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y。　　He　rose　out　of　it　into　the　arms　of　Cecco；　who　flung　him　to　Smee；　who　flung　him　to　Starkey；　who　flung　him　to　Bill　Jukes；　who　flung　him　to　Noodler；　and　so　he　was　tossed　from　one　to　another　till　he　fell　at　the　feet　of　the　black　pirate。　　All　the　boys　were　plucked　from　their　trees　in　this　ruthless　manner；　and　several　of　them　were　in　the　air　at　a　time；　like　bales　of　goods　flung　from　hand　to　hand。

　　A　different　treatment　was　accorded　to　Wendy；　who　came　last。　　With　ironical　politeness　Hook　raised　his　hat　to　her；　and；　offering　her　his　arm；　escorted　her　to　the　spot　where　the　others　were　being　gagged。　　He　did　it　with　such　an　air；　he　was　so　frightfully　DISTINGUE　＇imposingly　distinguished＇；　that　she　was　too　fascinated　to　cry　out。　　She　was　only　a　little　girl。

　　Perhaps　it　is　tell…tale　to　divulge　that　for　a　moment　Hook　entranced　her；　and　we　tell　on　her　only　because　her　slip　led　to　strange　results。　　Had　she　haughtily　unhanded　him　（and　we　should　have　loved　to　write　it　of　her）；　she　would　have　been　hurled　through　the　air　like　the　others；　and　then　Hook　would　probably　not　have　been　present　at　the　tying　of　the　children；　and　had　he　not　been　at　the　tying　he　would　not　have　discovered　Slightly's　secret；　and　without　the　secret　he　could　not　presently　have　made　his　foul　attempt　on　Peter's　life。

　　They　were　tied　to　prevent　their　flying　away；　doubled　up　with　their　knees　close　to　their　ears；　and　for　the　trussing　of　them　the　black　pirate　had　cut　a　rope　into　nine　equal　pieces。　　All　went　well　until　Slightly's　turn　came；　when　he　was　found　to　be　like　those　irritating　parcels　that　use　up　all　the　string　in　going　round　and　leave　no　tags　＇ends＇　with　which　to　tie　a　knot。　　The　pirates　kicked　him　in　their　rage；　just　as　you　kick　the　parcel　（though　in　fairness　you　should　kick　the　string）；　and　strange　to　say　it　was　Hook　who　told　them　to　belay　their　violence。　　His　lip　was　curled　with　malicious　triumph。　　While　his　dogs　were　merely　sweating　because　every　time　they　tried　to　pack　the　unhappy　lad　tight　in　one　part　he　bulged　out　in　another；　Hook's　master　mind　had　gone　far　beneath　Slightly's　surface；　probing　not　for　effects　but　for　causes；　and　his　exultation　showed　that　he　had　found　them。　　Slightly；　white　to　the　gills；　knew　that　Hook　had　surprised　＇discovered＇　his　secret；　which　was　this；　that　no　boy　so　blown　out　could　use　a　tree　wherein　an　average　man　need　stick。　　Poor　Slightly；　most　wretched　of　all　the　children　now；　for　he　was　in　a　panic　about　Peter；　bitterly　regretted　what　he　had　done。　　Madly　addicted　to　the　drinking　of　water　when　he　was　hot；　he　had　swelled　in　consequence　to　his　present　girth；　and　instead　of　reducing　himself　to　fit　his　tree　he　had；　unknown　to　the　others；　whittled　his　tree　to　make　it　fit　him。

　　Sufficient　of　this　Hook　guessed　to　persuade　him　that　Peter　at　last　lay　at　his　mercy；　but　no　word　of　the　dark　design　that　now　formed　in　the　subterranean　caverns　of　his　mind　crossed　his　lips；　he　merely　signed　that　the　captives　were　to　be　conveyed　to　the　ship；　and　that　he　would　be　alone。

　　How　to　convey　them？　　Hunched　up　in　their　ropes　they　might　indeed　be　rolled　down　hill　like　barrels；　but　most　of　the　way　lay　through　a　morass。　　Again　Hook's　genius　surmounted　difficulties。　　He　indicated　that　the　little　house　must　be　used　as　a　conveyance。　　The　children　were　flung　into　it；　four　stout　pirates　raised　it　on　their　shoulders；　the　others　fell　in　behind；　and　singing　the　hateful　pirate　chorus　the　strange　procession　set　off　through　the　wood。　　I　don't　know　whether　any　of　the　children　were　crying；　if　so；　the　singing　drowned　the　sound；　but　as　the　little　house　disappeared　in　the　forest；　a　brave　though　tiny　jet　of　smoke　issued　from　its　chimney　as　if　defying　Hook。

