If you shut your eyes and are a lucky one, you may see at timesa shapeless pool of lovely pale colours suspended in thedarkness; then if you squeeze your eyes tighter, the pool beginsto take shape, and the colours become so vivid that with anothersqueeze they must go on fire. But just before they go on fireyou see the lagoon. This is the nearest you ever get to it onthe mainland, just one heavenly moment; if there could be twomoments you might see the surf and hear the mermaids singing.

The children often spent long summer days on this lagoon,swimming or floating most of the time, playing the mermaid gamesin the water, and so forth. You must not think from this thatthe mermaids were on friendly terms with them: on the contrary,it was among Wendy's lasting regrets that all the time she was onthe island she never had a civil word from one of them. When shestole softly to the edge of the lagoon she might see them by thescore, especially on Marooners' Rock, where they loved to bask,combing out their hair in a lazy way that quite irritated her; orshe might even swim, on tiptoe as it were, to within a yard ofthem, but then they saw her and dived, probably splashing herwith their tails, not by accident, but intentionally.

They treated all the boys in the same way, except of coursePeter, who chatted with them on Marooners' Rock by the hour, andsat on their tails when they got cheeky. He gave Wendy one oftheir combs.

The most haunting time at which to see them is at the turn ofthe moon, when they utter strange wailing cries; but the lagoonis dangerous for mortals then, and until the evening of which wehave now to tell, Wendy had never seen the lagoon by moonlight,less from fear, for of course Peter would have accompanied her,than because she had strict rules about every one being in bed byseven. She was often at the lagoon, however, on sunny days afterrain, when the mermaids come up in extraordinary numbers to playwith their bubbles. The bubbles of many colours made in rainbowwater they treat as balls, hitting them gaily from one to anotherwith their tails, and trying to keep them in the rainbow tillthey burst. The goals are at each end of the rainbow, and thekeepers only are allowed to use their hands. Sometimes a dozenof these games will be going on in the lagoon at a time, and itis quite a pretty sight.

But the moment the children tried to join in they had to playby themselves, for the mermaids immediately disappeared. Nevertheless we have proof that they secretly watched theinterlopers, and were not above taking an idea from them; forJohn introduced a new way of hitting the bubble, with the headinstead of the hand, and the mermaids adopted it. This is theone mark that John has left on the Neverland.

It must also have been rather pretty to see the childrenresting on a rock for half an hour after their mid-day meal. Wendy insisted on their doing this, and it had to be a real resteven though the meal was make-believe. So they lay there in thesun, and their bodies glistened in it, while she sat beside themand looked important.

It was one such day, and they were all on Marooners' Rock. Therock was not much larger than their great bed, but of course theyall knew how not to take up much room, and they were dozing, orat least lying with their eyes shut, and pinching occasionallywhen they thought Wendy was not looking. She was very busy,stitching.

While she stitched a change came to the lagoon. Little shiversran over it, and the sun went away and shadows stole across thewater, turning it cold. Wendy could no longer see to thread herneedle, and when she looked up, the lagoon that had alwayshitherto been such a laughing place seemed formidable andunfriendly.

It was not, she knew, that night had come, but something asdark as night had come. No, worse than that. It had not come,but it had sent that shiver through the sea to say that it wascoming. What was it?

There crowded upon her all the stories she had been told ofMarooners' Rock, so called because evil captains put sailors onit and leave them there to drown. They drown when the tiderises, for then it is submerged.

Of course she should have roused the children at once; notmerely because of the unknown that was stalking toward them, butbecause it was no longer good for them to sleep on a rock grownchilly. But she was a young mother and she did not know this;she thought you simply must stick to your rule about half an hourafter the mid-day meal. So, though fear was upon her, and shelonged to hear male voices, she would not waken them. Even whenshe heard the sound of muffled oars, though her heart was in hermouth, she did not waken them. She stood over them to let themhave their sleep out. Was it not brave of Wendy?

It was well for those boys then that there was one among themwho could sniff danger even in his sleep. Peter sprang erect, aswide awake at once as a dog, and with one warning cry he rousedthe others.

He stood motionless, one hand to his ear.

"Pirates!" he cried. The others came closer to him. A strangesmile was playing about his face, and Wendy saw it and shuddered. While that smile was on his face no one dared address him; allthey could do was to stand ready to obey. The order came sharpand incisive.

"Dive!"

There was a gleam of legs, and instantly the lagoon seemeddeserted. Marooners' Rock stood alone in the forbidding watersas if it were itself marooned.

