[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
himself into the sea.
"Four," said Slightly.
"And now," Hook said courteously, "did any other gentlemen say mutiny?" Seizing a lantern and
raising his claw with a menacing gesture, "I'll bring out that doodle-doo myself," he said, and sped
into the cabin.
"Five." How Slightly longed to say it. He wetted his lips to be ready, but Hook came staggering out,
without his lantern.
95 Kids4Classics.com
Peter Pan Chapter 15 "HOOK OR ME THIS TIME"
"Something blew out the light," he said a little unsteadily.
"Something!" echoed Mullins.
"What of Cecco?" demanded Noodler.
"He's as dead as Jukes," said Hook shortly.
His reluctance to return to the cabin impressed them all unfavourably, and the mutinous sounds again
broke forth. All pirates are superstitious, and Cookson cried, "They do say the surest sign a ship's
accurst is when there's one on board more than can be accounted for."
"I've heard," muttered Mullins, "he always boards the pirate craft last. Had he a tail, captain?"
"They say," said another, looking viciously at Hook, "that when he comes it's in the likeness of the
wickedest man aboard."
"Had he a hook, captain?" asked Cookson insolently; and one after another took up the cry, "The
ship's doomed!" At this the children could not resist raising a cheer. Hook had well-nigh forgotten
his prisoners, but as he swung round on them now his face lit up again.
"Lads," he cried to his crew, "now here's a notion. Open the cabin door and drive them in. Let them
fight the doodle-doo for their lives. If they kill him, we're so much the better; if he kills them, we're
none the worse."
For the last time his dogs admired Hook, and devotedly they did his bidding. The boys, pretending to
struggle, were pushed into the cabin and the door was closed on them.
"Now, listen!" cried Hook, and all listened. But not one dared to face the door. Yes, one, Wendy,
who all this time had been bound to the mast. It was for neither a scream nor a crow that she was
watching, it was for the reappearance of Peter.
She had not long to wait. In the cabin he had found the thing for which he had gone in search: the
key the would free the children of their manacles, and now they all stole forth, armed with such
weapons as they could find. First signing them to hide, Peter cut Wendy's bonds, and then nothing
could have been easier than for them all to fly off together; but one thing barred the way, an oath,
"Hook or me this time." So when he had freed Wendy, he whispered for her to conceal herself with
the others, and himself took her place by the mast, her cloak around him so that he should pass for
her. Then he took a great breath and crowed.
To the pirates it was a voice crying that all the boys lay slain in the cabin; and they were
panic-stricken. Hook tried to hearten them; but like the dogs he had made them they showed him
their fangs, and he knew that if he took his eyes off them now they would leap at him.
"Lads," he said, ready to cajole or strike as need be, but never quailing for an instant, "I've thought it
out. There's a Jonah aboard."
96 Kids4Classics.com
Peter Pan Chapter 15 "HOOK OR ME THIS TIME"
"Ay," they snarled, "a man wi' a hook."
"No, lads, no, it's the girl. Never was luck on a pirate ship wi' a woman on board. We'll right the ship
when she's gone."
Some of them remembered that this had been a saying of Flint's. "It's worth trying," they said
doubtfully.
"Fling the girl overboard," cried Hook; and they made a rush at the figure in the cloak.
"There's none can save you now, missy," Mullins hissed jeeringly.
"There's one," replied the figure.
"Who's that?"
"Peter Pan the avenger!" came the terrible answer; and as he spoke Peter flung off his cloak. Then
they all knew who 'twas that had been undoing them in the cabin, and twice Hook essayed to speak
and twice he failed. In that frightful moment I think his fierce heart broke.
At last he cried, "Cleave him to the brisket!" but without conviction.
"Down, boys, and at them!" Peter's voice rang out; and in another moment the clash of arms was
resounding through the ship. Had the pirates kept together it is certain that they would have won; but
the onset came when they were still unstrung, and they ran hither and thither, striking wildly, each
thinking himself the last survivor of the crew. Man to man they were the stronger; but they fought on
the defensive only, which enabled the boys to hunt in pairs and choose their quarry. Some of the
miscreants leapt into the sea; others hid in dark recesses, where they were found by Slightly, who did
not fight, but ran about with a lantern which he flashed in their faces, so that they were half blinded
and fell as an easy prey to the reeking swords of the other boys. There was little sound to be heard
but the clang of weapons, an occasional screech or splash, and Slightly monotonously counting
five six seven eight nine ten eleven.
I think all were gone when a group of savage boys surrounded Hook, who seemed to have a charmed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl fopke.keep.pl
himself into the sea.
