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V cors Msz Darlñ sd at wns ɖt ś wd hv ɖm; bt Mr Darlñ wz krịsli dprest, n ɖe sw ɖt h cnsidrd six a rɖr larj numbr.

“I mst se,” h sd t Wndi, “ɖt y d’nt d ʈñz bî havz,” a grujñ rmarc ẃć ɖ twinz ʈt wz pôntd at ɖm.

Ɖ frst twin wz ɖ prǎd wn, n h asct, fluśñ, “D y ʈnc w śd b tù mć v a hanfl, sr? Bcz, f so, w cn g awe.”

“Faɖr!” Wndi craid, śoct; bt stl ɖ clǎd wz on him. H ń h wz bhevñ unwrɖ̇li, bt h cd nt hlp it.

“W cd lî dubld p,” sd Nibz.

“I olwz cut ɖer her mslf,” sd Wndi.

“Jorj!” Msz Darlñ xclemd, pend t si hr dir wn śowñ himslf in sć an unfevṛbl lît.

Ɖen h brst intu tirz, n ɖ truʈ cem ǎt. H wz az glad t hv ɖm az ś wz, h sd, bt h ʈt ɖe śd hv asct hiz cnsnt az wel az hrz, instd v trītñ him az a sîfr in hiz ǒn hǎs.

“I d’nt ʈnc h z a sîfr,” Tūtlz craid instntli. “D y ʈnc h z a sîfr, Crli?”

“No, I d’nt. D y ʈnc h z a sîfr, Slîtli?”

“Rɖr nt. Twin, ẃt d y ʈnc?”

It trnd ǎt ɖt nt wn v ɖm ʈt him a sîfr; n h wz absrdli graṭfaid, n sd h wd fînd spes fr ɖm ol in ɖ drw̃rūm f ɖe fitd in.

“W’l fit in, sr,” ɖe aśurd him.

“Ɖen folo ɖ līdr,” h craid gêli. “Mînd y, I am nt śr ɖt w hv a drw̃rūm, bt w pritnd w hv, n it’s ol ɖ sem. Hūp la!”

H wnt of dansñ ʈru ɖ hǎs, n ɖe ol craid “Hūp la!” n danst aftr him, srćñ fr ɖ drw̃rūm; n I fget ẃɖr ɖe faund it, bt at eni ret ɖe faund cornrz, n ɖe ol fitd in.

Az fr Pītr, h sw Wndi wns agn bfr h flù awe. H dd nt xacli cm t ɖ windo, bt h bruśt agnst it in pasñ so ɖt ś cd opn it f ś lîct n cōl t him. Ɖt z ẃt ś dd.

“Hlo, Wndi, gdbî,” h sd.

“Ǒ dir, r y gwñ awe?”

“Yes.”

“Y d’nt fīl, Pītr,” ś sd fōlṭrñli, “ɖt y wd lîc t se enʈñ t mî peṛnts abt a vri swīt subjict?”

“No.”

“Abt m, Pītr?”

“No.”

Msz Darlñ cem t ɖ windo, fr at preznt ś wz cīpñ a śarp î on Wndi. Ś tld Pītr ɖt ś hd adoptd ol ɖ uɖr bôz, n wd lîc t adopt him olso.

“Wd y snd m t scūl?” h inqîrd crafṭli.

“Yes.”

“N ɖen t an ofis?”

“I s’poz so.”

“Sn I wd b a man?”

“Vri sn.”

“I d’nt wont t g t scūl n lrn soḷm ʈñz,” h tld hr paśṇtli. “I d’nt wont t b a man. O Wndi’z muɖr, f I wz t wec p n fīl ɖr wz a bird!”

“Pītr,” sd Wndi ɖ cumḟtr, “I śd luv y in a bird;” n Msz Darlñ strećt ǎt hr armz t him, bt h rpulst hr.

“Cīp bac, ledi, nwn z gwñ t cać m n mc m a man.”

“Bt ẃr r y gwñ t liv?”

“Wɖ Tnc in ɖ hǎs w bilt fr Wndi. Ɖ fẹriz r t pt it hî p amñ ɖ tri tops ẃr ɖe slīp at nîts.”

“Hǎ luvli,” craid Wndi so loññli ɖt Msz Darlñ tîtnd hr grip.

“I ʈt ol ɖ fẹriz wr ded,” Msz Darlñ sd.

“Ɖr r olwz a lot v yuñ wnz,” xplend Wndi, hu wz nǎ qt an oʈoṛti, “bcz y si ẃn a ny bebi lafs fr ɖ frst tîm a ny fẹri z born, n az ɖr r olwz ny bebiz ɖr r olwz ny fẹriz. Ɖe liv in nsts on ɖ tops v triz; n ɖ mov wnz r bôz n ɖ ẃît wnz r grlz, n ɖ blu wnz r jst litl siliz hu r nt śr ẃt ɖe r.”

“I śl hv sć fun,” sd Pītr, wɖ î on Wndi.

“It wl b rɖr lonli in ɖ īvnñ,” ś sd, “sitñ bî ɖ fîr.”

“I śl hv Tnc.”

“Tnc c’nt g a twentiiʈ part v ɖ we rnd,” ś rmîndd him a litl tartli.

“Snīci tel-têl!” Tnc cōld ǎt fṛm smẃr rnd ɖ cornr.

“It dz’nt matr,” Pītr sd.

“O Pītr, y nǒ it matrz.”

“Wel, ɖen, cm wɖ m t ɖ litl hǎs.”

“Me I, mumi?”

“Srtnli nt. I hv got y hom agn, n I mīn t cīp y.”

“Bt h dz so nīd a muɖr.”

“So d y, mî luv.”

“Ǒ, ol rît,” Pītr sd, az f h hd asct hr fṛm p’lîtnis mirli; bt Msz Darlñ sw hiz mǎʈ twić, n ś md ɖs hansm ofr: t let Wndi g t him fr a wīc evri yir t d hiz sprñclīnñ. Wndi wd hv prifŕd a mor prṃnnt arenjmnt; n it sīmd t hr ɖt sprñ wd b loñ in cmñ; bt ɖs promis snt Pītr awe qt ge agn. H hd no sns v tîm, n wz so fl v advnćrz ɖt ol I hv tld y abt him z onli a heṗniwrʈ v ɖm. I s’poz it wz bcz Wndi ń ɖs ɖt hr last wrdz t him wr ɖz rɖr plentiv wnz:

“Y w’nt fget m, Pītr, wl y, bfr sprñclīnñ tîm cmz?”

V cors Pītr promist; n ɖen h flù awe. H tc Msz Darlñ’z cis wɖ him. Ɖ cis ɖt hd bn fr nwn els, Pītr tc qt īẓli. Funi. Bt ś sīmd saṭsfaid.

V cors ol ɖ bôz wnt t scūl; n most v ɖm got intu Clas III, bt Slîtli wz pt frst intu Clas IV n ɖen intu Clas V. Clas I z ɖ top clas. Bfr ɖe hd atndd scūl a wīc ɖe sw ẃt gǒts ɖe hd bn nt t rmen on ɖ îḷnd; bt it wz tù lêt nǎ, n sn ɖe setld dǎn t biyñ az ordnri az y or m or Jncinz mînr. It z sad t hv t se ɖt ɖ pǎr t flî graɉli left ɖm. At frst Nana taid ɖer fīt t ɖ bedposts so ɖt ɖe śd nt flî awe in ɖ nît; n wn v ɖer dvrśnz bî de wz t pritnd t fōl of busz; bt bî n bî ɖe sīst t tug at ɖer bondz in bed, n faund ɖt ɖe hrt ɖmslvz ẃn ɖe let g v ɖ bus. In tîm ɖe cd nt īvn flî aftr ɖer hats. Wont v practis, ɖe cōld it; bt ẃt it riyli mnt wz ɖt ɖe no longr b’livd.

Mîcl b’livd longr ɖn ɖ uɖr bôz, ɖo ɖe jird at him; so h wz wɖ Wndi ẃn Pītr cem fr hr at ɖ end v ɖ frst yir. Ś flù awe wɖ Pītr in ɖ froc ś hd wovn fṛm līvz n bériz in ɖ Neṿland, n hr wn fir wz ɖt h mt notis hǎ śort it hd bcm; bt h nvr notist, h hd so mć t se abt himslf.

Ś hd lct fwd t ʈrilñ tōcs wɖ him abt old tîmz, bt ny advnćrz hd crǎdd ɖ old wnz fṛm hiz mînd.

“Hu z Captin Hc?” h asct wɖ inṭrest ẃn ś spouc v ɖ arć eṇmi.

“D’nt y rmembr,” ś asct, amezd, “hǎ y cild him n sevd ol ǎr lîvz?”

“I fget ɖm aftr I cil ɖm,” h rplaid cerlisli.

Ẃn ś xprest a dǎtfl hop ɖt Tncr Bel wd b glad t si hr h sd, “Hu z Tncr Bel?”

“O Pītr,” ś sd, śoct; bt īvn ẃn ś xplend h cd nt rmembr.

“Ɖr r sć a lot v ɖm,” h sd. “I xpct ś z no mor.”

I xpct h wz rît, fr fẹriz d’nt liv loñ, bt ɖe r so litl ɖt a śort tîm sīmz a gd ẃl t ɖm.

Wndi wz pend tù t fînd ɖt ɖ past yir wz bt az yesṭde t Pītr; it hd sīmd sć a loñ yir v wêtñ t hr. Bt h wz xacli az faṣnetñ az evr, n ɖe hd a luvli sprñclīnñ in ɖ litl hǎs on ɖ tri tops.