The boat drew nearer. It was the pirate dinghy, with threefigures in her, Smee and Starkey, and the third a captive, noother than Tiger Lily. Her hands and ankles were tied, and sheknew what was to be her fate. She was to be left on the rock toperish, an end to one of her race more terrible than death byfire or torture, for is it not written in the book of the tribethat there is no path through water to the happy hunting-ground? Yet her face was impassive; she was the daughter of a chief, shemust die as a chief's daughter, it is enough.

They had caught her boarding the pirate ship with a knife inher mouth. No watch was kept on the ship, it being Hook's boastthat the wind of his name guarded the ship for a mile around. Now her fate would help to guard it also. One more wail would gothe round in that wind by night.

In the gloom that they brought with them the two pirates didnot see the rock till they crashed into it.

"Luff, you lubber," cried an Irish voice that was Smee's;"here's the rock. Now, then, what we have to do is to hoist theredskin on to it and leave her here to drown."

It was the work of one brutal moment to land the beautiful girlon the rock; she was too proud to offer a vain resistance.

Quite near the rock, but out of sight, two heads were bobbingup and down, Peter's and Wendy's. Wendy was crying, for it wasthe first tragedy she had seen. Peter had seen many tragedies,but he had forgotten them all. He was less sorry than Wendy forTiger Lily: it was two against one that angered him, and hemeant to save her. An easy way would have been to wait until thepirates had gone, but he was never one to choose the easy way.

There was almost nothing he could not do, and he now imitatedthe voice of Hook.

"Ahoy there, you lubbers!" he called. It was a marvellousimitation.

"The captain!" said the pirates, staring at each other insurprise.

"He must be swimming out to us," Starkey said, when they hadlooked for him in vain.

"We are putting the redskin on the rock," Smee called out.

"Set her free," came the astonishing answer.

"Free!"

"Yes, cut her bonds and let her go."

"But, captain -- "

"At once, d'ye hear," cried Peter, "or I'll plunge my hook inyou."

"This is queer!" Smee gasped.

"Better do what the captain orders," said Starkey nervously.

"Ay, ay." Smee said, and he cut Tiger Lily's cords. At oncelike an eel she slid between Starkey's legs into the water.

Of course Wendy was very elated over Peter's cleverness; butshe knew that he would be elated also and very likely crow andthus betray himself, so at once her hand went out to cover hismouth. But it was stayed even in the act, for "Boat ahoy!" rangover the lagoon in Hook's voice, and this time it was not Peterwho had spoken.

Peter may have been about to crow, but his face puckered in awhistle of surprise instead.

"Boat ahoy!" again came the voice.

Now Wendy understood. The real Hook was also in the water.

He was swimming to the boat, and as his men showed a light toguide him he had soon reached them. In the light of the lanternWendy saw his hook grip the boat's side; she saw his evil swarthyface as he rose dripping from the water, and, quaking, she wouldhave liked to swim away, but Peter would not budge. He wastingling with life and also top-heavy with conceit. "Am I not awonder, oh, I am a wonder!" he whispered to her, and though shethought so also, she was really glad for the sake of hisreputation that no one heard him except herself.

He signed to her to listen.

The two pirates were very curious to know what had broughttheir captain to them, but he sat with his head on his hook in aposition of profound melancholy.

"Captain, is all well?" they asked timidly, but he answeredwith a hollow moan.

"He sighs," said Smee.

"He sighs again," said Starkey.

"And yet a third time he sighs," said Smee.

Then at last he spoke passionately.

"The game's up," he cried, "those boys have found a mother."

Affrighted though she was, Wendy swelled with pride.

"O evil day!" cried Starkey.

"What's a mother?" asked the ignorant Smee.

Wendy was so shocked that she exclaimed. "He doesn't know!"and always after this she felt that if you could have a petpirate Smee would be her one.

Peter pulled her beneath the water, for Hook had started up,crying, "What was that?"

"I heard nothing," said Starkey, raising the lantern over thewaters, and as the pirates looked they saw a strange sight. Itwas the nest I have told you of, floating on the lagoon, and theNever bird was sitting on it.

"See," said Hook in answer to Smee's question, "that is amother. What a lesson! The nest must have fallen into thewater, but would the mother desert her eggs? No."

There was a break in his voice, as if for a moment he recalledinnocent days when -- but he brushed away this weakness with hishook.

Smee, much impressed, gazed at the bird as the nest was bornepast, but the more suspicious Starkey said, "If she is a mother,perhaps she is hanging about here to help Peter."

Hook winced. "Ay," he said, "that is the fear that haunts me."

He was roused from this dejection by Smee's eager voice.

"Captain," said Smee, "could we not kidnap these boys' motherand make her our mother?"

