CHAPTER EIGHT

Death Rock

In the center of Neverland Island was a great lake. The water was like a mirror and was filled with many different bright colors. The lake was the home of many mermaids. They would play in the lake all day and, when they were tired, they would take naps on a large rock in the center of the lake. The rock was called "Death Rock" and it got this name because the pirates would often tie up people with ropes and leave them on the rock. The water in the lake became high every night and the people would be covered with water and drown.

When the children swam in the lake, the mermaids would always swim away. The mermaids did not like Wendy and the boys, they only liked Peter Pan. He often swam over to them and chatted with them. One day a mermaid gave him her comb that she used for her long hair; he later gave it to Wendy.

Wendy told the boys that they had to rest on the rock for twenty minutes after eating lunch—even if they only ate a pretended meal. She would sit with them on the rock and sew their clothing. The rock was small, about the same size as the boys' beds, but the boys could all fit on it.

One day when Wendy and the boys were sitting on the rock, a sudden change happened in the lake. The sun disappeared behind thick clouds and it became so dark that Wendy could not see her sewing needle. The water became very cold and the wind stopped. Wendy heard a sound from far away; it was the sound of a large boat.

Wendy was afraid and wanted to awake the sleeping boys, but she didn't want them to swim just after eating lunch, so she did not.

Luckily, Peter could feel danger even when he was sleeping. He woke up and jumped to his feet. "Pirates!" he shouted and the children all awoke afraid.

"Swim!" Peter ordered. The boys all quickly jumped into the water and swam away.

The pirate ship moved closer and closer to the rock. Starkey and Smee were on it, and so was the Indian Tiger Lily. Smee had caught her as she was climbing onto their ship with a knife in her mouth. They tied her up with rope and threw her down onto Death Rock.

Peter and Wendy swam under the pirate ship so that no one could see them. Wendy felt a great pity for the Indian girl and did not want to see her die. Peter felt angry because the pirates did not fight fairly. Many pirates had fought against just Tiger Lily.

Peter planned to save Tiger Lily. He could have waited until the pirates left before saving her, but Peter never did anything the easy way.

Instead he thought of a different plan. Peter could imitate many sounds and many voices, so he imitated Captain Hook's voice:

"Hey, Smee!" he called.

"I hear the captain", said Smee to Starkey, "He must be swimming out to the ship to meet us."

"Hey, Captain, we tied up Tiger Lily and are leaving her on the rock to die," Smee called out happily.

"Let her go free!" said Peter imitating Hook's voice.

"Free?" Smee cried, feeling very shocked.

"Yes, cut the ropes and let her free!"

"Why Captain?"

"Do it at once, it is my order!" the voice said seriously and loudly, "Do it or I'll push my hook into your heart slowly!"

"This is very strange," said Smee to Starkey.

"We'd better do what Captain Hook orders," said Starkey nervously. He was terrified of the captain's hook.

"Okay, captain," Smee answered, and he took out his knife and cut the ropes that were around Tiger Lily's hands and feet. She quickly jumped into the lake and disappeared.

Wendy thought Peter's clever trick was very wonderful; but before she could praise him, they heard the real voice of Captain Hook coming from over the lake:

"Boat coming!" yelled Captain Hook.

Smee and Starkey looked out into the water and saw Captain Hook in a little boat rowing toward the ship. Peter and Wendy watched him use his iron hook to climb up the side of the boat. Hook sat down on the boat and looked sadly down at the ground.

"What's wrong, Captain?" asked Smee.

"We have lost," said Hook sadly. "The lost boys have found a mother!"

"This is terrible!" cried Starkey.

"I don't understand. What's a mother?" asked Smee.

The captain stood up and pointed out into the water. Smee looked and saw a strange thing. There was a large bird's nest floating on the lake, and a large bird was sitting on it.

"That is a mother," Hook said to Smee. "A mother cares for her children. Her nest must have fallen into the lake, but a mother never leaves her eggs."

Smee thought for a moment.

"If they have a mother, maybe she's here to care for Peter Pan."

"That is what worries me," Hook said.

"I have an idea, captain!" said Smee. "We can catch the boys' new mother and make her become our mother."

"That's an excellent idea!" Hook replied. "We will first catch the lost boys and carry them to the ship. We'll then make them jump into the water, and will make Wendy into our mother!"

They all smiled a long, terrible smile.

Suddenly Hook remembered about Tiger Lily.

"Where is the Indian girl?" he asked.

"Well, we let her free like you ordered," replied Smee.

"You let her go?" shouted Hook angrily.

"You called to us from across the lake and told us to cut her ropes."

"I certainly did not!" shouted Hook, becoming extremely angry, "Something very strange is happening here!"

The captain jumped up and stared into the dark water.

"Hey! You ghost that haunts this dark lake tonight. Do you hear me, ghost?" he yelled.

Peter loved to play games, so he answered using Captain Hook's voice, "yes, I hear you!"

Starkey and Smee held each other in fear.

"Who are you, stranger?" Hook yelled.

"I am captain of the ship Jolly Roger, James Hook," answered Peter using Hook's voice.

"You are not! I am Captain Hook!"

"You lie!" the voice answered, "Say that again, and I will kill you with my iron hook!"

The real Captain Hook tried using a gentle voice.

"Hey, ghost," he called, "do you have another voice?"

"Yes," came the answer.

"Are you a fish?"

"No."

"Animal?"

"No."

"Vegetable?"

"No again."

"Are you a man?"

"No."

"Are you a boy?"

"Yes."

"You're just a common boy?" Captain Hook asked.

"No, not a common boy. You'll never guess!" Peter laughed at him. "Do you give up?"

"Yes, I give up," said Hook in a tired voice. "Okay, I will tell you. I am Peter Pan!"

Hook instantly recovered when he heard this.

"Catch him!" he cried to his men, "Jump into the water, Smee! Starkey, you protect the boat! Catch him dead or alive!"

Hook jumped into the water and swam toward Peter when he heard Peter's voice.

"Are you prepared, lost boys?" Peter called out.

"Of course!" said the lost boys from many places around the lake. They all began swimming toward the ship.

The battle was fast and violent. John attacked first. He climbed bravely onto the pirate ship, grasped Starkey, and pulled away his sword. He then jumped back into the water. Starkey jumped after him and the boat, with no men to watch it, began to float away slowly.

In a different part of the lake, Smee attacked Tootles with his corkscrew, but before he could get Tootles, Curly hurt him with his knife.

Captain Hook and Peter Pan fought each other on Death Rock. They had not planned to do this, but they had both climbed onto the rock from different sides and then fell down on the wet rock top. While trying to stop themselves from falling into the water; they grasped each other's arms.

Peter pulled the knife from Captain Hook's belt and was about to push it into the pirate's chest when he stopped. He realized that he was higher on the rock than Hook and that it wouldn't be a fair fight. So, he grasped the pirate's arm and pulled him up higher.

Suddenly Hook's iron hand attacked him. Hook didn't think that fair fighting was important. Certainly not like Peter did!

As they were fighting, Captain Hook heard a sound: tick, tick, tick, tick. He instantly turned white with fear and swam wildly toward the pirate ship.

The crocodile was following closely behind him!

(end of section)