Nxt yir h dd nt cm fr hr. Ś wêtd in a ny froc bcz ɖ old wn simpli wd nt mīt; bt h nvr cem.

“Phps h z il,” Mîcl sd.

“Y nǒ h z nvr il.”

Mîcl cem clos t hr n ẃisprd, wɖ a śivr, “Phps ɖr z no sć prsn, Wndi!” n ɖen Wndi wd hv craid f Mîcl hd nt bn crayñ.

Pītr cem nxt sprñclīnñ; n ɖ strenj ʈñ wz ɖt h nvr ń h hd míst a yir.

Ɖt wz ɖ last tîm ɖ grl Wndi evr sw him. Fr a litl longr ś traid fr hiz sec nt t hv growñ penz; n ś flt ś wz untru t him ẃn ś got a prîz fr jenṛl nolij. Bt ɖ yirz cem n wnt wɖt brññ ɖ cerlis bô; n ẃn ɖe met agn Wndi wz a marid wmn, n Pītr wz no mor t hr ɖn a litl dust in ɖ box in ẃć ś hd cept hr tôz. Wndi wz groun p. Y nīd nt b sori fr hr. Ś wz wn v ɖ cnd ɖt lîcs t gro p. In ɖ end ś grù p v hr ǒn fri wil a de qcr ɖn uɖr grlz.

Ol ɖ bôz wr groun p n dn fr bî ɖs tîm; so it z scersli wrʈ ẃl seyñ enʈñ mor abt ɖm. Y me si ɖ twinz n Nibz n Crli eni de gwñ t an ofis, ć cariyñ a litl bag n an umbrela. Mîcl z an enjindrîvr. Slîtli marid a ledi v tîtl, n so h bcem a lord. Y si ɖt juj in a wig cmñ ǎt at ɖ ayn dor? Ɖt yst t b Tūtlz. Ɖ birdd man hu dz’nt nǒ eni stori t tel hiz ćildṛn wz wns Jon.

Wndi wz marid in ẃît wɖ a pnc saś. It z strenj t ʈnc ɖt Pītr dd nt alît in ɖ ćrć n fbid ɖ bánz.

Yirz rold on agn, n Wndi hd a dōtr. Ɖs òt nt t b ritn in ñc bt in a goldn splaś.

Ś wz cōld Jen, n olwz hd an od inqîrñ lc, az f fṛm ɖ momnt ś arîvd on ɖ mênḷnd ś wontd t asc qsćnz. Ẃn ś wz old inuf t asc ɖm ɖe wr mostli abt Pītr Pan. Ś luvd t hír v Pītr, n Wndi tld hr ol ś cd rmembr in ɖ vri nrṣri fṛm ẃć ɖ feṃs flît hd tecn ples. It wz Jen’z nrṣri nǎ, fr hr faɖr hd bòt it at ɖ ʈri psnts fṛm Wndi’z faɖr, hu wz no longr fond v sterz. Msz Darlñ wz nǎ ded n fgotn.

Ɖr wr onli tū bedz in ɖ nrṣri nǎ, Jen’z n hr nrs’z; n ɖr wz no cenl, fr Nana olso hd pást awe. Ś daid v old ej, n at ɖ end ś hd bn rɖr dificlt t gt on wɖ; biyñ vri frmli cnvinst ɖt nwn ń hǎ t lc aftr ćildṛn xpt hrslf.

Wns a wīc Jen’z nrs hd hr īvnñ of; n ɖen it wz Wndi’z part t pt Jen t bed. Ɖt wz ɖ tîm fr storiz. It wz Jen’z invnśn t rêz ɖ śīt ovr hr muɖr’z hed n hr ǒn, ɖus mcñ a tnt, n in ɖ ōfl darcnis t ẃispr:

“Ẃt d w si nǎ?”

“I d’nt ʈnc I si enʈñ tnît,” sz Wndi, wɖ a fīlñ ɖt f Nana wr hir ś wd objct t frɖr convseśn.

“Yes, y d,” sz Jen, “y si ẃn y wr a litl grl.”

“Ɖt z a loñ tîm ago, swīthart,” sz Wndi. “Ā m, hǎ tîm flîz!”

“Dz it flî,” ascs ɖ artfl ćîld, “ɖ we y flù ẃn y wr a litl grl?”

“Ɖ we I flù? D y nǒ, Jen, I smtmz wundr ẃɖr I evr dd riyli flî.”

“Yes, y dd.”

“Ɖ dir old dez ẃn I cd flî!”

“Ẃ c’nt y flî nǎ, muɖr?”

“Bcz I am groun p, dirist. Ẃn ppl gro p ɖe fget ɖ we.”

“Ẃ d ɖe fget ɖ we?”

“Bcz ɖe r no longr ge n iṇsnt n hartlis. It z onli ɖ ge n iṇsnt n hartlis hu cn flî.”

“Ẃt z ge n iṇsnt n hartlis? I d wś I wr ge n iṇsnt n hartlis.”

Or phps Wndi admits ś dz si smʈñ.

“I d b’liv,” ś sz, “ɖt it z ɖs nrṣri.”

“I d b’liv it z,” sz Jen. “G on.”

Ɖe r nǎ imbarct on ɖ gret advnćr v ɖ nît ẃn Pītr flù in lcñ fr hiz śado.

“Ɖ fūliś felo,” sz Wndi, “traid t stic it on wɖ sop, n ẃn h cd nt h craid, n ɖt wouc m, n I soud it on fr him.”

“Y hv míst a bit,” inṭrupts Jen, hu nǎ nz ɖ stori betr ɖn hr muɖr. “Ẃn y sw him sitñ on ɖ flor crayñ, ẃt dd y se?”

“I sat p in bed n I sd, ‘Bô, ẃ r y crayñ?’”

“Yes, ɖt wz it,” sz Jen, wɖ a big breʈ.

“N ɖen h flù s ol awe t ɖ Neṿland n ɖ fẹriz n ɖ pîṛts n ɖ redscinz n ɖ mrmeidz’ l’gūn, n ɖ hom undr ɖ grǎnd, n ɖ litl hǎs.”

“Yes! ẃć dd y lîc bst v ol?”

“I ʈnc I lîct ɖ hom undr ɖ grǎnd bst v ol.”

“Yes, so d I. Ẃt wz ɖ last ʈñ Pītr evr sd t y?”

“Ɖ last ʈñ h evr sd t m wz, ‘Jst olwz b wêtñ fr m, n ɖen sm nît y wl hír m crowñ’.”

“Yes.”

“Bt, alas, h fgot ol abt m,” Wndi sd it wɖ a smîl. Ś wz az groun p az ɖt.

“Ẃt dd hiz cro sǎnd lîc?” Jen asct wn īvnñ.

“It wz lîc ɖs,” Wndi sd, trayñ t iṃtet Pītr’z cro.

“No, it wz’nt,” Jen sd grevli, “it wz lîc ɖs;” n ś dd it evr so mć betr ɖn hr muɖr.

Wndi wz a litl startld. “Mî darlñ, hǎ cn y nǒ?”

“I ofn hír it ẃn I am slīpñ,” Jen sd.

“Ā yes, mni grlz hír it ẃn ɖe r slīpñ, bt I wz ɖ onli wn hu hŕd it awec.”

“Luci y,” sd Jen.

N ɖen wn nît cem ɖ traɉdi. It wz ɖ sprñ v ɖ yir, n ɖ stori hd bn tld fr ɖ nît, n Jen wz nǎ aslip in hr bed. Wndi wz sitñ on ɖ flor, vri clos t ɖ fîr, so az t si t darn, fr ɖr wz no uɖr lît in ɖ nrṣri; n ẃl ś sat darnñ ś hŕd a cro. Ɖen ɖ windo blù opn az v old, n Pītr dropt in on ɖ flor.

H wz xacli ɖ sem az evr, n Wndi sw at wns ɖt h stl hd ol hiz frst tīʈ.

H wz a litl bô, n ś wz groun p. Ś hudld bî ɖ fîr nt dẹrñ t muv, hlplis n gilti, a big wmn.

“Hlo, Wndi,” h sd, nt noṭsñ eni difṛns, fr h wz ʈncñ ćīfli v himslf; n in ɖ dim lît hr ẃît dres mt hv bn ɖ nîtgǎn in ẃć h hd sìn hr frst.

“Hlo, Pītr,” ś rplaid fentli, sqizñ hrslf az smōl az poṣbl. Smʈñ insd hr wz crayñ “Wmn, Wmn, let g v m.”

“Hlo, ẃr z Jon?” h asct, sudnli misñ ɖ ʈrd bed.

“Jon z nt hir nǎ,” ś gaspt.

“Z Mîcl aslip?” h asct, wɖ a cerlis glans at Jen.

“Yes,” ś ansrd; n nǎ ś flt ɖt ś wz untru t Jen az wel az t Pītr.

“Ɖt z nt Mîcl,” ś sd qcli, lest a jujmnt śd fōl on hr.

Pītr lct. “Hlo, z it a ny wn?”

“Yes.”

“Bô or grl?”

“Grl.”

Nǎ śrli h wd unḍstand; bt nt a bit v it.

“Pītr,” ś sd, fōlṭrñ, “r y xpctñ m t flî awe wɖ y?”

“V cors; ɖt z ẃ I hv cm.” H add a litl strnli, “Hv y fgotn ɖt ɖs z sprñclīnñ tîm?”

