Питер Пэн и Венди
The Island Come True
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’Iwantnosuchcompliments,’Hookbarkedpetulantly.’IwantPeterPan,whofirstgavethebruteitstasteforme.’
Hesatdownonalargemushroom,andnowtherewasaquiverinhisvoice.’Smee,’hesaidhuskily,’thatcrocodilewouldhavehadmebeforethis,butbyaluckychanceitswallowedaclockwhichgoesticktickinsideit,andsobeforeitcanreachmeIhearthetickandbolt.’Helaughed,butinahollowway.
’Someday,’saidSmee,’theclockwillrundown,andthenhe’llgetyou.’
Hookwettedhisdrylips.’Ay,’hesaid,’that’sthefearthathauntsme.’
Sincesittingdownhehadfeltcuriouslywarm.’Smee,’hesaid,’thisseatishot.’Hejumpedup.’Oddsbobs,hammerandtongsI’mburning.’
Theyexaminedthemushroom,whichwasofasizeandsolidityunknownonthemainland;theytriedtopullitup,anditcameawayatonceintheirhands,forithadnoroot.Strangerstill,smokebeganatoncetoascend.Thepirateslookedateachother.’Achimney!’theybothexclaimed.
Theyhadindeeddiscoveredthechimneyofthehomeundertheground.Itwasthecustomoftheboystostopitwithamushroomwhenenemieswereintheneighbourhood.
Notonlysmokecameoutofit.Therecamealsochildren’svoices,forsosafedidtheboysfeelintheirhiding-placethattheyweregailychattering.Thepirateslistenedgrimly,andthenreplacedthemushroom.Theylookedaroundthemandnotedtheholesintheseventrees.
’DidyouhearthemsayPeterPan’sfromhome?’Smeewhispered,fidgetingwithJohnnyCorkscrew.
Hooknodded.