"It is a princely scheme," cried Hook, and at once it tookpractical shape in his great brain. "We will seize the childrenand carry them to the boat: the boys we will make walk theplank, and Wendy shall be our mother.

Again Wendy forgot herself.

"Never!" she cried, and bobbed.

"What was that?"

But they could see nothing. They thought it must have been aleaf in the wind. "Do you agree, my bullies?" asked Hook.

"There is my hand on it," they both said.

"And there is my hook. Swear."

They all swore. By this time they were on the rock, andsuddenly Hook remembered Tiger Lily.

"Where is the redskin?" he demanded abruptly.

He had a playful humour at moments, and they thought this wasone of the moments.

"That is all right, captain," Smee answered complacently; "welet her go."

"Let her go!" cried Hook.

"'Twas your own orders," the bo'sun faltered.

"You called over the water to us to let her go," said Starkey.

"Brimstone and gall," thundered Hook, "what cozening [cheating] is going on here!" His face had gone black with rage, but he sawthat they believed their words, and he was startled. "Lads," hesaid, shaking a little, "I gave no such order."

"It is passing queer," Smee said, and they all fidgeteduncomfortably. Hook raised his voice, but there was a quiver init.

"Spirit that haunts this dark lagoon to-night," he cried, "dosthear me?"

Of course Peter should have kept quiet, but of course he didnot. He immediately answered in Hook's voice:

"Odds, bobs, hammer and tongs, I hear you."

In that supreme moment Hook did not blanch, even at the gills,but Smee and Starkey clung to each other in terror.

"Who are you, stranger? Speak!" Hook demanded.

"I am James Hook," replied the voice, "captain of the JOLLYROGER."

"You are not; you are not," Hook cried hoarsely.

"Brimstone and gall," the voice retorted, "say that again, andI'll cast anchor in you."

Hook tried a more ingratiating manner. "If you are Hook," hesaid almost humbly, "come tell me, who am I?"

"A codfish," replied the voice, "only a codfish."

"A codfish!" Hook echoed blankly, and it was then, but not tillthen, that his proud spirit broke. He saw his men draw back fromhim.

"Have we been captained all this time by a codfish!" theymuttered. "It is lowering to our pride."

They were his dogs snapping at him, but, tragic figure thoughhe had become, he scarcely heeded them. Against such fearfulevidence it was not their belief in him that he needed, it washis own. He felt his ego slipping from him. "Don't desert me,bully," he whispered hoarsely to it.

In his dark nature there was a touch of the feminine, as in allthe great pirates, and it sometimes gave him intuitions. Suddenly he tried the guessing game.

"Hook," he called, "have you another voice?"

Now Peter could never resist a game, and he answered blithelyin his own voice, "I have."

"And another name?"

"Ay, ay."

"Vegetable?" asked Hook.

"No."

"Mineral?"

"No."

"Animal?"

"Yes."

"Man?"

"No!" This answer rang out scornfully.

"Boy?"

"Yes."

"Ordinary boy?"

"No!"

"Wonderful boy?"

To Wendy's pain the answer that rang out this time was "Yes."

"Are you in England?"

"No."

"Are you here?"

"Yes."

Hook was completely puzzled. "You ask him some questions," hesaid to the others, wiping his damp brow.

Smee reflected. "I can't think of a thing," he saidregretfully.

"Can't guess, can't guess!" crowed Peter. "Do you give it up?"

Of course in his pride he was carrying the game too far, andthe miscreants [villains] saw their chance.

"Yes, yes," they answered eagerly.

"Well, then," he cried, "I am Peter Pan."

Pan!

In a moment Hook was himself again, and Smee and Starkey werehis faithful henchmen.

"Now we have him," Hook shouted. "Into the water, Smee. Starkey, mind the boat. Take him dead or alive!"

He leaped as he spoke, and simultaneously came the gay voice ofPeter.

"Are you ready, boys?"

"Ay, ay," from various parts of the lagoon.

"Then lam into the pirates."

The fight was short and sharp. First to draw blood was John,who gallantly climbed into the boat and held Starkey. There wasfierce struggle, in which the cutlass was torn from the pirate'sgrasp. He wriggled overboard and John leapt after him. Thedinghy drifted away.

Here and there a head bobbed up in the water, and there was aflash of steel followed by a cry or a whoop. In the confusionsome struck at their own side. The corkscrew of Smee got Tootlesin the fourth rib, but he was himself pinked [nicked] in turn byCurly. Farther from the rock Starkey was pressing Slightly andthe twins hard.

Where all this time was Peter? He was seeking bigger game.

The others were all brave boys, and they must not be blamed forbacking from the pirate captain. His iron claw made a circle ofdead water round him, from which they fled like affrightedfishes.