Ś ń it wz yslis t se ɖt h hd let mni sprñclīnñ tîmz pas.

“I c’nt cm,” ś sd apoḷjeticli, “I hv fgotn hǎ t flî.”

“I’l sn tīć y agn.”

“O Pītr, d’nt west ɖ fẹridust on m.”

Ś hd rizn; n nǎ at last a fir aseld him. “Ẃt z it?” h craid, śrincñ.

“I wl trn p ɖ lît,” ś sd, “n ɖen y cn si fr yrslf.”

Fr olmst ɖ onli tîm in hiz lîf ɖt I nǒ v, Pītr wz afreid. “D’nt trn p ɖ lît,” h craid.

Ś let hr handz ple in ɖ her v ɖ trajic bô. Ś wz nt a litl grl hart-brocn abt him; ś wz a groun wmn smîlñ at it ol, bt ɖe wr wet-aid smîlz.

Ɖen ś trnd p ɖ lît, n Pītr sw. H gev a crî v pen; n ẃn ɖ tōl bytifl crīćr stūpt t lift him in hr armz h drù bac śarpli.

“Ẃt z it?” h craid agn.

Ś hd t tel him.

“I am old, Pītr. I am evr so mć mor ɖn twenti. I grù p loñ ago.”

“Y promist nt t!”

“I cd’nt hlp it. I am a marid wmn, Pītr.”

“No, y’r nt.”

“Yes, n ɖ litl grl in ɖ bed z mî bebi.”

“No, ś’z nt.”

Bt h s’pozd ś wz; n h tc a step twdz ɖ slīpñ ćîld wɖ hiz dagr uprezd. V cors h dd nt strîc. H sat dǎn on ɖ flor instd n sobd; n Wndi dd nt nǒ hǎ t cumḟt him, ɖo ś cd hv dn it so īẓli wns. Ś wz onli a wmn nǎ, n ś ran ǎt v ɖ rūm t trî t ʈnc.

Pītr cntinyd t crî, n sn hiz sobz wouc Jen. Ś sat p in bed, n wz inṭrestd at wns.

“Bô,” ś sd, “ẃ r y crayñ?”

Pītr rouz n baud t hr, n ś baud t him fṛm ɖ bed.

“Hlo,” h sd.

“Hlo,” sd Jen.

“Mî nem z Pītr Pan,” h tld hr.

“Yes, I nǒ.”

“I cem bac fr mî muɖr,” h xplend, “t tec hr t ɖ Neṿland.”

“Yes, I nǒ,” Jen sd, “I hv bn wêtñ fr y.”

Ẃn Wndi rtrnd difidntli ś faund Pītr sitñ on ɖ bedpost crowñ glorịsli, ẃl Jen in hr nighty wz flayñ rnd ɖ rūm in soḷm xṭsi.

“Ś z mî muɖr,” Pītr xplend; n Jen dsndd n std bî hiz sîd, wɖ ɖ lc in hr fes ɖt h lîct t si on lediz ẃn ɖe gezd at him.

“H dz so nīd a muɖr,” Jen sd.

“Yes, I nǒ,” Wndi admitd rɖr f’lornli; “nwn nz it so wel az I.”

“Gdbî,” sd Pītr t Wndi; n h rouz in ɖ er, n ɖ śemlis Jen rouz wɖ him; it wz olrdi hr īziist we v muvñ abt.

Wndi ruśt t ɖ windo.

“No, no,” ś craid.

“It z jst fr sprñclīnñ tîm,” Jen sd, “h wonts m olwz t d hiz sprñclīnñ.”

“F onli I cd g wɖ y,” Wndi said.

“Y si y c’nt flî,” sd Jen.

V cors in ɖ end Wndi let ɖm flî awe tgɖr. Ǎr last glims v hr śoz hr at ɖ windo, woćñ ɖm rsidñ intu ɖ scî untl ɖe wr az smōl az starz.

Az y lc at Wndi, y me si hr her bcmñ ẃît, n hr figr litl agn, fr ol ɖs hapnd loñ ago. Jen z nǎ a comn groun-up, wɖ a dōtr cōld Marġrit; n evri sprñclīnñ tîm, xpt ẃn h fgets, Pītr cmz fr Marġrit n tecs hr t ɖ Neṿland, ẃr ś tlz him storiz abt himslf, t ẃć h lisnz īgrli. Ẃn Marġrit groz p ś wl hv a dōtr, hu z t b Pītr’z muɖr in trn; n ɖus it wl g on, so loñ az ćildṛn r ge n iṇsnt n hartlis.

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It nīd nt b sd hu wz ɖ captin. Nibz n Jon wr frst n secnd mêt. Ɖr wz a wmn abōrd. Ɖ rest wr tarz bfr ɖ māst, n livd in ɖ focsl. Pītr hd olrdi laśt himslf t ɖ ẃīl; bt h pîpt ol handz n dlivrd a śort adres t ɖm; sd h hopt ɖe wd d ɖer dyti lîc gaḷnt hartiz, bt ɖt h ń ɖe wr ɖ scum v Rio n ɖ Gold Cǒst, n f ɖe snapt at him h wd ter ɖm. Ɖ bluf strîdnt wrdz struc ɖ not sêlrz unḍstd, n ɖe ćird him lusṭli. Ɖen a fy śarp ordrz wr gvn, n ɖe trnd ɖ śip rnd, n nozd hr fr ɖ mênḷnd.

Captin Pan calkletd, aftr cnsultñ ɖ śip’s ćart, ɖt f ɖs weɖr lastd ɖe śd strîc ɖ Azorz abt ɖ 21st v Jūn, aftr ẃć it wd sev tîm t flî.

Sm v ɖm wontd it t b an onist śip n uɖrz wr in fevr v cīpñ it a pîṛt; bt ɖ captin trītd ɖm az dogz, n ɖe derd nt xpres ɖer wśz t him īvn in a rǎnd robin. Instnt obīdịns wz ɖ onli sef ʈñ. Slîtli got a duzn fr lcñ pplext ẃn tld t tec sǎndñz. Ɖ jenṛl fīlñ wz ɖt Pītr wz onist jst nǎ t lul Wndi’z sspiśnz, bt ɖt ɖr mt b a ćenj ẃn ɖ ny sūt wz redi, ẃć, agnst hr wl, ś wz mcñ fr him ǎt v sm v Hc’s wic̣dist garmnts. It wz afṭwdz ẃisprd amñ ɖm ɖt on ɖ frst nît h wòr ɖs sūt h sat loñ in ɖ cabin wɖ Hc’s sgarholdr in hiz mǎʈ n wn hand clenćt, ol bt fr ɖ fōrfngr, ẃć h bnt n hld ʈreṭnñli aloft lîc a hc.

Instd v woćñ ɖ śip, hvr, w mst nǎ rtrn t ɖt dezḷt hom fṛm ẃć ʈri v ǎr caṛctrz hd tecn hartlis flît so loñ ago. It sīmz a śem t hv nglectd Nu 14 ol ɖs tîm; n yt w me b śr ɖt Msz Darlñ dz nt blem s. F w hd rtrnd snr t lc wɖ soṛfl simṗʈi at hr, ś wd probbli hv craid, “D’nt b sili; ẃt d I matr? D g bac n cīp an î on ɖ ćildṛn.” So loñ az muɖrz r lîc ɖs ɖer ćildṛn wl tec advantij v ɖm; n ɖe me le t ɖt.

Īvn nǎ w vnćr intu ɖt fmiłr nrṣri onli bcz its lwfl okpnts r on ɖer we hom; w r mirli huriyñ on in advans v ɖm t si ɖt ɖer bedz r proprli erd n ɖt Mr n Msz Darlñ d nt g ǎt fr ɖ īvnñ. W r no mor ɖn srvnts. Ẃ on rʈ śd ɖer bedz b proprli erd, siyñ ɖt ɖe left ɖm in sć a ʈanclis huri? Wd it nt srv ɖm joli wel rît f ɖe cem bac n faund ɖt ɖer peṛnts wr spendñ ɖ wīcend in ɖ cuntri? It wd b ɖ moṛl lésn ɖe hv bn in nīd v evr sins w met ɖm; bt f w cntrîvd ʈñz in ɖs we Msz Darlñ wd nvr fgiv s.

Wn ʈñ I śd lîc t d imnsli, n ɖt z t tel hr, in ɖ we oʈrz hv, ɖt ɖ ćildṛn r cmñ bac, ɖt indd ɖe wl b hir on Ʈrzde wīc. Ɖs wd spôl so cmplitli ɖ s’prîz t ẃć Wndi n Jon n Mîcl r lcñ fwd. Ɖe hv bn planñ it ǎt on ɖ śip: muɖr’z rapćr, faɖr’z śǎt v jô, Nana’z līp ʈru ɖ er t imbres ɖm frst, ẃn ẃt ɖe òt t b priperd fr z a gd hîdñ. Hǎ dliśs t spôl it ol bî brecñ ɖ nyz in advans; so ɖt ẃn ɖe entr grandli Msz Darlñ me nt īvn ofr Wndi hr mǎʈ, n Mr Darlñ me xclem petiśli, “Daś it ol, hir r ɖoz bôz agn.” Hvr, w śd gt no ʈancs īvn fr ɖs. W r bginñ t nǒ Msz Darlñ bî ɖs tîm, n me b śr ɖt ś wd upbrêd s fr dprîvñ ɖ ćildṛn v ɖer litl pleźr.