　　Hook　saw　it；　and　it　did　Peter　a　bad　service。　　It　dried　up　any　trickle　of　pity　for　him　that　may　have　remained　in　the　pirate's　infuriated　breast。

　　The　first　thing　he　did　on　finding　himself　alone　in　the　fast　falling　night　was　to　tiptoe　to　Slightly's　tree；　and　make　sure　that　it　provided　him　with　a　passage。　　Then　for　long　he　remained　brooding；　his　hat　of　ill　omen　on　the　sward；　so　that　any　gentle　breeze　which　had　arisen　might　play　refreshingly　through　his　hair。　　Dark　as　were　his　thoughts　his　blue　eyes　were　as　soft　as　the　periwinkle。　　Intently　he　listened　for　any　sound　from　the　nether　world；　but　all　was　as　silent　below　as　above；　the　house　under　the　ground　seemed　to　be　but　one　more　empty　tenement　in　the　void。　　Was　that　boy　asleep；　or　did　he　stand　waiting　at　the　foot　of　Slightly's　tree；　with　his　dagger　in　his　hand？

　　There　was　no　way　of　knowing；　save　by　going　down。　　Hook　let　his　cloak　slip　softly　to　the　ground；　and　then　biting　his　lips　till　a　lewd　blood　stood　on　them；　he　stepped　into　the　tree。　　He　was　a　brave　man；　but　for　a　moment　he　had　to　stop　there　and　wipe　his　brow；　which　was　dripping　like　a　candle。　　Then；　silently；　he　let　himself　go　into　the　unknown。

　　He　arrived　unmolested　at　the　foot　of　the　shaft；　and　stood　still　again；　biting　at　his　breath；　which　had　almost　left　him。　　As　his　eyes　became　accustomed　to　the　dim　light　various　objects　in　the　home　under　the　trees　took　shape；　but　the　only　one　on　which　his　greedy　gaze　rested；　long　sought　for　and　found　at　last；　was　the　great　bed。　　On　the　bed　lay　Peter　fast　asleep。

　　Unaware　of　the　tragedy　being　enacted　above；　Peter　had　continued；　for　a　little　time　after　the　children　left；　to　play　gaily　on　his　pipes：　　no　doubt　rather　a　forlorn　attempt　to　prove　to　himself　that　he　did　not　care。　　Then　he　decided　not　to　take　his　medicine；　so　as　to　grieve　Wendy。　　Then　he　lay　down　on　the　bed　outside　the　coverlet；　to　vex　her　still　more；　for　she　had　always　tucked　them　inside　it；　because　you　never　know　that　you　may　not　grow　chilly　at　the　turn　of　the　night。　　Then　he　nearly　cried；　but　it　struck　him　how　indignant　she　would　be　if　he　laughed　instead；　so　he　laughed　a　haughty　laugh　and　fell　asleep　in　the　middle　of　it。

　　Sometimes；　though　not　often；　he　had　dreams；　and　they　were　more　painful　than　the　dreams　of　other　boys。　　For　hours　he　could　not　be　separated　from　these　dreams；　though　he　wailed　piteously　in　them。　　They　had　to　do；　I　think；　with　the　riddle　of　his　existence。　　At　such　times　it　had　been　Wendy's　custom　to　take　him　out　of　bed　and　sit　with　him　on　her　lap；　soothing　him　in　dear　ways　of　her　own　invention；　and　when　he　grew　calmer　to　put　him　back　to　bed　before　he　quite　woke　up；　so　that　he　should　not　know　of　the　indignity　to　which　she　had　subjected　him。　　But　on　this　occasion　he　had　fallen　at　once　into　a　dreamless　sleep。　　One　arm　dropped　over　the　edge　of　the　bed；　one　leg　was　arched；　and　the　unfinished　part　of　his　laugh　was　stranded　on　his　mouth；　which　was　open；　showing　the　little　pearls。

　　Thus　defenceless　Hook　found　him。　　He　stood　silent　at　the　foot　of　the　tree　looking　across　the　chamber　at　his　enemy。　　Did　no　feeling　of　compassion　disturb　his　sombre　breast？　　The　man　was　not　wholly　evil；　he　loved　flowers　（I　have　been　told）　and　sweet　music　（he　was　himself　no　mean　performer　on　the　harpsichord）；　and；　let　it　be　frankly　admitted；　the　idyllic　nature　of　the　scene　stirred　him　profoundly。　　Mastered　by　his　better　self　he　would　have　returned　reluctantly　up　the　tree；　but　for　one　thing。

