Питер Пэн и Венди
The Children Are Carried Off
Thepandemoniumabovehasceasedalmostassuddenlyasitarose,passedlikeafiercegustofwind;buttheyknowthatinthepassingithasdeterminedtheirfate.
Whichsidehadwon?
Thepirates,listeningavidlyatthemouthsofthetrees,heardthequestionputbyeveryboy,andalas,theyalsoheardPeter’sanswer.
’Iftheredskinshavewon,’hesaid,’theywillbeatthetom-tom;itisalwaystheirsignofvictory.’
NowSmeehadfoundthetom-tom,andwasatthatmomentsittingonit.’Youwillneverhearthetom-tomagain,’hemuttered,butinaudiblyofcourse,forstrictsilencehadbeenenjoined.TohisamazementHooksignedtohimtobeatthetom-tom;andslowlytherecametoSmeeanunderstandingofthedreadfulwickednessoftheorder.Never,probably,hadthissimplemanadmiredHooksomuch.
TwiceSmeebeatupontheinstrument,andthenstoppedtolistengleefully.
’Thetom-tom,’themiscreantsheardPetercry;’anIndianvictory!’
Thedoomedchildrenansweredwithacheerthatwasmusictotheblackheartsabove,andalmostimmediatelytheyrepeatedtheirgoodbyestoPeter.Thispuzzledthepirates,butalltheirotherfeelingswereswallowedbyabasedelightthattheenemywereabouttocomeupthetrees.Theysmirkedateachotherandrubbedtheirhands.RapidlyandsilentlyHookgavehisorders:onemantoeachtree,andtheotherstoarrangethemselvesinalinetwoyardsapart.
