At this moment Wendy was grand. These are my last words, dear boys,
she said firmly. I feel that I have a message to you from your real
mothers, and it is this: We hope our sons will die like English
gentlemen.
Even the pirates were awed, and Tootles cried out hysterically, I am
going to do what my mother hopes. What are you to do, Nibs?
What my mother hopes. What are you to do, Twin?
What my mother hopes. John, what are
But Hook had found his voice again.
Tie her up! he shouted.
It was Smee who tied her to the mast. See here, honey, he whispered,
I ll save you if you promise to be my mother.
But not even for Smee would she make such a promise. I would almost
rather have no children at all, she said disdainfully.
It is sad to know that not a boy was looking at her as Smee tied her to
the mast; the eyes of all were on the plank: that last little walk they
were about to take. They were no longer able to hope that they would
walk it manfully, for the capacity to think had gone from them; they
could stare and shiver only.
Hook smiled on them with his teeth closed, and took a step toward
Wendy. His intention was to turn her face so that she should see the
boys walking the plank one by one. But he never reached her, he never
heard the cry of anguish he hoped to wring from her. He heard something
else instead.
It was the terrible tick-tick of the crocodile.
They all heard it pirates, boys, Wendy; and immediately every head was
blown in one direction; not to the water whence the sound proceeded,
but toward Hook. All knew that what was about to happen concerned him
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