“Bt, mî dir madm, it z ten dez tl Ʈrzde wīc; so ɖt bî telñ y ẃt’s ẃt, w cn sev y ten dez v unhapinis.”

“Yes, bt at ẃt a cost! Bî dprîvñ ɖ ćildṛn v ten minits v dlît.”

“Ǒ, f y lc at it in ɖt we!”

“Ẃt uɖr we z ɖr in ẃć t lc at it?”

Y si, ɖ wmn hd no propr spirit. I hd mnt t se xtrordnṛli nîs ʈñz abt hr; bt I dspîz hr, n nt wn v ɖm wl I se nǎ. Ś dz nt riyli nīd t b tld t hv ʈñz redi, fr ɖe r redi. Ol ɖ bedz r erd, n ś nvr līvz ɖ hǎs, n obzrv, ɖ windo z opn. Fr ol ɖ ys w r t hr, w mt wel g bac t ɖ śip. Hvr, az w r hir w me az wel ste n lc on. Ɖt z ol w r, lcrz-on. Nbdi riyli wonts s. So let s woć n se jagi ʈñz, in ɖ hop ɖt sm v ɖm wl hrt.

Ɖ onli ćenj t b sìn in ɖ nîtnrṣri z ɖt btwn nîn n six ɖ cenl z no longr ɖr. Ẃn ɖ ćildṛn flù awe, Mr Darlñ flt in hiz bonz ɖt ol ɖ blem wz hiz fr hvñ ćend Nana p, n ɖt fṛm frst t last ś hd bn wîzr ɖn h. V cors, az w hv sìn, h wz qt a simpl man; indd h mt hv pást fr a bô agn f h hd bn ebl t tec hiz bòldnis of; bt h hd olso a nobl sns v justis n a layn’z curij t d ẃt sīmd rît t him; n hvñ ʈt ɖ matr ǎt wɖ añśs cer aftr ɖ flît v ɖ ćildṛn, h wnt dǎn on ol forz n crōld intu ɖ cenl. T ol Msz Darlñ’z dir invteśnz t him t cm ǎt h rplaid sadli bt frmli:

“No, mî ǒn wn, ɖs z ɖ ples fr m.”

In ɖ bitrnis v hiz rmors h swòr ɖt h wd nvr līv ɖ cenl untl hiz ćildṛn cem bac. V cors ɖs wz a piti; bt ẃtvr Mr Darlñ dd h hd t d in xes, uɖ̇wz h sn gev p dwñ it. N ɖr nvr wz a mor humbl man ɖn ɖ wns prǎd Jorj Darlñ, az h sat in ɖ cenl v an īvnñ tōcñ wɖ hiz wîf v ɖer ćildṛn n ol ɖer priti wez.

Vri tućñ wz hiz defṛns t Nana. H wd nt let hr cm intu ɖ cenl, bt on ol uɖr matrz h foloud hr wśz impliṣtli.

Evri mornñ ɖ cenl wz carid wɖ Mr Darlñ in it t a cab, ẃć cnveid him t hiz ofis, n h rtrnd hom in ɖ sem we at six. Smʈñ v ɖ streñʈ v caṛctr v ɖ man wl b sìn f w rmembr hǎ snṣtiv h wz t ɖ opińn v nebrz: ɖs man huz evri muvmnt nǎ atractd s’prîzd atnśn. Inẉdli h mst hv sufrd torćr; bt h prizrvd a cām xtirịr īvn ẃn ɖ yuñ criṭsîzd hiz litl hom, n h olwz liftd hiz hat crtịsli t eni ledi hu lct insd.

It me hv bn Qixotic, bt it wz mgnifisnt. Sn ɖ inwd mīnñ v it līct ǎt, n ɖ gret hart v ɖ public wz tućt. Crǎdz foloud ɖ cab, ćirñ it lusṭli; ćarmñ grlz sceld it t gt hiz ōṭgraf; inṭvyz apird in ɖ betr clas v peprz, n ssayti invîtd him t dinr n add, “D cm in ɖ cenl.”

On ɖt ivntfl Ʈrzde wīc, Msz Darlñ wz in ɖ nît-nrṣri awêtñ Jorj’z rtrn hom; a vri sad-aid wmn. Nǎ ɖt w lc at hr closli n rmembr ɖ geyti v hr in ɖ old dez, ol gn nǎ jst bcz ś hz lost hr bebz, I fînd I w’nt b ebl t se nasti ʈñz abt hr aftr ol. F ś wz tù fond v hr ruḅśñ ćildṛn, ś cd’nt hlp it. Lc at hr in hr ćer, ẃr ś hz fōḷn aslip. Ɖ cornr v hr mǎʈ, ẃr wn lcs frst, z olmst wiɖrd p. Hr hand muvz restlisli on hr brest az f ś hd a pen ɖr. Sm lîc Pītr bst, n sm lîc Wndi bst, bt I lîc hr bst. S’poz, t mc hr hapi, w ẃispr t hr in hr slīp ɖt ɖ brats r cmñ bac. Ɖe r riyli wɖn tū mîlz v ɖ windo nǎ, n flayñ stroñ, bt ol w nīd ẃispr z ɖt ɖe r on ɖ we. Let’s.

It z a piti w dd it, fr ś hz startd p, cōlñ ɖer nemz; n ɖr z nwn in ɖ rūm bt Nana.

“O Nana, I dremt mî dir wnz hd cm bac.”

Nana hd filmi îz, bt ol ś cd d wz pt hr pw jntli on hr mistris’z lap; n ɖe wr sitñ tgɖr ɖus ẃn ɖ cenl wz bròt bac. Az Mr Darlñ pts hiz hed ǎt t cis hiz wîf, w si ɖt hiz fes z mor wòrn ɖn v yor, bt hz a softr xpreśn.

H gev hiz hat t Lîza, hu tc it scornḟli; fr ś hd no imaɉneśn, n wz qt inceṗbl v unḍstandñ ɖ motivz v sć a man. Ǎtsd, ɖ crǎd hu hd acumṗnid ɖ cab hom wr stl ćirñ, n h wz naćṛli nt unmuvd.

“Lisn t ɖm,” h sd; “it z vri graṭfayñ.”

“Lots v litl bôz,” snird Lîza.

“Ɖr wr sevṛl adults tde,” h aśurd hr wɖ a fent fluś; bt ẃn ś tóst hr hed h hd nt a wrd v rprūf fr hr. Sośl s’xes hd nt spôlt him; it hd md him swītr. Fr sm tîm h sat wɖ hiz hed ǎt v ɖ cenl, tōcñ wɖ Msz Darlñ v ɖs s’xes, n presñ hr hand ri’śurñli ẃn ś sd ś hopt hiz hed wd nt b trnd bî it.

“Bt f I hd bn a wìc man,” h sd. “Gd hevnz, f I hd bn a wìc man!”

“N, Jorj,” ś sd timidli, “y r az fl v rmors az evr, r’nt y?”

“Fl v rmors az evr, dirist! Si mî puniśmnt: livñ in a cenl.”

“Bt it z puniśmnt, z’nt it, Jorj? Y r śr y r nt injoyñ it?”

“Mî luv!”

Y me b śr ś begd hiz pardn; n ɖen, fīlñ drǎzi, h crld rnd in ɖ cenl.

“W’nt y ple m t slīp,” h asct, “on ɖ nrṣripiano?” n az ś wz crosñ t ɖ dênrṣri h add ʈtlisli, “N śut ɖt windo. I fīl a dráft.”

“O Jorj, nvr asc m t d ɖt. Ɖ windo mst olwz b left opn fr ɖm, olwz, olwz.”

Nǎ it wz hiz trn t beg hr pardn; n ś wnt intu ɖ dênrṣri n pleid, n sn h wz aslip; n ẃl h slept, Wndi n Jon n Mîcl flù intu ɖ rūm.

Ǒ No. W hv ritn it so, bcz ɖt wz ɖ ćarmñ arenjmnt pland bî ɖm bfr w left ɖ śip; bt smʈñ mst hv hapnd sins ɖen, fr it z nt ɖe hu hv floun in, it z Pītr n Tncr Bel.

Pītr’z frst wrdz tel ol.

“Qc Tnc,” h ẃisprd, “cloz ɖ windo; bar it! Ɖt’s rît. Nǎ y n I mst gt awe bî ɖ dor; n ẃn Wndi cmz ś wl ʈnc hr muɖr hz bàrd hr ǎt; n ś wl hv t g bac wɖ m.”

Nǎ I unḍstand ẃt hd hiɖrtu puzld m, ẃ ẃn Pītr hd xtrṃnetd ɖ pîṛts h dd nt rtrn t ɖ îḷnd n līv Tnc t escort ɖ ćildṛn t ɖ mênḷnd. Ɖs tric hd bn in hiz hed ol ɖ tîm.

Instd v fīlñ ɖt h wz bhevñ badli h danst wɖ gli; ɖen h pīpt intu ɖ dênrṣri t si hu wz pleyñ. H ẃisprd t Tnc, “It’s Wndi’z muɖr! Ś z a priti ledi, bt nt so priti az mî muɖr. Hr mǎʈ z fl v ʈimblz, bt nt so fl az mî muɖr’z wz.”

V cors h ń nʈñ ẃtvr abt hiz muɖr; bt h smtmz bragd abt hr.

H dd nt nǒ ɖ tyn, ẃć wz “Hom, Swīt Hom,” bt h ń it wz seyñ, “Cm bac, Wndi, Wndi, Wndi”; n h craid xultntli, “Y wl nvr si Wndi agn, ledi, fr ɖ windo z bàrd!”

