Пітер Пен і Венді
"Hook Or Me This Time"
Mantomantheywerethestronger;buttheyfoughtonthedefensiveonly,whichenabledtheboystohuntinpairsandchoosetheirquarry.Someofthemiscreantsleaptintothesea;othershidindarkrecesses,wheretheywerefoundbySlightly,whodidnotfight,butranaboutwithalanternwhichheflashedintheirfaces,sothattheywerehalfblindedandfellaneasypreytothereekingswordsoftheotherboys.Therewaslittlesoundtobeheardbuttheclangofweapons,anoccasionalscreechorsplash,andSlightlymonotonouslycounting—five—six—seven—eight—nine—ten—eleven.
IthinkallweregonewhenagroupofsavageboyssurroundedHook,whoseemedtohaveacharmedlife,ashekeptthematbayinthatcircleoffire.Theyhaddoneforhisdogs,butthismanaloneseemedtobeamatchforthemall.Againandagaintheycloseduponhim,andagainandagainhehewedaclearspace.Hehadlifteduponeboywithhishook,andwasusinghimasabuckler,whenanother,whohadjustpassedhisswordthroughMullins,sprangintothefray.
’Putupyourswords,boys,’criedthenewcomer,’thismanismine.’
ThussuddenlyHookfoundhimselffacetofacewithPeter.Theothersdrewbackandformedaringroundthem.
Forlongthetwoenemieslookedatoneanother;Hookshudderingslightly,andPeterwiththestrangesmileuponhisface.
’So,Pan,’saidHookatlast,’thisisallyourdoing.’
’Ay,JamesHook,’camethesternanswer,’itisallmydoing.’
’Proudandinsolentyouth,’saidHook,’preparetomeetthydoom.’
’Darkandsinisterman,’Peteranswered,’haveatthee.
