Do You Believe In Fairies?

           Themorequicklythishorrorisdisposedofthebetter.ThefirsttoemergefromhistreewasCurly.HeroseoutofitintothearmsofCecco,whoflunghimtoSmee,whoflunghimtoStarkey,whoflunghimtoBillJukes,whoflunghimtoNoodler,andsohewastossedfromonetoanothertillhefellatthefeetoftheblackpirate.Alltheboyswerepluckedfromtheirtreesinthisruthlessmanner;andseveralofthemwereintheairatatime,likebalesofgoodsflungfromhandtohand.

           AdifferenttreatmentwasaccordedtoWendy,whocamelast.WithironicalpolitenessHookraisedhishattoher,and,offeringherhisarm,escortedhertothespotwheretheotherswerebeinggagged.Hediditwithsuchanair,hewassofrightfullydistingué,thatshewastoofascinatedtocryout.Shewasonlyalittlegirl.

           Perhapsitistell-taletodivulgethatforamomentHookentrancedher,andwetellonheronlybecauseherslipledtostrangeresults.Hadshehaughtilyunhandedhim(andweshouldhavelovedtowriteitofher),shewouldhavebeenhurledthroughtheairliketheothers,andthenHookwouldprobablynothavebeenpresentatthetyingofthechildren;andhadhenotbeenatthetyinghewouldnothavediscoveredSlightly’ssecret,andwithoutthesecrethecouldnotpresentlyhavemadehisfoulattemptonPeter’slife.

           Theyweretiedtopreventtheirflyingaway,doubledupwiththeirkneesclosetotheirears;andforthetrussingofthemtheblackpiratehadcutaropeintonineequalpieces.