"Four," said Slightly.
"And now," Hook said courteously, "did any other gentlemen say mutiny?" Seizing a lantern and
raising his claw with a menacing gesture, "I'll bring out that doodle-doo myself," he said, and sped
into the cabin.
"Five." How Slightly longed to say it. He wetted his lips to be ready, but Hook came staggering out,
without his lantern.
95 Kids4Classics.com
Peter Pan Chapter 15 "HOOK OR ME THIS TIME"
"Something blew out the light," he said a little unsteadily.
"Something!" echoed Mullins.
"What of Cecco?" demanded Noodler.
"He's as dead as Jukes," said Hook shortly.
His reluctance to return to the cabin impressed them all unfavourably, and the mutinous sounds again
broke forth. All pirates are superstitious, and Cookson cried, "They do say the surest sign a ship's
accurst is when there's one on board more than can be accounted for."
"I've heard," muttered Mullins, "he always boards the pirate craft last. Had he a tail, captain?"
"They say," said another, looking viciously at Hook, "that when he comes it's in the likeness of the
wickedest man aboard."
"Had he a hook, captain?" asked Cookson insolently; and one after another took up the cry, "The
ship's doomed!" At this the children could not resist raising a cheer. Hook had well-nigh forgotten
his prisoners, but as he swung round on them now his face lit up again.
"Lads," he cried to his crew, "now here's a notion. Open the cabin door and drive them in. Let them
fight the doodle-doo for their lives. If they kill him, we're so much the better; if he kills them, we're
none the worse."
For the last time his dogs admired Hook, and devotedly they did his bidding. The boys, pretending to
struggle, were pushed into the cabin and the door was closed on them.
"Now, listen!" cried Hook, and all listened. But not one dared to face the door. Yes, one, Wendy,
who all this time had been bound to the mast. It was for neither a scream nor a crow that she was
watching, it was for the reappearance of Peter.
She had not long to wait. In the cabin he had found the thing for which he had gone in search: the
key the would free the children of their manacles, and now they all stole forth, armed with such
weapons as they could find. First signing them to hide, Peter cut Wendy's bonds, and then nothing
could have been easier than for them all to fly off together; but one thing barred the way, an oath,
"Hook or me this time." So when he had freed Wendy, he whispered for her to conceal herself with
the others, and himself took her place by the mast, her cloak around him so that he should pass for
her. Then he took a great breath and crowed.
To the pirates it was a voice crying that all the boys lay slain in the cabin; and they were
panic-stricken. Hook tried to hearten them; but like the dogs he had made them they showed him
their fangs, and he knew that if he took his eyes off them now they would leap at him.
"Lads," he said, ready to cajole or strike as need be, but never quailing for an instant, "I've thought it
out. There's a Jonah aboard."
96 Kids4Classics.com
Peter Pan Chapter 15 "HOOK OR ME THIS TIME"
"Ay," they snarled, "a man wi' a hook."
"No, lads, no, it's the girl. Never was luck on a pirate ship wi' a woman on board. We'll right the ship
when she's gone."
Some of them remembered that this had been a saying of Flint's. "It's worth trying," they said
doubtfully.
"Fling the girl overboard," cried Hook; and they made a rush at the figure in the cloak.
"There's none can save you now, missy," Mullins hissed jeeringly.
"There's one," replied the figure.
"Who's that?"
"Peter Pan the avenger!" came the terrible answer; and as he spoke Peter flung off his cloak. Then
they all knew who 'twas that had been undoing them in the cabin, and twice Hook essayed to speak
and twice he failed. In that frightful moment I think his fierce heart broke.
At last he cried, "Cleave him to the brisket!" but without conviction.
"Down, boys, and at them!" Peter's voice rang out; and in another moment the clash of arms was
resounding through the ship. Had the pirates kept together it is certain that they would have won; but
the onset came when they were still unstrung, and they ran hither and thither, striking wildly, each
thinking himself the last survivor of the crew. Man to man they were the stronger; but they fought on
the defensive only, which enabled the boys to hunt in pairs and choose their quarry. Some of the
miscreants leapt into the sea; others hid in dark recesses, where they were found by Slightly, who did
not fight, but ran about with a lantern which he flashed in their faces, so that they were half blinded
and fell as an easy prey to the reeking swords of the other boys. There was little sound to be heard
but the clang of weapons, an occasional screech or splash, and Slightly monotonously counting
five six seven eight nine ten eleven.
I think all were gone when a group of savage boys surrounded Hook, who seemed to have a charmed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]