Chapter XIII.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRIES?
The more quickly this horror is disposed of the better. The first to
emerge from his tree was Curly. 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_, 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
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
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