Odd things happen to all of us on our way through life withoutour noticing for a time that they have happened. Thus, to takean instance, we suddenly discover that we have been deaf in oneear for we don't know how long, but, say, half an hour. Now suchan experience had come that night to Peter. When last we saw himhe was stealing across the island with one finger to his lips andhis dagger at the ready. He had seen the crocodile pass bywithout noticing anything peculiar about it, but by and by heremembered that it had not been ticking. At first he thoughtthis eerie, but soon concluded rightly that the clock had rundown.

Without giving a thought to what might be the feelings of afellow-creature thus abruptly deprived of its closest companion,Peter began to consider how he could turn the catastrophe to hisown use; and he decided to tick, so that wild beasts shouldbelieve he was the crocodile and let him pass unmolested. Heticked superbly, but with one unforeseen result. The crocodilewas among those who heard the sound, and it followed him, thoughwhether with the purpose of regaining what it had lost, ormerely as a friend under the belief that it was again tickingitself, will never be certainly known, for, like slaves to afixed idea, it was a stupid beast.

Peter reached the shore without mishap, and went straight on,his legs encountering the water as if quite unaware that they hadentered a new element. Thus many animals pass from land towater, but no other human of whom I know. As he swam he had butone thought: "Hook or me this time." He had ticked so long thathe now went on ticking without knowing that he was doing it. Hadhe known he would have stopped, for to board the brig by help ofthe tick, though an ingenious idea, had not occurred to him.

On the contrary, he thought he had scaled her side as noiselessas a mouse; and he was amazed to see the pirates cowering fromhim, with Hook in their midst as abject as if he had heard thecrocodile.

The crocodile! No sooner did Peter remember it than he heardthe ticking. At first he thought the sound did come from thecrocodile, and he looked behind him swiftly. They he realisedthat he was doing it himself, and in a flash he understood thesituation. "How clever of me!" he thought at once, and signedto the boys not to burst into applause.

It was at this moment that Ed Teynte the quartermaster emergedfrom the forecastle and came along the deck. Now, reader, timewhat happened by your watch. Peter struck true and deep. Johnclapped his hands on the ill-fated pirate's mouth to stifle thedying groan. He fell forward. Four boys caught him to preventthe thud. Peter gave the signal, and the carrion was castoverboard. There was a splash, and then silence. How long hasit taken?

"One!" (Slightly had begun to count.)

None too soon, Peter, every inch of him on tiptoe, vanishedinto the cabin; for more than one pirate was screwing up hiscourage to look round. They could hear each other's distressedbreathing now, which showed them that the more terrible sound hadpassed.

"It's gone, captain," Smee said, wiping off his spectacles. "All's still again."

Slowly Hook let his head emerge from his ruff, and listened sointently that he could have caught the echo of the tick. Therewas not a sound, and he drew himself up firmly to his fullheight.

"Then here's to Johnny Plank!" he cried brazenly, hating theboys more than ever because they had seen him unbend. He brokeinto the villainous ditty:

"Yo ho, yo ho, the frisky plank,You walks along it so,Till it goes down and you goes downTo Davy Jones below!"

To terrorize the prisoners the more, though with a certain lossof dignity, he danced along an imaginary plank, grimacing at themas he sang; and when he finished he cried, "Do you want a touchof the cat [`o nine tails] before you walk the plank?"

At that they fell on their knees. "No, no!" they cried sopiteously that every pirate smiled.

"Fetch the cat, Jukes," said Hook; "it's in the cabin."

The cabin! Peter was in the cabin! The children gazed at eachother.

"Ay, ay," said Jukes blithely, and he strode into the cabin. They followed him with their eyes; they scarce knew that Hook hadresumed his song, his dogs joining in with him:

"Yo ho, yo ho, the scratching cat,Its tails are nine, you know,And when they're writ upon your back -- "

What was the last line will never be known, for of a sudden thesong was stayed by a dreadful screech from the cabin. It wailedthrough the ship, and died away. Then was heard a crowing soundwhich was well understood by the boys, but to the pirates wasalmost more eerie than the screech.

"What was that?" cried Hook.

"Two," said Slightly solemnly.

The Italian Cecco hesitated for a moment and then swung intothe cabin. He tottered out, haggard.

"What's the matter with Bill Jukes, you dog?" hissed Hook,towering over him.

"The matter wi' him is he's dead, stabbed," replied Cecco in ahollow voice.

"Bill Jukes dead!" cried the startled pirates.

"The cabin's as black as a pit," Cecco said, almost gibbering,"but there is something terrible in there: the thing you heardcrowing."

The exultation of the boys, the lowering looks of the pirates,both were seen by Hook.

"Cecco," he said in his most steely voice, "go back and fetchme out that doodle-doo."

Cecco, bravest of the brave, cowered before his captain, crying"No, no"; but Hook was purring to his claw.

"Did you say you would go, Cecco?" he said musingly.

Cecco went, first flinging his arms despairingly. There was nomore singing, all listened now; and again came a death-screechand again a crow.

No one spoke except Slightly. "Three," he said.

Hook rallied his dogs with a gesture. "'S'death and oddsfish," he thundered, "who is to bring me that doodle-doo?"

