Питер Пэн и Венди
The Pirate Ship
Whichofyouisittobe?’
’Don’tirritatehimunnecessarily,’hadbeenWendy’sinstructionsinthehold;soTootlessteppedforwardpolitely.Tootleshatedtheideaofsigningundersuchaman,butaninstincttoldhimthatitwouldbeprudenttolaytheresponsibilityonanabsentperson;andthoughasomewhatsillyboy,heknewthatmothersalonearealwayswillingtobethebuffer.Allchildrenknowthisaboutmothers,anddespisethemforit,butmakeconstantuseofit.
SoTootlesexplainedprudently,’Yousee,sir,Idon’tthinkmymotherwouldlikemetobeapirate.Wouldyourmotherlikeyoutobeapirate,Slightly?’
HewinkedatSlightly,whosaidmournfully,’Idon’tthinkso,’asifhewishedthingshadbeenotherwise.’Wouldyourmotherlikeyoutobeapirate,Twin?’
’Idon’tthinkso,’saidthefirsttwin,ascleverastheothers.’Nibs,would——’
’Stowthisgab,’roaredHook,andthespokesmenweredraggedback.’You,boy,’hesaid,addressingJohn,’youlookasifyouhadalittlepluckinyou.Didstneverwanttobeapirate,myhearty?’
NowJohnhadsometimesexperiencedthishankeringatmaths.prep.;andhewasstruckbyHook’spickinghimout.
’IoncethoughtofcallingmyselfRed-handedJack,’hesaiddiffidently.
’Andagoodnametoo.We’llcallyouthathere,bully,ifyoujoin.’
’Whatdoyouthink,Michael?’askedJohn.
’WhatwouldyoucallmeifIjoin?’Michaeldemanded.
’BlackbeardJoe.’
Michaelwasnaturallyimpressed.’Whatdoyouthink,John?’HewantedJohntodecide,andJohnwantedhimtodecide.