H pīpt in agn t si ẃ ɖ ḿzic hd stopt, n nǎ h sw ɖt Msz Darlñ hd leid hr hed on ɖ box, n ɖt tū tirz wr sitñ on hr îz.

“Ś wonts m t unbar ɖ windo,” ʈt Pītr, “bt I w’nt, nt I!”

H pīpt agn, n ɖ tirz wr stl ɖr, or anɖr tū hd tecn ɖer ples.

“Ś’z ōḟli fond v Wndi,” h sd t himslf. H wz angri wɖ hr nǎ fr nt siyñ ẃ ś cd nt hv Wndi.

Ɖ rīzn wz so simpl: “I’m fond v hr tù. W c’nt bʈ hv hr, ledi.”

Bt ɖ ledi wd nt mc ɖ bst v it, n h wz unhapi. H sīst t lc at hr, bt īvn ɖen ś wd nt let g v him. H scipt abt n md funi fesz, bt ẃn h stopt it wz jst az f ś wr insd him, nocñ.

“Ǒ, ol rît,” h sd at last, n gulpt. Ɖen h unbàrd ɖ windo. “Cm on, Tnc,” h craid, wɖ a frîtfl snir at ɖ lwz v nećr; “w d’nt wont eni sili muɖrz;” n h flù awe.

Ɖus Wndi n Jon n Mîcl faund ɖ windo opn fr ɖm aftr ol, ẃć v cors wz mor ɖn ɖe dzrvd. Ɖe alîtd on ɖ flor, qt un’śemd v ɖmslvz, n ɖ yungist wn hd olrdi fgotn hiz hom.

“Jon,” h sd, lcñ arnd him dǎtḟli, “I ʈnc I hv bn hir bfr.”

“V cors y hv, y sili. Ɖr z yr old bed.”

“So it z,” Mîcl sd, bt nt wɖ mć cnvix́n.

“I se,” craid Jon, “ɖ cenl!” n h daśt acrs t lc intu it.

“Phps Nana z insd it,” Wndi sd.

Bt Jon ẃisld. “Hlo,” h sd, “ɖr’z a man insd it.”

“It’s faɖr!” xclemd Wndi.

“Let m si faɖr,” Mîcl begd īgrli, n h tc a gd lc. “H z nt so big az ɖ pîṛt I cild,” h sd wɖ sć franc dis’pôntmnt ɖt I am glad Mr Darlñ wz aslip; it wd hv bn sad f ɖoz hd bn ɖ frst wrdz h hŕd hiz litl Mîcl se.

Wndi n Jon hd bn tecn abac smẃt at fîndñ ɖer faɖr in ɖ cenl.

“Śrli,” sd Jon, lîc wn hu hd lost feʈ in hiz meṃri, “h yst nt t slīp in ɖ cenl?”

“Jon,” Wndi sd fōlṭrñli, “phps w d’nt rmembr ɖ old lîf az wel az w ʈt w dd.”

A ćil fél upn ɖm; n srv ɖm rît.

“It z vri cerlis v muɖr,” sd ɖt yuñ scǎndṛl Jon, “nt t b hir ẃn w cm bac.”

It wz ɖen ɖt Msz Darlñ bgan pleyñ agn.

“It’s muɖr!” craid Wndi, pīpñ.

“So it z!” sd Jon.

“Ɖen r y nt riyli ǎr muɖr, Wndi?” asct Mîcl, hu wz śrli slīpi.

“Ǒ dir!” xclemd Wndi, wɖ hr frst riyl twinj v rmors, “it wz qt tîm w cem bac.”

“Let s crīp in,” Jon sjstd, “n pt ǎr handz ovr hr îz.”

Bt Wndi, hu sw ɖt ɖe mst brec ɖ joys nyz mor jntli, hd a betr plan.

“Let s ol slip intu ǎr bedz, n b ɖr ẃn ś cmz in, jst az f w hd nvr bn awe.”

N so ẃn Msz Darlñ wnt bac t ɖ nîtnrṣri t si f hr huzbnd wz aslip, ol ɖ bedz wr okpaid. Ɖ ćildṛn wêtd fr hr crî v jô, bt it dd nt cm. Ś sw ɖm, bt ś dd nt b’liv ɖe wr ɖr. Y si, ś sw ɖm in ɖer bedz so ofn in hr drīmz ɖt ś ʈt ɖs wz jst ɖ drīm haññ arnd hr stl.

Ś sat dǎn in ɖ ćer bî ɖ fîr, ẃr in ɖ old dez ś hd nrst ɖm.

Ɖe cd nt unḍstand ɖs, n a cold fir fél upn ol ɖ ʈri v ɖm.

“Muɖr!” Wndi craid.

“Ɖt’s Wndi,” ś sd, bt stl ś wz śr it wz ɖ drīm.

“Muɖr!”

“Ɖt’s Jon,” ś sd.

“Muɖr!” craid Mîcl. H ń hr nǎ.

“Ɖt’s Mîcl,” ś sd, n ś strećt ǎt hr armz fr ɖ ʈri litl slfiś ćildṛn ɖe wd nvr enveḷp agn. Yes, ɖe dd, ɖe wnt rnd Wndi n Jon n Mîcl, hu hd slipt ǎt v bed n run t hr.

“Jorj, Jorj!” ś craid ẃn ś cd spīc; n Mr Darlñ wouc t śer hr blis, n Nana cem ruśñ in. Ɖr cd nt hv bn a luvlịr sît; bt ɖr wz nn t si it xpt a litl bô hu wz stẹrñ in at ɖ windo. H hd hd xṭsiz ińmṛbl ɖt uɖr ćildṛn cn nvr nǒ; bt h wz lcñ ʈru ɖ windo at ɖ wn jô fṛm ẃć h mst b fr evr bàrd.

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Wɖt gvñ a ʈōt t ẃt mt b ɖ fīlñz v a felocrīćr ɖus abrupli dprîvd v its closist cmpańn, Pītr bgan t cnsidr hǎ h cd trn ɖ ctastṛfi t hiz ǒn ys; n h dsîdd t tíc, so ɖt wîld bīsts śd b’liv h wz ɖ croc̣dîl n let him pas unṃlestd. H tict sūprbli, bt wɖ wn unforsìn rzult. Ɖ croc̣dîl wz amñ ɖoz hu hŕd ɖ sǎnd, n it foloud him, ɖo ẃɖr wɖ ɖ prṗs v rīgenñ ẃt it hd lost, or mirli az a frend undr ɖ b’lif ɖt it wz agn ticñ itslf, wl nvr b srtnli noun, fr, lîc slevz t a fixt îdīa, it wz a stypid bīst.

Pītr rīćt ɖ śor wɖt mishap, n wnt stret on, hiz legz incǎnṭrñ ɖ wōtr az f qt un’wer ɖt ɖe hd entrd a ny elimnt. Ɖus mni animlz pas fṛm land t wōtr, bt no uɖr hymn v hūm I nǒ. Az h swam h hd bt wn ʈōt: “Hc or m ɖs tîm.” H hd tict so loñ ɖt h nǎ wnt on ticñ wɖt nwñ ɖt h wz dwñ it. Hd h noun h wd hv stopt, fr t bōrd ɖ brig bî hlp v ɖ tíc, ɖo an injīńs îdīa, hd nt ocŕd t him.

On ɖ contrri, h ʈt h hd sceld hr sîd az nôzlis az a mǎs; n h wz amezd t si ɖ pîṛts cawrñ fṛm him, wɖ Hc in ɖer mdst az abject az f h hd hŕd ɖ croc̣dîl.

Ɖ croc̣dîl! No snr dd Pītr rmembr it ɖn h hŕd ɖ ticñ. At frst h ʈt ɖ sǎnd dd cm fṛm ɖ croc̣dîl, n h lct bhnd him swiftli. Ɖen h riylîzd ɖt h wz dwñ it himslf, n in a flaś h unḍstd ɖ sićueśn. “Hǎ clevr v m!” h ʈt at wns, n sînd t ɖ bôz nt t brst intu aplōz.

It wz at ɖs momnt ɖt Ed Tent ɖ qortrmastr imrjd fṛm ɖ focsl n cem alñ ɖ Dec. Nǎ, rīdr, tîm ẃt hapnd bî yr woć. Pītr struc tru n dīp. Jon clapt hiz handz on ɖ il-fetd pîṛt’s mǎʈ t stîfl ɖ dayñ gron. H fél fwd. For bôz còt him t privnt ɖ ʈud. Pītr gev ɖ signl, n ɖ carịn wz cast oṿbōrd. Ɖr wz a splaś, n ɖen sîḷns. Hǎ loñ hz it tecn?

“Wn!” (Slîtli hd bgun t cǎnt.)

Nn tù sn, Pītr, evri inć v him on tipto, vaniśt intu ɖ cabin; fr mor ɖn wn pîṛt wz scruwñ p hiz curij t lc rnd. Ɖe cd hír ć uɖr’z dstrest briɖñ nǎ, ẃć śoud ɖm ɖt ɖ mor teṛbl sǎnd hd pást.

“It’s gn, captin,” Smi sd, wîpñ of hiz specṭclz. “Ol’z stil agn.”

Slǒli Hc let hiz hed imrj fṛm hiz rúf, n lisnd so intntli ɖt h cd hv còt ɖ eco v ɖ tíc. Ɖr wz nt a sǎnd, n h drù himslf p frmli t hiz fl hît.

