CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Jolly Roger

The pirate's ship was called the Jolly Roger. It was a strange name for a ship that was such a sad and terrible place. The pirates had done so many bloody and terrible acts on this old ship.

Peter soon reached the water and looked for the pirate ship. He saw it floating in the water not far from the shore. There was a strange green light hanging over the ship; the rest of the lake was dark. The pirates were all drinking, gambling, shouting and laughing hard. Some pirates, tired from carrying the house full of children, were sleeping.

Captain Hook was walking around the ship. He was thinking hard about everything that had happened that day. He was feeling troubled because he felt sad. He should be happy today, he thought. He had destroyed and captured all of his enemies: the Indians, the lost boys and, mostly, Peter Pan (at least he believed that he did). Soon he would make all the boys jump into the sea and would make Wendy become his mother—then his victory would be complete. Still, Hook felt quite sad. He was sad because he felt so alone. The other pirates were all of low class and low culture. He was born in a high position and was educated and he felt that the other men were just like the beasts on the island. He had nobody to talk to and nobody to love.

The pirates were all happy though. They danced wildly and drank to celebrate their victory. Hook scolded them, and told them that there was still important business to do.

"Bring up the children!" Hook ordered the pirates.

"Yes, captain!"

The boys were all pulled up and were dropped on the hard floor in front of Captain Hook.

"Listen to me, children," Hook smiled, "there are eight of you here, but only six of you will be thrown into the sea tonight. I will need two servant boys. Which two of your boys want to become my servants?"

Tootles moved forward two steps. He looked at the captain seriously.

"Well, sir, I don't think my mother would want me to become a pirate. Would your mother want you to become a pirate, Nibs?"

"I don't think she would," Nibs replied, "How about your mother, Slightly? What would she say?"

"She would certainly agree with yours. Curly, what would ... "

"Be quiet, all of useless boys!" shouted Captain Hook. He then turned towards John.

"How about you, boy, have you ever wanted to be a pirate?"

John had listened to the pirate silently, and he seemed a little happy that the captain had asked him.

"I might like to be a pirate. I used to pretend that I was a pirate called Red-hand Jack," he said.

"That's a great pirate name!" smiled Hook, "We would all call you that name if you join us!"

"What would my pirate name be?" Michael called out.

"You would be Blackbeard Joe."

"What do you think, John?" Michael asked his brother.

"I don't know. What do you think, Michael?" John replied.

"You're older, John! You have to decide."

John turned towards Hook and asked:

"Would we still be gentlemen working under the king of England?" he asked seriously.

The captain suddenly became very angry.

"Certainly not! All pirates must promise, 'Death to the king,'" he replied.

"Then I refuse to be a pirate!" yelled John.

"I refuse too!" repeated Michael.

Hook's face was very angry.

"If that is your wish, then you will die!" he screamed, "Get Wendy and prepare the children!" he ordered.

Wendy hated the pirates more than she had ever hated anything. John and Michael were interested by pirate adventures; but Wendy, who cared a lot about having a nice home, saw only that the pirate ship was dirty and even covered with blood in some places. It looked like it had never been cleaned! Garbage was piled high and Wendy thought it was horrible.

The glass windows on the ship were so dirty that you could not see light through them.

"My beautiful lady, you will now watch your children jump into the sea," said Hook, watching Wendy with a terrible smile.

"Will they die?" asked Wendy in a voice full of hatred.

"Yes!" he yelled, "Be quiet, everyone! We will let their mother say last words to her children."

Wendy did not pause, and instantly began to speak.

"These are my last words to you, my children," Wendy said, looking at each boy with great love. "I will say what I believe your real mothers would have said, and it is this: 'We wish that our sons will die like true English gentlemen.'"

The pirates were all deeply impressed and became silent. The boys all cried out bravely:

"I will die like a gentleman as my mother wishes!" The boys all said.

"Quiet!" yelled Hook, "Tie her up, Smee!"

As Smee tied Wendy's hands to the ship he whispered, "I promise to save you, if you will be my mother!"

Wendy turned her head away with great hate in her eyes.

"I would rather have no children than have a pirate child," she answered. She knew that even if she agreed to be his mother, the boys would still die.

The children were all looking down at the deep and dark water. They wanted to be brave and die like true gentlemen, but when they looked at the water they felt very afraid.

Hook moved toward Wendy. He was going to turn her face so that she would see each boy jump to their death. But before he reached her, he heard the sound of the great crocodile: tick, tick, tick!

The fierce Captain James Hook suddenly changed. Before he looked like a terrible beast, now he looked like a scared little animal. A terrifying thought came into Hook's mind: "The crocodile is on the ship!" He ran around wildly, looking for a place to hide.

The boys all moved over to the side of the ship, pulling their chains with them, to watch the crocodile come closer. But when they looked into the water there was no crocodile. Instead, they saw Peter Pan!

Peter moved his hand to tell the boys to stay silent so the pirates would not know he was there. Peter then continued imitating the ticking clock sound of the great crocodile.

(end of section)