But there was one who did not fear him: there was one preparedto enter that circle.

Strangely, it was not in the water that they met. Hook rose tothe rock to breathe, and at the same moment Peter scaled it onthe opposite side. The rock was slippery as a ball, and they hadto crawl rather than climb. Neither knew that the other wascoming. Each feeling for a grip met the other's arm: insurprise they raised their heads; their faces were almosttouching; so they met.

Some of the greatest heroes have confessed that just beforethey fell to [began combat] they had a sinking [feeling in thestomach]. Had it been so with Peter at that moment I would admitit. After all, he was the only man that the Sea-Cook hadfeared. But Peter had no sinking, he had one feeling only,gladness; and he gnashed his pretty teeth with joy. Quickas thought he snatched a knife from Hook's belt and was about todrive it home, when he saw that he was higher up the rock thathis foe. It would not have been fighting fair. He gave thepirate a hand to help him up.

It was then that Hook bit him.

Not the pain of this but its unfairness was what dazed Peter. It made him quite helpless. He could only stare, horrified. Every child is affected thus the first time he is treatedunfairly. All he thinks he has a right to when he comes to youto be yours is fairness. After you have been unfair to him hewill love you again, but will never afterwards be quite the sameboy. No one ever gets over the first unfairness; no one exceptPeter. He often met it, but he always forgot it. I suppose thatwas the real difference between him and all the rest.

So when he met it now it was like the first time; and he couldjust stare, helpless. Twice the iron hand clawed him.

A few moments afterwards the other boys saw Hook in the waterstriking wildly for the ship; no elation on the pestilent facenow, only white fear, for the crocodile was in dogged pursuit ofhim. On ordinary occasions the boys would have swum alongsidecheering; but now they were uneasy, for they had lost both Peterand Wendy, and were scouring the lagoon for them, calling them byname. They found the dinghy and went home in it, shouting"Peter, Wendy" as they went, but no answer came save mockinglaughter from the mermaids. "They must be swimming back orflying," the boys concluded. They were not very anxious, becausethey had such faith in Peter. They chuckled, boylike, because theywould be late for bed; and it was all mother Wendy's fault!

When their voices died away there came cold silence over thelagoon, and then a feeble cry.

"Help, help!"

Two small figures were beating against the rock; the girl hadfainted and lay on the boy's arm. With a last effort Peterpulled her up the rock and then lay down beside her. Even as healso fainted he saw that the water was rising. He knew that theywould soon be drowned, but he could do no more.

As they lay side by side a mermaid caught Wendy by the feet,and began pulling her softly into the water. Peter, feeling herslip from him, woke with a start, and was just in time to drawher back. But he had to tell her the truth.

"We are on the rock, Wendy," he said, "but it is growingsmaller. Soon the water will be over it."

She did not understand even now.

"We must go," she said, almost brightly.

"Yes," he answered faintly.

"Shall we swim or fly, Peter?"

He had to tell her.

"Do you think you could swim or fly as far as the island,Wendy, without my help?"

She had to admit that she was too tired.

He moaned.

"What is it?" she asked, anxious about him at once.

"I can't help you, Wendy. Hook wounded me. I can neither flynor swim."

"Do you mean we shall both be drowned?"

"Look how the water is rising."

They put their hands over their eyes to shut out the sight. They thought they would soon be no more. As they sat thussomething brushed against Peter as light as a kiss, and stayedthere, as if saying timidly, "Can I be of any use?"

It was the tail of a kite, which Michael had made some daysbefore. It had torn itself out of his hand and floated away.

"Michael's kite," Peter said without interest, but next momenthe had seized the tail, and was pulling the kite toward him.

"It lifted Michael off the ground," he cried; "why should itnot carry you?"

"Both of us!"

"It can't lift two; Michael and Curly tried."

"Let us draw lots," Wendy said bravely.

"And you a lady; never." Already he had tied the tail round her. She clung to him; she refused to go without him; but with a"Good-bye, Wendy," he pushed her from the rock; and in a few minutesshe was borne out of his sight. Peter was alone on the lagoon.

The rock was very small now; soon it would be submerged. Palerays of light tiptoed across the waters; and by and by there wasto be heard a sound at once the most musical and the mostmelancholy in the world: the mermaids calling to the moon.

Peter was not quite like other boys; but he was afraid at last. A tremour ran through him, like a shudder passing over the sea;but on the sea one shudder follows another till there arehundreds of them, and Peter felt just the one. Next moment hewas standing erect on the rock again, with that smile on his faceand a drum beating within him. It was saying, "To die will be anawfully big adventure."