[Illustration: SHE WAS COMBING HER LONG TRESSES]
One fine summer evening Peter, with Wendy and their little
family, went down to the Lagoon where the Mermaids lived. The
Never-Never-Never Land, as you see, is full of the most strange and
interesting creatures; some of them dreadful, like the Pirates,
wolves, and crocodiles; others, like the fairies and the mermaids,
altogether beautiful and charming. Wendy and her brothers, who had
never seen a real mermaid with a tail, were very much excited, and, as
luck would have it, just as they arrived at the lagoon, one of them,
seated on a rock, was combing her long tresses, on which the sunlight
gleamed, until they shone like a mixture of gold and bronze, for they
had a beautiful greenish tinge. As she combed her hair she sang such a
wonderful melody that the boys longed to catch her. They instantly
dashed into the water, but with a piercing cry of "Mortals!" the
Mermaid dived out of their reach into the lowest depths.
"But look! here is another little mermaid! Surely we can catch her!"
said John Napoleon Darling, and he very nearly did. Mermaids, however,
are hard to catch, and when caught, are still harder to hold. John
succeeded in getting the little sprite in his hands but, wriggling
like an eel, she slipped out of his grasp. Breathless with
excitement, the whole band of children clambered on to the rocks, when
all at once a cry went up: "The Pirates!" Sure enough a boat was
approaching, and in it were seated the two pirate lieutenants, Smee
and Starkey. The boys were already swimming to the shore as fast as
they could, when to his horror Peter recognised Tiger Lily sitting in
the stern, tightly bound with ropes. In a flash he guessed what was
their intention. The wretches meant to leave her, all bound as she
was, upon the rock, until the tide came up and drowned her.
[Illustration: SHE SLIPPED OUT OF HIS GRASP]
Determined to save her, Peter thought of a clever trick. Imitating the
wicked Captain's voice he called out: "Cut her bonds and let her go!"
The effect was marvellous: the astonished buccaneers, fearing to
disobey their Captain, instantly released Tiger Lily, who leapt into
the water and swam towards the boys.
The Pirates had turned and were rowing back, when they saw Hook
swimming towards them, and learnt from him how they had been duped.
Horribly enraged, he chased them out of the boat, leaving them to swim
back to the ship as best they might, while he himself set about
recapturing Tiger Lily.
But the Pirates once safely out of the way, Peter and his friends went
back to the rock to attack the Captain, who was now single-handed. A
fierce fight ensued, Hook using his iron prong to some purpose on poor
Peter, while the boys, seizing Hook's boat, rowed off with Tiger Lily
in it. At last, finding himself outdone, the Captain gave up the
fight, and in all haste swam back to his ship.
[Illustration: A FIERCE FIGHT ENSUED]
Peter, left alone on the rock with Wendy, found her so exhausted that
she could neither swim nor fly any farther. With difficulty he managed
to help her to a firm footing, but the tide was rising, and they
were both in great danger. As he watched the water silently creeping
nearer, Peter almost despaired. But all at once a large kite came
flying slowly over the lagoon. In a second Peter had seized its tail
and, binding it tightly round Wendy, he sent her sailing away in
safety, bravely calling, "Good-bye Wendy!" until she was out of sight.
Then indeed, as the tide rose steadily, Peter was in great peril. The
water reached his feet, and he was beginning to think it would be a
"tremendous adventure to die," when who should come sailing by but a
great sea-bird on its nest, which had been blown off the cliffs by the
rising storm. "Hurrah!" cried Peter, "there's a lovely boat for me!"
and chasing the bird off, in he stepped, curled himself round and,
spreading out his coat to the wind, sailed swiftly and merrily after
Wendy.
[Illustration: SPREADING HIS COAT TO THE WIND, HE SAILED MERRILY.]