　　What　stayed　him　was　Peter's　impertinent　appearance　as　he　slept。　　The　open　mouth；　the　drooping　arm；　the　arched　knee：　　they　were　such　a　personification　of　cockiness　as；　taken　together；　will　never　again；　one　may　hope；　be　presented　to　eyes　so　sensitive　to　their　offensiveness。　　They　steeled　Hook's　heart。　　If　his　rage　had　broken　him　into　a　hundred　pieces　every　one　of　them　would　have　disregarded　the　incident；　and　leapt　at　the　sleeper。

　　Though　a　light　from　the　one　lamp　shone　dimly　on　the　bed；　Hook　stood　in　darkness　himself；　and　at　the　first　stealthy　step　forward　he　discovered　an　obstacle；　the　door　of　Slightly's　tree。　　It　did　not　entirely　fill　the　aperture；　and　he　had　been　looking　over　it。　　Feeling　for　the　catch；　he　found　to　his　fury　that　it　was　low　down；　beyond　his　reach。　　To　his　disordered　brain　it　seemed　then　that　the　irritating　quality　in　Peter's　face　and　figure　visibly　increased；　and　he　rattled　the　door　and　flung　himself　against　it。　　Was　his　enemy　to　escape　him　after　all？

　　But　what　was　that？　　The　red　in　his　eye　had　caught　sight　of　Peter's　medicine　standing　on　a　ledge　within　easy　reach。　　He　fathomed　what　it　was　straightaway；　and　immediately　knew　that　the　sleeper　was　in　his　power。

　　Lest　he　should　be　taken　alive；　Hook　always　carried　about　his　person　a　dreadful　drug；　blended　by　himself　of　all　the　death…　dealing　rings　that　had　come　into　his　possession。　　These　he　had　boiled　down　into　a　yellow　liquid　quite　unknown　to　science；　which　was　probably　the　most　virulent　poison　in　existence。

　　Five　drops　of　this　he　now　added　to　Peter's　cup。　　His　hand　shook；　but　it　was　in　exultation　rather　than　in　shame。　　As　he　did　it　he　avoided　glancing　at　the　sleeper；　but　not　lest　pity　should　unnerve　him；　merely　to　avoid　spilling。　　Then　one　long　gloating　look　he　cast　upon　his　victim；　and　turning；　wormed　his　way　with　difficulty　up　the　tree。　　As　he　emerged　at　the　top　he　looked　the　very　spirit　of　evil　breaking　from　its　hole。　　Donning　his　hat　at　its　most　rakish　angle；　he　wound　his　cloak　around　him；　holding　one　end　in　front　as　if　to　conceal　his　person　from　the　night；　of　which　it　was　the　blackest　part；　and　muttering　strangely　to　himself；　stole　away　through　the　trees。

　　Peter　slept　on。　　The　light　guttered　＇burned　to　edges＇　and　went　out；　leaving　the　tenement　in　darkness；　but　still　he　slept。　　It　must　have　been　not　less　than　ten　o'clock　by　the　crocodile；　when　he　suddenly　sat　up　in　his　bed；　wakened　by　he　knew　not　what。　　It　was　a　soft　cautious　tapping　on　the　door　of　his　tree。

　　Soft　and　cautious；　but　in　that　stillness　it　was　sinister。　　Peter　felt　for　his　dagger　till　his　hand　gripped　it。　　Then　he　spoke。　

　　〃Who　is　that？〃

　　For　long　there　was　no　answer：　　then　again　the　knock。

　　〃Who　are　you？〃

　　No　answer。

　　He　was　thrilled；　and　he　loved　being　thrilled。　　In　two　strides　he　reached　the　door。　　Unlike　Slightly's　door；　it　filled　the　aperture　＇opening＇；　so　that　he　could　not　see　beyond　it；　nor　could　the　one　knocking　see　him。

　　〃I　won't　open　unless　you　speak；〃　Peter　cried。

　　Then　at　last　the　visitor　spoke；　in　a　lovely　bell…like　voice。

　　〃Let　me　in；　Peter。〃

　　It　was　Tink；　and　quickly　he　unbarred　to　her。　　She　flew　in　excitedly；　her　face　f