"Wait till Cecco comes out," growled Starkey, and the others tookup the cry.

"I think I heard you volunteer, Starkey," said Hook, purringagain.

"No, by thunder!" Starkey cried.

"My hook thinks you did," said Hook, crossing to him. "Iwonder if it would not be advisable, Starkey, to humour the hook?"

"I'll swing before I go in there," replied Starkey doggedly,and again he had the support of the crew.

"Is this mutiny?" asked Hook more pleasantly than ever. "Starkey's ringleader!"

"Captain, mercy!" Starkey whimpered, all of a tremble now.

"Shake hands, Starkey," said Hook, proffering his claw.

Starkey looked round for help, but all deserted him. As hebacked up Hook advanced, and now the red spark was in his eye. With a despairing scream the pirate leapt upon Long Tom andprecipitated himself into the sea.

"Four," said Slightly.

"And now," Hook said courteously, "did any other gentlemen saymutiny?" Seizing a lantern and raising his claw with a menacinggesture, "I'll bring out that doodle-doo myself," he said, andsped into the cabin.

"Five." How Slightly longed to say it. He wetted his lips tobe ready, but Hook came staggering out, without his lantern.

"Something blew out the light," he said a little unsteadily.

"Something!" echoed Mullins.

"What of Cecco?" demanded Noodler.

"He's as dead as Jukes," said Hook shortly.

His reluctance to return to the cabin impressed them allunfavourably, and the mutinous sounds again broke forth. Allpirates are superstitious, and Cookson cried, "They do say thesurest sign a ship's accurst is when there's one on board morethan can be accounted for."

"I've heard," muttered Mullins, "he always boards the piratecraft last. Had he a tail, captain?"

"They say," said another, looking viciously at Hook, "that whenhe comes it's in the likeness of the wickedest man aboard."

"Had he a hook, captain?" asked Cookson insolently; and oneafter another took up the cry, "The ship's doomed!" At this thechildren could not resist raising a cheer. Hook had well-nighforgotten his prisoners, but as he swung round on them now hisface lit up again.

"Lads," he cried to his crew, "now here's a notion. Open thecabin door and drive them in. Let them fight the doodle-doo fortheir lives. If they kill him, we're so much the better; if hekills them, we're none the worse."

For the last time his dogs admired Hook, and devotedly they didhis bidding. The boys, pretending to struggle, were pushed intothe cabin and the door was closed on them.

"Now, listen!" cried Hook, and all listened. But not one daredto face the door. Yes, one, Wendy, who all this time had beenbound to the mast. It was for neither a scream nor a crow thatshe was watching, it was for the reappearance of Peter.

She had not long to wait. In the cabin he had found the thingfor which he had gone in search: the key the would free thechildren of their manacles, and now they all stole forth, armedwith such weapons as they could find. First signing them tohide, Peter cut Wendy's bonds, and then nothing could have beeneasier than for them all to fly off together; but one thingbarred the way, an oath, "Hook or me this time." So when he hadfreed Wendy, he whispered for her to conceal herself with theothers, and himself took her place by the mast, her cloak aroundhim so that he should pass for her. Then he took a great breathand crowed.

To the pirates it was a voice crying that all the boys layslain in the cabin; and they were panic-stricken. Hook tried tohearten them; but like the dogs he had made them they showed himtheir fangs, and he knew that if he took his eyes off them nowthey would leap at him.

"Lads," he said, ready to cajole or strike as need be, butnever quailing for an instant, "I've thought it out. There's aJonah aboard."

"Ay," they snarled, "a man wi' a hook."

"No, lads, no, it's the girl. Never was luck on a pirate shipwi' a woman on board. We'll right the ship when she's gone."

Some of them remembered that this had been a saying ofFlint's. "It's worth trying," they said doubtfully.

"Fling the girl overboard," cried Hook; and they made a rush atthe figure in the cloak.

"There's none can save you now, missy," Mullins hissedjeeringly.

"There's one," replied the figure.

"Who's that?"

"Peter Pan the avenger!" came the terrible answer; and as hespoke Peter flung off his cloak. Then they all knew who 'twasthat had been undoing them in the cabin, and twice Hook essayedto speak and twice he failed. In that frightful moment I thinkhis fierce heart broke.

At last he cried, "Cleave him to the brisket!" but withoutconviction.

"Down, boys, and at them!" Peter's voice rang out; and inanother moment the clash of arms was resounding through the ship. Had the pirates kept together it is certain that they would havewon; but the onset came when they were still unstrung, and theyran hither and thither, striking wildly, each thinking himselfthe last survivor of the crew. Man to man they were thestronger; but they fought on the defensive only, which enabledthe boys to hunt in pairs and choose their quarry. Some of themiscreants leapt into the sea; others hid in dark recesses, wherethey were found by Slightly, who did not fight, but ran aboutwith a lantern which he flashed in their faces, so that they werehalf blinded and fell as an easy prey to the reeking swords ofthe other boys. There was little sound to be heard but the clangof weapons, an occasional screech or splash, and Slightlymonotonously counting -- five -- six -- seven -- eight -- nine --ten -- eleven.

