Chapter V. THE ISLAND COME TRUE · page 21 2 3101“Shall I after him, Captain,” asked pathetic Smee, “and tickle him with Johnny Corkscrew?”102Smee had pleasant names for everything, and his cutlass was Johnny Corkscrew, because he wiggled it in the wound.103One could mention many lovable traits in Smee.104For instance, after killing, it was his spectacles he wiped instead of his weapon.105“Johnny’s a silent fellow,” he reminded Hook.106“Not now, Smee,” Hook said darkly.107“He is only one, and I want to mischief all the seven.108Scatter and look for them.”109The pirates disappeared among the trees, and in a moment their Captain and Smee were alone.110Hook heaved a heavy sigh, and I know not why it was, perhaps it was because of the soft beauty of the evening, but there came over him a desire to confide to his faithful bo’sun the story of his life.111He spoke long and earnestly, but what it was all about Smee, who was rather stupid, did not know in the least.112Anon he caught the word Peter.113“Most of all,” Hook was saying passionately, “I want their captain, Peter Pan. ’114Twas he cut off my arm.”115He brandished the hook threateningly.116“I’ve waited long to shake his hand with this.117Oh, I’ll tear him!”118“And yet,” said Smee, “I have often heard you say that hook was worth a score of hands, for combing the hair and other homely uses.”119“Ay,” the captain answered, “if I was a mother I would pray to have my children born with this instead of that,” and he cast a look of pride upon his iron hand and one of scorn upon the other.120Then again he frowned.121“Peter flung my arm,” he said, wincing, “to a crocodile that happened to be passing by.”122“I have often,” said Smee, “noticed your strange dread of crocodiles.”123“Not of crocodiles,” Hook corrected him, “but of that one crocodile.”124He lowered his voice.125“It liked my arm so much, Smee, that it has followed me ever since, from sea to sea and from land to land, licking its lips for the rest of me.”126“In a way,” said Smee, “it’s sort of a compliment.”127“I want no such compliments,” Hook barked petulantly.128“I want Peter Pan, who first gave the brute its taste for me.”129He sat down on a large mushroom, and now there was a quiver in his voice.130“Smee,” he said huskily, “that crocodile would have had me before this, but by a lucky chance it swallowed a clock which goes tick tick inside it, and so before it can reach me I hear the tick and bolt.”131He laughed, but in a hollow way.132“Some day,” said Smee, “the clock will run down, and then he’ll get you.”133Hook wetted his dry lips.134“Ay,” he said, “that’s the fear that haunts me.”135Since sitting down he had felt curiously warm.136“Smee,” he said, “this seat is hot.”137He jumped up.138“Odds bobs, hammer and tongs I’m burning.”139They examined the mushroom, which was of a size and solidity unknown on the mainland; they tried to pull it up, and it came away at once in their hands, for it had no root.140Stranger still, smoke began at once to ascend.141The pirates looked at each other.142“A chimney!” they both exclaimed.143They had indeed discovered the chimney of the home under the ground.144It was the custom of the boys to stop it with a mushroom when enemies were in the neighbourhood.145Not only smoke came out of it.146There came also children’s voices, for so safe did the boys feel in their hiding-place that they were gaily chattering.147The pirates listened grimly, and then replaced the mushroom.148They looked around them and noted the holes in the seven trees.149“Did you hear them say Peter Pan’s from home?”150Smee whispered, fidgeting with Johnny Corkscrew.151Hook nodded.152He stood for a long time lost in thought, and at last a curdling smile lit up his swarthy face.153Smee had been waiting for it.154“Unrip your plan, captain,” he cried eagerly.155“To return to the ship,” Hook replied slowly through his teeth, “and cook a large rich cake of a jolly thickness with green sugar on it.156There can be but one room below, for there is but one chimney.157The silly moles had not the sense to see that they did not need a door apiece.158That shows they have no mother.159We will leave the cake on the shore of the Mermaids’ Lagoon.160These boys are always swimming about there, playing with the mermaids.161They will find the cake and they will gobble it up, because, having no mother, they don’t know how dangerous ’tis to eat rich damp cake.”162He burst into laughter, not hollow laughter now, but honest laughter.163“Aha, they will die.”164Smee had listened with growing admiration.165“It’s the wickedest, prettiest policy ever I heard of!” he cried, and in their exultation they danced and sang:166“Avast, belay, when I appear, By fear they’re overtook; Nought’s left upon your bones when you Have shaken claws with Hook.”167They began the verse, but they never finished it, for another sound broke in and stilled them.168There was at first such a tiny sound that a leaf might have fallen on it and smothered it, but as it came nearer it was more distinct.169Tick tick tick tick!170Hook stood shuddering, one foot in the air.171“The crocodile!” he gasped, and bounded away, followed by his bo’sun.172It was indeed the crocodile.173It had passed the redskins, who were now on the trail of the other pirates.174It oozed on after Hook.175Once more the boys emerged into the open; but the dangers of the night were not yet over, for presently Nibs rushed breathless into their midst, pursued by a pack of wolves.176The tongues of the pursuers were hanging out; the baying of them was horrible.177“Save me, save me!” cried Nibs, falling on the ground.178“But what can we do, what can we do?”179It was a high compliment to Peter that at that dire moment their thoughts turned to him.180“What would Peter do?” they cried simultaneously.181Almost in the same breath they cried, “Peter would look at them through his legs.”182And then, “Let us do what Peter would do.”183It is quite the most successful way of defying wolves, and as one boy they bent and looked through their legs.184The next moment is the long one, but victory came quickly, for as the boys advanced upon them in the terrible attitude, the wolves dropped their tails and fled.185Now Nibs rose from the ground, and the others thought that his staring eyes still saw the wolves.186But it was not wolves he saw.187“I have seen a wonderfuller thing,” he cried, as they gathered round him eagerly.188“A great white bird.189It is flying this way.”190“What kind of a bird, do you think?”191“I don’t know,” Nibs said, awestruck, “but it looks so weary, and as it flies it moans, ‘Poor Wendy.’”192“Poor Wendy?”193“I remember,” said Slightly instantly, “there are birds called Wendies.”194“See, it comes!” cried Curly, pointing to Wendy in the heavens.195Wendy was now almost overhead, and they could hear her plaintive cry.196But more distinct came the shrill voice of Tinker Bell.197The jealous fairy had now cast off all disguise of friendship, and was darting at her victim from every direction, pinching savagely each time she touched.198“Hullo, Tink,” cried the wondering boys.199Tink’s reply rang out: “Peter wants you to shoot the Wendy.”200It was not in their nature to question when Peter ordered.1 2 3← previousChapter IV. 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