Питер Пэн и Венди
The Pirate Ship
’ShallwestillberespectfulsubjectsoftheKing?’Johninquired.
ThroughHook’steethcametheanswer:’Youwouldhavetoswear,"DownwiththeKing."’
PerhapsJohnhadnotbehavedverywellsofar,butheshoneoutnow.
’ThenIrefuse,’hecried,bangingthebarrelinfrontofHook.
’AndIrefuse,’criedMichael.
’RuleBritannia!’squeakedCurly.
Theinfuriatedpiratesbuffetedtheminthemouth;andHookroaredout,’Thatsealsyourdoom.Bringuptheirmother.Gettheplankready.’
Theywereonlyboys,andtheywentwhiteastheysawJukesandCeccopreparingthefatalplank.ButtheytriedtolookbravewhenWendywasbroughtup.
NowordsofminecantellyouhowWendydespisedthosepirates.Totheboystherewasatleastsomeglamourinthepiratecalling;butallthatshesawwasthattheshiphadnotbeenscrubbedforyears.Therewasnotaporthole,onthegrimyglassofwhichyoumightnothavewrittenwithyourfinger’Dirtypig’;andshehadalreadywrittenitonseveral.Butastheboysgatheredroundhershehadnothought,ofcourse,saveforthem.
’So,mybeauty,’saidHook,asifhespokeinsyrup,’youaretoseeyourchildrenwalktheplank.’
Finegentlemanthoughhewas,theintensityofhiscommuningshadsoiledhisruff,andsuddenlyheknewthatshewasgazingatit.Withahastygesturehetriedtohideit,buthewastoolate.
’Aretheytodie?’askedWendy,withalookofsuchfrightfulcontemptthathenearlyfainted.
’Theyare,’hesnarled.’Silenceall,’hecalledgloatingly,’foramother’slastwordstoherchildren.