I think all were gone when a group of savage boys surroundedHook, who seemed to have a charmed life, as he kept them at bayin that circle of fire. They had done for his dogs, but this manalone seemed to be a match for them all. Again and again theyclosed upon him, and again and again he hewed a clear space. Hehad lifted up one boy with his hook, and was using him as abuckler [shield], when another, who had just passed his swordthrough Mullins, sprang into the fray.

"Put up your swords, boys," cried the newcomer, "this man ismine."

Thus suddenly Hook found himself face to face with Peter. Theothers drew back and formed a ring around them.

For long the two enemies looked at one another, Hook shudderingslightly, and Peter with the strange smile upon his face.

"So, Pan," said Hook at last, "this is all your doing."

"Ay, James Hook," came the stern answer, "it is all my doing."

"Proud and insolent youth," said Hook, "prepare to meet thydoom."

"Dark and sinister man," Peter answered, "have at thee."

Without more words they fell to, and for a space there was noadvantage to either blade. Peter was a superb swordsman, andparried with dazzling rapidity; ever and anon he followed up afeint with a lunge that got past his foe's defence, but hisshorter reach stood him in ill stead, and he could not drive thesteel home. Hook, scarcely his inferior in brilliancy, but notquite so nimble in wrist play, forced him back by the weight ofhis onset, hoping suddenly to end all with a favourite thrust, taught him long ago by Barbecue at Rio; but to his astonishment hefound this thrust turned aside again and again. Then he sought toclose and give the quietus with his iron hook, which all this timehad been pawing the air; but Peter doubled under it and, lungingfiercely, pierced him in the ribs. At the sight of his own blood,whose peculiar colour, you remember, was offensive to him,the sword fell from Hook's hand, and he was at Peter's mercy.

"Now!" cried all the boys, but with a magnificent gesture Peterinvited his opponent to pick up his sword. Hook did so instantly,but with a tragic feeling that Peter was showing good form.

Hitherto he had thought it was some fiend fighting him, butdarker suspicions assailed him now.

"Pan, who and what art thou?" he cried huskily.

"I'm youth, I'm joy," Peter answered at a venture, "I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg."

This, of course, was nonsense; but it was proof to the unhappyHook that Peter did not know in the least who or what he was,which is the very pinnacle of good form.

"To't again," he cried despairingly.

He fought now like a human flail, and every sweep of thatterrible sword would have severed in twain any man or boy whoobstructed it; but Peter fluttered round him as if the very windit made blew him out of the danger zone. And again and again hedarted in and pricked.

Hook was fighting now without hope. That passionate breast nolonger asked for life; but for one boon it craved: to see Petershow bad form before it was cold forever.

Abandoning the fight he rushed into the powder magazine andfired it.

"In two minutes," he cried, "the ship will be blown to pieces."

Now, now, he thought, true form will show.

But Peter issued from the powder magazine with the shell in hishands, and calmly flung it overboard.

What sort of form was Hook himself showing? Misguided manthough he was, we may be glad, without sympathising with him,that in the end he was true to the traditions of his race. Theother boys were flying around him now, flouting, scornful; and hestaggered about the deck striking up at them impotently, his mindwas no longer with them; it was slouching in the playing fieldsof long ago, or being sent up [to the headmaster] for good, orwatching the wall-game from a famous wall. And his shoes wereright, and his waistcoat was right, and his tie was right, andhis socks were right.

James Hook, thou not wholly unheroic figure, farewell.

For we have come to his last moment.

Seeing Peter slowly advancing upon him through the air withdagger poised, he sprang upon the bulwarks to cast himself intothe sea. He did not know that the crocodile was waiting forhim; for we purposely stopped the clock that this knowledge mightbe spared him: a little mark of respect from us at the end.

He had one last triumph, which I think we need not grudge him. As he stood on the bulwark looking over his shoulder at Petergliding through the air, he invited him with a gesture to use hisfoot. It made Peter kick instead of stab.

At last Hook had got the boon for which he craved.

"Bad form," he cried jeeringly, and went content to thecrocodile.

Thus perished James Hook.

"Seventeen," Slightly sang out; but he was not quite correct inhis figures. Fifteen paid the penalty for their crimes thatnight; but two reached the shore: Starkey to be captured by theredskins, who made him nurse for all their papooses, a melancholycome-down for a pirate; and Smee, who henceforth wandered aboutthe world in his spectacles, making a precarious living by sayinghe was the only man that Jas. Hook had feared.

Wendy, of course, had stood by taking no part in the fight,though watching Peter with glistening eyes; but now that all wasover she became prominent again. She praised them equally, andshuddered delightfully when Michael showed her the place where hehad killed one; and then she took them into Hook's cabin andpointed to his watch which was hanging on a nail. It said "half-past one!"

The lateness of the hour was almost the biggest thing of all. She got them to bed in the pirates' bunks pretty quickly, you maybe sure; all but Peter, who strutted up and down on the deck,until at last he fell asleep by the side of Long Tom. He had oneof his dreams that night, and cried in his sleep for a long time,and Wendy held him tightly.