09-Chapter 9 THE NEVER BIRD-iv

CHAPTER 9 THE NEVER BIRD  

The last sound Peter heard before he wasquite alone were the mermaids retiring one by one to their bedchambers underthe sea. He was too far away to hear their doors shut; but every door in thecoral caves where they live rings a tiny bell when it opens or closes (as inall the nicest houses on the mainland), and he heard the bells.

Steadily the waters rose till they werenibbling at his feet; and to pass the time until they made their final gulp, hewatched the only thing on the lagoon. He thought it was a piece of floatingpaper, perhaps part of the kite, and wondered idly how long it would take todrift ashore.

Presently he noticed as an odd thingthat it was undoubtedly out upon the lagoon with some definite purpose, for itwas fighting the tide, and sometimes winning; and when it won, Peter, alwayssympathetic to the weaker side, could not help clapping; it was such a gallantpiece of paper.

It was not really a piece of paper; itwas the Never bird, making desperate efforts to reach Peter on the nest. Byworking her wings, in a way she had learned since the nest fell into the water,she was able to some extent to guide her strange craft, but by the time Peterrecognised her she was very exhausted. She had come to save him, to give himher nest, though there were eggs in it. I rather wonder at the bird, for thoughhe had been nice to her, he had also sometimes tormented her. I can supposeonly that, like Mrs. Darling and the rest of them, she was melted because hehad all his first teeth.

She called out to him what she had comefor, and he called out to her what she was doing there; but of course neitherof them understood the other's language. In fanciful stories people can talk tothe birds freely, and I wish for the moment I could pretend that this were sucha story, and say that Peter replied intelligently to the Never bird; but truthis best, and I want to tell you only what really happened. Well, not only couldthey not understand each other, but they forgot their manners.

"I—want—you—to—get—into—the—nest," the bird called, speaking asslowly and distinctly as possible, "and—then—you—can—drift—ashore, but—I—am—too—tired—to—bring—it—any—nearer—so—you—must—try—to—swim—to—it.” "What are you quacking about?" Peter answered.

"Why don't you let the nest driftas usual?" "I—want—you—” the birdsaid, and repeated it all over.

Then Peter tried slow and distinct.

"What—are—you—quacking—about?" and so on.

The Never bird became irritated; theyhave very short tempers.

"You dunderheaded little jay,"she screamed, "Why don't you do as I tell you?" Peter felt thatshe was calling him names, and at a venture he retorted hotly: "So areyou!" Then rather curiously they both snapped out the same remark:"Shut up!" "Shut up!" Nevertheless the bird wasdetermined to save him if she could, and by one last mighty effort shepropelled the nest against the rock. Then up she flew; deserting her eggs, soas to make her meaning clear.

Then at last he understood, and clutchedthe nest and waved his thanks to the bird as she fluttered overhead. It was notto receive his thanks, however, that she hung there in the sky; it was not evento watch him get into the nest; it was to see what he did with her eggs.

There were two large white eggs, andPeter lifted them up and reflected. The bird covered her face with her wings,so as not to see the last of them; but she could not help peeping between thefeathers.

I forget whether I have told you thatthere was a stave on the rock, driven into it by some buccaneers of long ago tomark the site of buried treasure. The children had discovered the glitteringhoard, and when in a mischievous mood used to fling showers of moidores,diamonds, pearls and pieces of eight to the gulls, who pounced upon them forfood, and then flew away, raging at the scurvy trick that had been played uponthem. The stave was still there, and on it Starkey had hung his hat, a deeptarpaulin, watertight, with a broad brim. Peter put the eggs into this hat andset it on the lagoon. It floated beautifully.

The Never bird saw at once what he wasup to, and screamed her admiration of him; and, alas, Peter crowed hisagreement with her. Then he got into the nest, reared the stave in it as amast, and hung up his shirt for a sail. At the same moment the bird fluttereddown upon the hat and once more sat snugly on her eggs. She drifted in onedirection, and he was borne off in another, both cheering.

Of course when Peter landed he beachedhis barque in a place where the bird would easily find it; but the hat was sucha great success that she abandoned the nest. It drifted about till it went topieces, and often Starkey came to the shore of the lagoon, and with many bitterfeelings watched the bird sitting on his hat. As we shall not see her again, itmay be worth mentioning here that all Never birds now build in that shape ofnest, with a broad brim on which the youngsters take an airing.

Great were the rejoicings when Peterreached the home under the ground almost as soon as Wendy, who had been carriedhither and thither by the kite. Every boy had adventures to tell; but perhapsthe biggest adventure of all was that they were several hours late for bed.This so inflated them that they did various dodgy things to get staying upstill longer, such as demanding bandages; but Wendy, though glorying in havingthem all home again safe and sound, was scandalised by the lateness of thehour, and cried, "To bed, to bed," in a voice that had to be obeyed.Next day, however, she was awfully tender, and gave out bandages to every one,and they played till bed-time at limping about and carrying their arms inslings.