CHAPTER TEN

Ready to Go Home

When Tiger Lily returned to the Indians camp, she told them how Peter Pan had saved her life. They were very thankful to Peter and they had a huge party with the lost boys to celebrate. The lost boys and the Indians quickly became close friends. They decided to fight against the pirates together. Peter would pretend that he was an Indian captain and that the Indians were protecting his secret home from the pirates.

Everyone knew that Captain Hook was planning to attack the Indians and the lost boys. They thought that they would attack soon. However, no one had guessed that this was the family's last night in their happy underground house.

On this night, the family ate a large, pretended dinner and then Peter went outside to see what time it was. The only way to know the time in Neverland was to find the crocodile and wait near him until his clock bell rang on the hour.

No one ever really knew what day it was though, and of course they also didn't know the month or the year. The Family decided to pretend that it was Saturday and have a party; they all stay up very late dancing and singing.

After the party Wendy told the boys to get ready for bed. Soon Peter returned from outside and they sat by the fire.

"I was wondering," Peter said, looking nervous. "We're only pretending that I am their father?"

"Of course!" answered Wendy.

"Good," he said, "because I would seem like an old adult if I was their real father."

Wendy laughed. "You can be so silly, Peter."

Wendy put the children in bed, and began to tell them a story. Tonight she told them the story that Peter hated most.

"Once there was a gentleman ... " she started.

"Was there also a lady," Curly interrupted.

"Oh, mommy," cried Nibs, "there is also a lady, isn't there? She isn't dead, is she?"

"Don't worry, my children!" Wendy told them. "There was also a lady. Their name was Darling—Mr and Mrs Darling."

"I knew them!" cried John.

"I think I knew them too," cried Michael.

"The Darlings had three children," Wendy continued. "And the children had a dog called Nana who took care of them. One night Mr Darling became angry at their dog Nana and tied her to a tree in the yard, and so all the children left the nursery and flew away."

"Where did they fly?" asked Curly, who knew the answer already.

"They all flew away to the Neverland, where the lost children live," Wendy told them.

"Oh Wendy, was one of the lost children named Tootles?" asked Tootles.

"Yes, Tootles."

"I'm in one of Wendy's stories!" Tootles happily told the other boys.

"I am too!" shouted Curly, "Wasn't there a lost child called Curly?"

"Yes," said Wendy.

"How about us?" asked the twins.

"Yes, all of you were there," said Wendy, "Now be silent for a minute and think about how unhappy the children's parents must have been with all their children so far away."

"So terrible!" they said to make Wendy happy. However they didn't really care.

"Think of all the empty beds in the nursery!" she said.

"I guess it is a little sad," said Nibs.

"I don't think this story can have a happy ending," Slightly said.

"If you understood how great a mother's love is," Wendy explained, "you would not fear." Wendy had now arrived at the part of her story that Peter hated most.

"I do like a mother's love, Nibs." Tootles said, hitting Nibs with his pillow.

"Of course," said Nibs, hitting Tootles back.

"Well," Wendy continued, "the mother's love was so great that she would always leave the window of the nursery open for her children to fly back, so they never worried about her and stayed in Neverland for years and had a wonderful time."

"Did they return home?" asked Tootles.

"Well," said Wendy seriously, "I will tell you about the future. Many years have passed, and a beautiful lady is getting off a train at London Station."

"Wendy, who is she?" cried Nibs, just as excited as if he really didn't know.

"It's the beautiful Wendy! And she is standing with two gentlemen, now adult men—who are they? Well, they are John and Michael, all grown up and handsome!"

"Wow!"

"You see, my dear brothers," Wendy said to her brothers, pointing up to the sky, "the nursery window is still open. And you will always be greatly rewarded for your deep faith in a mother's love. When the children flew home into their mommy and daddy's arms, it's impossible to tell you just how happy they all were!"

When Wendy finally finished her story, Peter made a deep angry sound.