“Ɖen hir’z t Joni Planc!” h craid breznli, hetñ ɖ bôz mor ɖn evr bcz ɖe hd sìn him unbnd. H brouc intu ɖ viḷṇs diti:

“Yo hǒ, yo hǒ, ɖ frisci planc,
Y wōcs alñ it so,
Tl it gz dǎn n y gz dǎn
T Devi Jǒnz b’lo!”

T terrîz ɖ priznrz ɖ mor, ɖo wɖ a srtn los v digṇti, h danst alñ an imajinri planc, griṃsñ at ɖm az h sañ; n ẃn h finiśt h craid, “D y wont a tuć v ɖ cat bfr y wōc ɖ planc?”

At ɖt ɖe fél on ɖer niz. “No, no!” ɖe craid so pitịsli ɖt evri pîṛt smîld.

“Feć ɖ cat, Jūcs,” sd Hc; “it’s in ɖ cabin.”

Ɖ cabin! Pītr wz in ɖ cabin! Ɖ ćildṛn gezd at ć uɖr.

“Ai, ai,” sd Jūcs blîɖli, n h stroud intu ɖ cabin. Ɖe foloud him wɖ ɖer îz; ɖe scers ń ɖt Hc hd rzymd hiz soñ, hiz dogz jônñ in wɖ him:

“Yo hǒ, yo hǒ, ɖ scraćñ cat,
Its teilz r nîn, y nǒ,
N ẃn ɖ’r rit upn yr bac—”

Ẃt wz ɖ last lîn wl nvr b noun, fr v a sudn ɖ soñ wz steid bî a dredfl scrīć fṛm ɖ cabin. It weild ʈru ɖ śip, n daid awe. Ɖen wz hŕd a crowñ sǎnd ẃć wz wel unḍstd bî ɖ bôz, bt t ɖ pîṛts wz olmst mor i’ri ɖn ɖ scrīć.

“Ẃt wz ɖt?” craid Hc.

“Tū,” sd Slîtli soḷmli.

Ɖ Itałn Ćeco heztetd fr a momnt n ɖen swuñ intu ɖ cabin. H totrd ǎt, haġd.

“Ẃt’s ɖ matr wɖ Bil Jūcs, y dog?” hist Hc, tǎrñ ovr him.

“Ɖ matr wi’ him z h’z ded, stabd,” rplaid Ćeco in a holo vôs.

“Bil Jūcs ded!” craid ɖ startld pîṛts.

“Ɖ cabin’z az blac az a pit,” Ćeco sd, olmst jiḅrñ, “bt ɖr z smʈñ teṛbl in ɖr: ɖ ʈñ y hŕd crowñ.”

Ɖ xlteśn v ɖ bôz, ɖ lowrñ lcs v ɖ pîṛts, bʈ wr sìn bî Hc.

“Ćeco,” h sd in hiz most stīli vôs, “g bac n feć m ǎt ɖt dūdl-du.”

Ćeco, brevist v ɖ brev, cawrd bfr hiz captin, crayñ “No, no”; bt Hc wz pŕñ t hiz clw.

“Dd y se y wd g, Ćeco?” h sd ḿzñli.

Ćeco wnt, frst flññ hiz armz dspẹrñli. Ɖr wz no mor sññ, ol lisnd nǎ; n agn cem a deʈscrīć n agn a cro.

Nwn spouc xpt Slîtli. “Ʈri,” h sd.

Hc ralid hiz dogz wɖ a jsćr. “’Sdeʈ n odz fiś,” h ʈundrd, “hu z t brñ m ɖt dūdl-du?”

“Wêt tl Ćeco cmz ǎt,” grǎld Starci, n ɖ uɖrz tc p ɖ crî.

“I ʈnc I hŕd y voḷntir, Starci,” sd Hc, pŕñ agn.

“No, bî ʈundr!” Starci craid.

“Mî hc ʈncs y dd,” sd Hc, crosñ t him. “I wundr f it wd nt b advîẓbl, Starci, t hymr ɖ hc?”

“I’l swñ bfr I g in ɖr,” rplaid Starci dogidli, n agn h hd ɖ s’port v ɖ cru.

“Z ɖs ḿtini?” asct Hc mor plezntli ɖn evr. “Starci’z rñlīdr!”

“Captin, mrsi!” Starci ẃimprd, ol v a trembl nǎ.

“Śec handz, Starci,” sd Hc, proḟrñ hiz clw.

Starci lct rnd fr hlp, bt ol dzrtd him. Az h bact p Hc advanst, n nǎ ɖ red sparc wz in hiz î. Wɖ a dsperñ scrīm ɖ pîṛt lept upn Loñ Tom n prisiṗtetd himslf intu ɖ sī.

“For,” sd Slîtli.

“N nǎ,” Hc sd crtịsli, “dd eni uɖr jntlṃn se ḿṭni?” Sizñ a lantn n rezñ hiz clw wɖ a meṇsñ jsćr, “I’l brñ ǎt ɖt dūdl-du mslf,” h sd, n sped intu ɖ cabin.

“Fîv.” Hǎ Slîtli loñd t se it. H wetd hiz lips t b redi, bt Hc cem staġrñ ǎt, wɖt hiz lantn.

“Smʈñ blù ǎt ɖ lît,” h sd a litl unsteḍli.

“Smʈñ!” ecoud Mulinz.

“Ẃt v Ćeco?” dmandd Nūdlr.

“H’z az ded az Jūcs,” sd Hc śortli.

Hiz rluctns t rtrn t ɖ cabin imprest ɖm ol unfevṛbli, n ɖ ḿtiṇs sǎndz agn brouc fʈ. Ol pîṛts r sūṗstiśs, n Ccsn craid, “Ɖe d se ɖ śurist sîn a śip’s acrst z ẃn ɖr’z wn on bōrd mor ɖn cn b acǎntd fr.”

“I’v hŕd,” mutrd Mulinz, “h olwz bōrdz ɖ pîṛt craft last. Hd h a teil, captin?”

“Ɖe se,” sd anɖr, lcñ viśsli at Hc, “ɖt ẃn h cmz it’s in ɖ lîcnis v ɖ wic̣dist man abōrd.”

“Hd h a hc, captin?” asct Ccsn inṣḷntli; n wn aftr anɖr tc p ɖ crî, “Ɖ śip’s dūmd!” At ɖs ɖ ćildṛn cd nt rzist rezñ a ćir. Hc hd wel-nî fgotn hiz priznrz, bt az h swuñ rnd on ɖm nǎ hiz fes lit p agn.

“Ladz,” h craid t hiz cru, “nǎ hir’z a nośn. Opn ɖ cabin dor n drîv ɖm in. Let ɖm fît ɖ dūdl-du fr ɖer livz. F ɖe cil him, w’r so mć ɖ betr; f h cilz ɖm, w’r nn ɖ wrs.”

Fr ɖ last tîm hiz dogz admîrd Hc, n dvotidli ɖe dd hiz bidñ. Ɖ bôz, pritndñ t strugl, wr pśt intu ɖ cabin n ɖ dor wz clozd on ɖm.

“Nǎ, lisn!” craid Hc, n ol lisnd. Bt nt wn derd t fes ɖ dor. Yes, wn, Wndi, hu ol ɖs tîm hd bn baund t ɖ māst. It wz fr nɖr a scrīm nr a cro ɖt ś wz woćñ, it wz fr ɖ ri’piṛns v Pītr.

Ś hd nt loñ t wêt. In ɖ cabin h hd faund ɖ ʈñ fr ẃć h hd gn in srć: ɖ ci ɖt wd fri ɖ ćildṛn v ɖer maṇclz, n nǎ ɖe ol stoul fʈ, armd wɖ sć wepnz az ɖe cd fînd. Frst sînñ ɖm t hîd, Pītr cut Wndi’z bondz, n ɖen nʈñ cd hv bn īzịr ɖn fr ɖm ol t flî of tgɖr; bt wn ʈñ bàrd ɖ we, an oʈ, “Hc or m ɖs tîm.” So ẃn h hd frìd Wndi, h ẃisprd fr hr t cnsil hrslf wɖ ɖ uɖrz, n himslf tc hr ples bî ɖ māst, hr clǒc arnd him so ɖt h śd pas fr hr. Ɖen h tc a gret breʈ n croud.

T ɖ pîṛts it wz a vôs crayñ ɖt ol ɖ bôz le slein in ɖ cabin; n ɖe wr panic-stricn. Hc traid t hartn ɖm; bt lîc ɖ dogz h hd md ɖm ɖe śoud him ɖer fañz, n h ń ɖt f h tc hiz îz of ɖm nǎ ɖe wd līp at him.

“Ladz,” h sd, redi t cjol or strîc az nīd b, bt nvr qelñ fr an instnt, “I’v ʈt it ǎt. Ɖr’z a Jona abōrd.”

“Ai,” ɖe snarld, “a man wi’ a hc.”

“No, ladz, no, it’s ɖ grl. Nvr wz luc on a pîṛtśip wi’ a wmn on bōrd. W’l rît ɖ śip ẃn ś’z gn.”

Sm v ɖm rmembrd ɖt ɖs hd bn a seyñ v Flint’s. “It’s wrʈ trayñ,” ɖe sd dǎtḟli.

“Flñ ɖ grl oṿbōrd,” craid Hc; n ɖe md a ruś at ɖ figr in ɖ clǒc.

“Ɖr’z nn cn sev y nǎ, misi,” Mulinz hist jirñli.

