joyous evenings they had with Wendy. By and by she tucked them up in
the great bed in the home under the trees, but she herself slept that
night in the little house, and Peter kept watch outside with drawn
sword, for the pirates could be heard carousing far away and the wolves
were on the prowl. The little house looked so cosy and safe in the
darkness, with a bright light showing through its blinds, and the
chimney smoking beautifully, and Peter standing on guard. After a time
he fell asleep, and some unsteady fairies had to climb over him on
their way home from an orgy. Any of the other boys obstructing the
fairy path at night they would have mischiefed, but they just tweaked
Peter s nose and passed on.
Chapter VII.
THE HOME UNDER THE GROUND
One of the first things Peter did next day was to measure Wendy and
John and Michael for hollow trees. Hook, you remember, had sneered at
the boys for thinking they needed a tree apiece, but this was
ignorance, for unless your tree fitted you it was difficult to go up
and down, and no two of the boys were quite the same size. Once you
fitted, you drew in your breath at the top, and down you went at
exactly the right speed, while to ascend you drew in and let out
alternately, and so wriggled up. Of course, when you have mastered the
action you are able to do these things without thinking of them, and
nothing can be more graceful.
But you simply must fit, and Peter measures you for your tree as
carefully as for a suit of clothes: the only difference being that the
clothes are made to fit you, while you have to be made to fit the tree.
Usually it is done quite easily, as by your wearing too many garments
or too few, but if you are bumpy in awkward places or the only
available tree is an odd shape, Peter does some things to you, and
after that you fit. Once you fit, great care must be taken to go on
fitting, and this, as Wendy was to discover to her delight, keeps a
whole family in perfect condition.
66