Now, listen! cried Hook, and all listened. But not one dared to face
the door. Yes, one, Wendy, who all this time had been bound to the
mast. It was for neither a scream nor a crow that she was watching, it
was for the reappearance of Peter.
She had not long to wait. In the cabin he had found the thing for which
he had gone in search: the key that would free the children of their
manacles, and now they all stole forth, armed with such weapons as they
could find. First signing them to hide, Peter cut Wendy s bonds, and
then nothing could have been easier than for them all to fly off
together; but one thing barred the way, an oath, Hook or me this
time. So when he had freed Wendy, he whispered for her to conceal
herself with the others, and himself took her place by the mast, her
cloak around him so that he should pass for her. Then he took a great
breath and crowed.
To the pirates it was a voice crying that all the boys lay slain in the
cabin; and they were panic-stricken. Hook tried to hearten them; but
like the dogs he had made them they showed him their fangs, and he knew
that if he took his eyes off them now they would leap at him.
Lads, he said, ready to cajole or strike as need be, but never
quailing for an instant, I ve thought it out. There s a Jonah aboard.
Ay, they snarled, a man wi a hook.
No, lads, no, it s the girl. Never was luck on a pirate ship wi a
woman on board. We ll right the ship when she s gone.
Some of them remembered that this had been a saying of Flint s. It s
worth trying, they said doubtfully.
Fling the girl overboard, cried Hook; and they made a rush at the
figure in the cloak.
There s none can save you now, missy, Mullins hissed jeeringly.
There s one, replied the figure.
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