“Ɖr’z wn,” rplaid ɖ figr.

“Hu’z ɖt?”

“Pītr Pan ɖ avnjr!” cem ɖ teṛbl ansr; n az h spouc Pītr fluñ of hiz clǒc. Ɖen ɖe ol ń hu ’twoz ɖt hd bn unduwñ ɖm in ɖ cabin, n twîs Hc eseid t spīc n twîs h feld. In ɖt frîtfl momnt I ʈnc hiz firs hart brouc.

At last h craid, “Clīv him t ɖ briscit!” bt wɖt cnvix́n.

“Dǎn, bôz, n at ɖm!” Pītr’z vôs rañ ǎt; n in anɖr momnt ɖ claś v armz wz rzǎndñ ʈru ɖ śip. Hd ɖ pîṛts cept tgɖr it z srtn ɖt ɖe wd hv wún; bt ɖ onset cem ẃn ɖe wr stl unstrung, n ɖe ran hiɖr n ɖiɖr, strîcñ wîldli, ć ʈncñ himslf ɖ last svîvr v ɖ cru. Man t man ɖe wr ɖ strongr; bt ɖe fòt on ɖ dfnsiv onli, ẃć inebld ɖ bôz t hunt in perz n ćūz ɖer qori. Sm v ɖ miscrịnts lept intu ɖ sī; uɖrz hid in darc rsesz, ẃr ɖe wr faund bî Slîtli, hu dd nt fît, bt ran abt wɖ a lantn ẃć h flaśt in ɖer fesz, so ɖt ɖe wr haf blîndd n fél az an īzi prei t ɖ rìcñ sordz v ɖ uɖr bôz. Ɖr wz litl sǎnd t b hŕd bt ɖ clañ v wepnz, an oceźnl scrīć or splaś, n Slîtli mnoṭṇsli cǎntñ—fîv—six—sevn—et—nîn—ten—ilevn.

I ʈnc ol wr gn ẃn a grūp v savij bôz srǎndd Hc, hu sīmd t hv a ćarmd lîf, az h cept ɖm at be in ɖt srcl v fîr. Ɖe hd dn fr hiz dogz, bt ɖs man alon sīmd t b a mać fr ɖm ol. Agn n agn ɖe clozd upn him, n agn n agn h hỳd a clir spes. H hd liftd p wn bô wɖ hiz hc, n wz yzñ him az a buclr, ẃn anɖr, hu hd jst pást hiz sord ʈru Mulinz, sprañ intu ɖ fre.

“Pt p yr sordz, bôz,” craid ɖ ny-cmr, “ɖs man z mîn.”

Ɖus sudnli Hc faund himslf fes t fes wɖ Pītr. Ɖ uɖrz drù bac n formd a rñ arnd ɖm.

Fr loñ ɖ tū eṇmiz lct at wn anɖr, Hc śuḍrñ slîtli, n Pītr wɖ ɖ strenj smîl upn hiz fes.

“So, Pan,” sd Hc at last, “ɖs z ol yr dwñ.”

“Ai, Jemz Hc,” cem ɖ strn ansr, “it z ol mî dwñ.”

“Prǎd n insḷnt yʈ,” sd Hc, “priper t mīt ɖî dūm.”

“Darc n sinistr man,” Pītr ansrd, “hv at ɖi.”

Wɖt mor wrdz ɖe fél t, n fr a spes ɖr wz no advantij t îɖr bled. Pītr wz a sūprb sordzmn, n parid wɖ daẓlñ r’pidti; evr n anon h foloud p a feint wɖ a lunj ɖt got past hiz fo’z dfns, bt hiz śortr rīć std him in il sted, n h cd nt drîv ɖ stīl hom. Hc, scersli hiz infirịr in briłnsi, bt nt qt so nimbl in ristple, forst him bac bî ɖ weit v hiz onset, hopñ sudnli t end ol wɖ a feṿrit ʈrust, tòt him loñ ago bî Barḅk at Rio; bt t hiz astoniśmnt h faund ɖs ʈrust trnd asd agn n agn. Ɖen h sòt t cloz n gv ɖ qîeṭs wɖ hiz ayn hc, ẃć ol ɖs tîm hd bn pw̃ ɖ er; bt Pītr dubld undr it n, lunjñ firsli, pirst him in ɖ ribz. At ɖ sît v hiz ǒn blud, huz pkłr culr, y rmembr, wz ofnsiv t him, ɖ sord fél fṛm Hc’s hand, n h wz at Pītr’z mrsi.

“Nǎ!” craid ol ɖ bôz, bt wɖ a mgnifisnt jsćr Pītr invîtd hiz oponnt t pic p hiz sord. Hc dd so instntli, bt wɖ a trajic fīlñ ɖt Pītr wz śowñ gd form.

Hiɖrtu h hd ʈt it wz sm fīnd fîtñ him, bt darcr sspiśnz aseld him nǎ.

“Pan, hu n ẃt art ɖǎ?” h craid husc̣li.

“I’m yʈ, I’m jô,” Pītr ansrd at a vnćr, “I’m a litl brd ɖt hz brocn ǎt v ɖ eg.”

Ɖs, v cors, wz nonsns; bt it wz prūf t ɖ unhapi Hc ɖt Pītr dd nt nǒ in ɖ līst hu or ẃt h wz, ẃć z ɖ vri piṇcl v gd form.

“T’t agn,” h craid dspẹrñli.

H fòt nǎ lîc a hymn flel, n evri swīp v ɖt teṛbl sord wd hv sevrd in twen eni man or bô hu obstructd it; bt Pītr flutrd rnd him az f ɖ vri wind it md blù him ǎt v ɖ denjr zon. N agn n agn h dartd in n prict.

Hc wz fîtñ nǎ wɖt hop. Ɖt paśṇt brest no longr asct fr lîf; bt fr wn būn it crevd: t si Pītr śo bad form bfr it wz cold fr evr.

Abandnñ ɖ fît h ruśt intu ɖ pǎdrmaġzīn n fîrd it.

“In tū minits,” h craid, “ɖ śip wl b bloun t pìsz.”

Nǎ, nǎ, h ʈt, tru form wl śo.

Bt Pītr iśùd fṛm ɖ pǎdrmaġzīn wɖ ɖ śel in hiz handz, n cāmli fluñ it oṿbōrd.

Ẃt sort v form wz Hc himslf śowñ? Msgîdd man ɖo h wz, w me b glad, wɖt simṗʈîzñ wɖ him, ɖt in ɖ end h wz tru t ɖ tṛdiśnz v hiz rês. Ɖ uɖr bôz wr flayñ arnd him nǎ, flǎtñ, scornfl; n h stagrd abt ɖ dec strîcñ p at ɖm imṗtntli, hiz mînd wz no longr wɖ ɖm; it wz slǎćñ in ɖ pleyñfīldz v loñ ago, or biyñ snt p fr gd, or woćñ ɖ wōlgem fṛm a feṃs wōl. N hiz śuz wr rît, n hiz weistcot wz rît, n hiz tî wz rît, n hiz socs wr rît.

Jemz Hc, ɖǎ nt hoļi unhirǒic figr, férwel.

Fr w hv cm t hiz last momnt.

Siyñ Pītr slǒli advansñ upn him ʈru ɖ er wɖ dagr pôzd, h sprañ upn ɖ bŭlẉcs t cast himslf intu ɖ sī. H dd nt nǒ ɖt ɖ croc̣dîl wz wêtñ fr him; fr w prṗsli stopt ɖ cloc ɖt ɖs nolij mt b sperd him: a litl marc v rspct fṛm s at ɖ end.

H hd wn last trîumf, ẃć I ʈnc w nīd nt gruj him. Az h std on ɖ bŭlẉc lcñ ovr hiz śoldr at Pītr glîdñ ʈru ɖ er, h invîtd him wɖ a jsćr t yz hiz ft. It md Pītr cic instd v stab.

At last Hc hd got ɖ būn fr ẃć h crevd.

“Bad form,” h craid jirñli, n wnt cntnt t ɖ croc̣dîl.

Ɖus periśt Jemz Hc.

“Sevntīn,” Slîtli sañ ǎt; bt h wz nt qt c’rect in hiz figrz. Fiftīn peid ɖ penlti fr ɖer crîmz ɖt nît; bt tū rīćt ɖ śor: Starci t b capćrd bî ɖ redscinz, hu md him nrs fr ol ɖer ppūsz, a meḷnc̣li cm-dǎn fr a pîṛt; n Smi, hu hnsfʈ wondrd abt ɖ wrld in hiz specṭclz, mcñ a pricerịs livñ bî seyñ h wz ɖ onli man ɖt Jas Hc hd fird.

Wndi, v cors, hd std bî tecñ no part in ɖ fît, ɖo woćñ Pītr wɖ gliṣnñ îz; bt nǎ ɖt ol wz ovr ś bcem prominnt agn. Ś prezd ɖm īqli, n śudrd dlîtḟli ẃn Mîcl śoud hr ɖ ples ẃr h hd cild wn; n ɖen ś tc ɖm intu Hc’s cabin n pôntd t hiz woć ẃć wz haññ on a nêl. It sd “haf-past wn!”

Ɖ lêtnis v ɖ aur wz olmst ɖ bigist ʈñ v ol. Ś got ɖm t bed in ɖ pîṛts’ buncs priti qcli, y me b śr; ol bt Pītr, hu strutd p n dǎn on ɖ dec, untl at last h fél aslip bî ɖ sîd v Loñ Tom. H hd wn v hiz drīmz ɖt nît, n craid in hiz slīp fr a loñ tîm, n Wndi hld him tîtli.

