy was very cosy within, though, of course, theycould no longer see her. Peter strode up and down, ordering finishing touches.Nothing escaped his eagle eyes. Just when it seemed absolutely finished:"There's no knocker on the door," he said.

They were very ashamed, but Tootles gavethe sole of his shoe, and it made an excellent knocker.

Absolutely finished now, they thought.

Not of bit of it. "There's nochimney," Peter said; "we must have a chimney." "Itcertainly does need a chimney," said John importantly. This gave Peter anidea. He snatched the hat off John's head, knocked out the bottom (top), andput the hat on the roof. The little house was so pleased to have such a capitalchimney that, as if to say thank you, smoke immediately began to come out ofthe hat.

Now really and truly it was finished.Nothing remained to do but to knock.

"All look your best," Peterwarned them; "first impressions are awfully important." He wasglad no one asked him what first impressions are; they were all too busylooking their best.

He knocked politely, and now the woodwas as still as the children, not a sound to be heard except from Tinker Bell,who was watching from a branch and openly sneering.

What the boys were wondering was, wouldany one answer the knock? If a lady, what would she be like? The door openedand a lady came out. It was Wendy. They all whipped off their hats.

She looked properly surprised, and thiswas just how they had hoped she would look.

"Where am I?" she said.

Of course Slightly was the first to gethis word in. "Wendy lady," he said rapidly, "for you we builtthis house." "Oh, say you're pleased," cried Nibs.

"Lovely, darling house," Wendysaid, and they were the very words they had hoped she would say.

"And we are your children,"cried the twins.

Then all went on their knees, andholding out their arms cried, "O Wendy lady, be ourmother." "Ought I?" Wendy said, all shining.

"Of course it's frightfully fascinating,but you see I am only a little girl. I have no realexperience." "That doesn't matter," said Peter, as if hewere the only person present who knew all about it, though he was really theone who knew least. "What we need is just a nice motherly person." "Ohdear!" Wendy said, "you see, I feel that is exactly what Iam." 

"It is, it is," they allcried; "we saw it at once." "Very well," she said,"I will do my best. Come inside at once, you naughty children; I am sureyour feet are damp. And before I put you to bed I have just time to finish thestory of Cinderella." 

In they went; I don't know how there wasroom for them, but you can squeeze very tight in the Neverland. And that wasthe first of the many joyous evenings they had with Wendy. By and by she tuckedthem up in the great bed in the home under the trees, but she herself sleptthat night in the little house, and Peter kept watch outside with drawn sword,for the pirates could be heard carousing far away and the wolves were on theprowl. The little house looked so cosy and safe in the darkness, with a brightlight showing through its blinds, and the chimney smoking beautifully, andPeter standing on guard. After a time he fell asleep, and some unsteady fairieshad to climb over him on their way home from an orgy. Any of the other boysobstructing the fairy path at night they would have mischiefed, but they justtweaked Peter's nose and passed on.