The boys all jumped out of bed and ran to Peter to try to calm him down. He told them a story that he had never told anyone before.

"A long time ago," he began, "I believed that my mother would always keep the nursery window open for me, so I stayed in Neverland for a few years and then flew back. When I arrived home the windows were locked, because my mother had forgotten me and there was another boy sleeping in my bed."

There is no way to know if Peter's story was true, but he believed it was true and that was the only important thing.

"Are you sure that all mothers are like that, Peter?" Tootles asked him.

"Yes, I'm very sure."

But Michael and John weren't so sure.

"Let's go back home, Wendy!" they cried loudly.

"Yes!" she cried, putting her arms around them.

"Don't leave tonight!" all the lost boys cried.

"Yes, we must leave at once!" Wendy said, "Our mother and father may think that we are already dead!"

Wendy then turned to Peter. "Will you help us prepare for our journey?"

"If that is your wish," he replied, trying to be calm. In his heart Peter cared very much. He did not want Wendy to leave and he was full of anger at adults. Adults always ruined everything he thought.

Peter went out to tell the Indians that Wendy was leaving and that he would be gone for a few days. On the way back he cried, but made himself stop crying before going inside the secret house.

When Peter came back inside he found great trouble in the house. The lost boys did not want Wendy to leave and had surrounded her angrily.

"She can't leave!" said Slightly.

"We'll make her our prisoner!" said Nibs.

"Tie her up!" shouted the twins.

Wendy asked Tootles to help her.

"I am only Tootles," he said, "and nobody ever cares what I think. But I will fight anyone who doesn't act like a gentleman to Wendy!"

"We will not keep Wendy here against her wishes," Peter said clearly.

"The Indians will take you and your brothers through the woods, and then Tinker Bell will fly you across the sea."

"Thank you, Peter," said Wendy politely.

"Wake up, Tinker Bell!" Peter yelled. Tink was not sleeping. She was listening to their conversation and, although she was happy that Wendy was leaving, she hated Wendy and didn't want to help her.

"No!" she yelled.

Tinker Bell didn't often argue with Peter; he didn't like it.

"Get dressed at once, Tinker Bell, or I will open your curtains, and all the lost boys will see you wearing your night clothes!"

The fairy jumped up and was ready immediately.

Wendy turned to say goodbye to the lost boys. When she looked at their sad faces and eyes, she felt pity for them.

"My dear children," she said, "if you all come back with me, I am sure that my parents will care for you!"

She had meant the invitation especially for Peter, but the other boys all jumped with joy.

"Won't they think we're too much trouble?" Nibs asked.

"No, no!" Wendy told them. "We can put a few more beds in the nursery."

"Peter, can we go?" they asked.

"All right," he replied, in an angry voice. The boys all ran quickly to prepare their things.

"Peter, aren't you going to get your things ready?" Wendy asked. "Here Peter, I will give you some medicine for strength before you go," said Wendy, thinking that Peter was going to come with them. Wendy didn't really have any medicine and could only give Peter some water, but she looked serious and measured it carefully so that it would seem like medicine.

When she finished, Peter said, "I'm not going with you, Wendy."

"What? But you must come, Peter!" she cried.

"NO!" Peter yelled angrily.

"But you should find your mother!"

"No, I don't want to find her! She would say that I was getting old, and I never want to become an adult. I want to be a little boy forever and to have fun always."

Wendy could not do anything except tell the other boys that Peter wasn't coming with them. They stared at him and could not believe it, but they all knew they could not change his mind.

"If you find your mothers," Peter said seriously, "I hope you will like them."

He then turned to Wendy and weakly held up his hand.

"Goodbye," he said simply.

"Will you remember to take your medicine, Peter?" Wendy asked.

"Yes, of course."

"And will you wash your clothes every week?"

"Yes."

Peter's face showed no feelings.

"Are you ready, Tink?" he called.

"Yes," the fairy replied.

"Then lead them home!"

(end of section)