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Ś wz rápt in ɖ blancit v nît, ʈru ẃć no sǎnd fṛm hr cd hv rīćt ɖ śor. Ɖr wz litl sǎnd, n nn agriybl sev ɖ ẃŕ v ɖ śip’s sowñmśīn at ẃć Smi sat, evr industrịs n oblîjñ, ɖ esns v ɖ comnples, pʈetic Smi. I nǒ nt ẃ h wz so infiṇtli pʈetic, unls it wr bcz h wz so pʈeticli un’wer v it; bt īvn stroñ men hd t trn hesṭli fṛm lcñ at him, n mor ɖn wns on sumr īvnñz h hd tućt ɖ fǎnt v Hc’s tirz n md it flo. V ɖs, az v olmst evrʈñ els, Smi wz qt unconśs.

A fy v ɖ pîṛts lent ovr ɖ bŭlẉcs, drincñ in ɖ miazma v ɖ nît; uɖrz sprōld bî baṛlz ovr gemz v dîs n cardz; n ɖ xōstd for hu hd carid ɖ litl hǎs le pron on ɖ dec, ẃr īvn in ɖer slīp ɖe rold scilḟli t ɖs sîd or ɖt ǎt v Hc’s rīć, lest h śd clw ɖm mcanicli in pasñ.

Hc trod ɖ dec in ʈōt. O man unfaɖṃbl. It wz hiz aur v trîumf. Pītr hd bn rmuvd fr evr fṛm hiz paʈ, n ol ɖ uɖr bôz wr in ɖ brig, abt t wōc ɖ planc. It wz hiz grimist dīd sins ɖ dez ẃn h hd bròt Barḅk t hìl; n nwñ az w d hǎ ven a tabnacl z man, cd w b s’prîzd hd h nǎ pêst ɖ dec unsteḍli, belid ǎt bî ɖ windz v hiz s’xes?

Bt ɖr wz no ileśn in hiz geit, ẃć cept pes wɖ ɖ ax́n v hiz sombr mînd. Hc wz pṛfǎndli djctd.

H wz ofn ɖus ẃn cḿnñ wɖ himslf on bōrd śip in ɖ qaytyd v ɖ nît. It wz bcz h wz so teṛbli alon. Ɖs inscrūṭbl man nvr flt mor alon ɖn ẃn srǎndd bî hiz dogz. Ɖe wr soṣ́li infirịr t him.

Hc wz nt hiz tru nem. T rvil hu h riyli wz wd īvn at ɖs det set ɖ cuntri in a blêz; bt az ɖoz hu rīd btwn ɖ lînz mst olrdi hv gest, h hd bn at a feṃs public scūl; n its tṛdiśnz stl cluñ t him lîc garmnts, wɖ ẃć indd ɖe r larjli cnsrnd. Ɖus it wz ofnsiv t him īvn nǎ t bōrd a śip in ɖ sem dres in ẃć h grapld hr, n h stl adhird in hiz wōc t ɖ scūl’z dstnḡśt slǎć. Bt abv ol h rtend ɖ paśn fr gd form.

Gd form! Hvr mć h me hv djeṇretd, h stl ń ɖt ɖs z ol ɖt riyli matrz.

Fṛm far wɖn him h hŕd a crīcñ az v rusti portlz, n ʈru ɖm cem a strn tap-tap-tap, lîc haṃrñ in ɖ nît ẃn wn canot slīp. “Hv y bn gd form tde?” wz ɖer itrnl qsćn.

“Fem, fem, ɖt gliṭrñ bōbl, it z mîn,” h craid.

“Z it qt gd form t b dstnḡśt at enʈñ?” ɖ tap-tap fṛm hiz scūl rplaid.

“I am ɖ onli man hūm Barḅk fird,” h rjd, “n Flint fird Barḅk.”

“Barḅk, Flint—ẃt hǎs?” cem ɖ cutñ rtort.

Most dsqaytñ rflex́n v ol, wz it nt bad form t ʈnc abt gd form?

Hiz vîtlz wr torćrd bî ɖs probḷm. It wz a clw wɖn him śarpr ɖn ɖ ayn wn; n az it tòr him, ɖ prsṗreśn dript dǎn hiz talo cǎntinns n strīct hiz dublit. Oftîmz h drù hiz slīv acrs hiz fes, bt ɖr wz no damñ ɖt tricl.

Ā, envi nt Hc.

Ɖr cem t him a prizntimnt v hiz rli diṣluśn. It wz az f Pītr’z teṛbl oʈ hd bōrdd ɖ śip. Hc flt a glūmi dzîr t mc hiz dayñspīć, lest prezntli ɖr śd b no tîm fr it.

“Betr fr Hc,” h craid, “f h hd hd les ambiśn!” It wz in hiz darcist aurz onli ɖt h rfŕd t himslf in ɖ ʈrd prsn.

“No litl ćildṛn t luv m!”

Strenj ɖt h śd ʈnc v ɖs, ẃć hd nvr trubld him bfr; phps ɖ sowñmśīn bròt it t hiz mînd. Fr loñ h mutrd t himslf, stẹrñ at Smi, hu wz hemñ plasidli, undr ɖ cnvix́n ɖt ol ćildṛn fird him.

Fird him! Fird Smi! Ɖr wz nt a ćîld on bōrd ɖ brig ɖt nît hu dd nt olrdi luv him. H hd sd horid ʈñz t ɖm n hit ɖm wɖ ɖ pām v hiz hand, bcz h cd nt hit wɖ hiz fist, bt ɖe hd onli cluñ t him ɖ mor. Mîcl hd traid on hiz specṭclz.

T tel pur Smi ɖt ɖe ʈt him luṿbl! Hc ićt t d it, bt it sīmd tù brūtl. Instd, h rvolvd ɖs misṭri in hiz mînd: ẃ d ɖe fînd Smi luṿbl? H psyd ɖ probḷm lîc ɖ slūʈhǎnd ɖt h wz. F Smi wz luṿbl, ẃt wz it ɖt md him so? A teṛbl ansr sudnli prizntd itslf—“Gd form?”

Hd ɖ boṣn gd form wɖt nwñ it, ẃć z ɖ bst form v ol?

H rmembrd ɖt y hv t pruv y d’nt nǒ y hv it bfr y r eliɉbl fr Pop.

Wɖ a crî v rej h rezd hiz ayn hand ovr Smi’z hed; bt h dd nt ter. Ẃt arestd him wz ɖs rflex́n:

“T clw a man bcz h z gd form, ẃt wd ɖt b?”

“Bad form!”

Ɖ unhapi Hc wz az imṗtnt az h wz damp, n h fél fwd lîc a cut flǎr.

Hiz dogz ʈncñ him ǎt v ɖ we fr a tîm, diṣplin instntli rlaxt; n ɖe brouc intu a bac̣nełn dans, ẃć bròt him t hiz fīt at wns, ol tresz v hymn wìcnis gn, az f a bucit v wōtr hd pást ovr him.

“Qayt, y scugz,” h craid, “or I’l cast ancr in y;” n at wns ɖ din wz huśt. “R ol ɖ ćildṛn ćend, so ɖt ɖe canot flî awe?”

“Ai, ai.”

“Ɖen hôst ɖm p.”

Ɖ rećid priznrz wr dragd fṛm ɖ hold, ol xpt Wndi, n renjd in lîn in frunt v him. Fr a tîm h sīmd unconśs v ɖer prezns. H lold at hiz īz, humñ, nt unṃlodịsli, snaćz v a rūd soñ, n fnġrñ a pac v cardz. Evr n anon ɖ lît fṛm hiz sgar gev a tuć v culr t hiz fes.

“Nǎ ɖen, bŭliz,” h sd briscli, “six v y wōc ɖ planc tnît, bt I hv rūm fr tū cabinbôz. Ẃć v y z it t b?”

“D’nt iṛtet him uņessṛli,” hd bn Wndi’z instrux́nz in ɖ hold; so Tūtlz stept fwd p’lîtli. Tūtlz hetd ɖ îdīa v sînñ undr sć a man, bt an instñt tld him ɖt it wd b prūdnt t le ɖ rsponsbiḷti on an absnt prsn; n ɖo a smẃt sili bô, h ń ɖt muɖrz alon r olwz wilñ t b ɖ bufr. Ol ćildṛn nǒ ɖs abt muɖrz, n dspîz ɖm fr it, bt mc constnt ys v it.

So Tūtlz xplend prūdntli, “Y si, sr, I d’nt ʈnc mî muɖr wd lîc m t b a pîṛt. Wd yr muɖr lîc y t b a pîṛt, Slîtli?”

H wnct at Slîtli, hu sd mōrnḟli, “I d’nt ʈnc so,” az f h wśt ʈñz hd bn uɖ̇wz. “Wd yr muɖr lîc y t b a pîṛt, Twin?”

“I d’nt ʈnc so,” sd ɖ frst twin, az clevr az ɖ uɖrz. “Nibz, wd—”

“Sto ɖs gab,” rord Hc, n ɖ spocsṃn wr dragd bac. “Y, bô,” h sd, adresñ Jon, “y lc az f y hd a litl pluc in y. Didst nvr wont t b a pîṛt, mî harti?”

Nǎ Jon hd smtmz xpirịnst ɖs hanc̣rñ at maʈs. prep.; n h wz struc bî Hc’s picñ him ǎt.

“I wns ʈt v cōlñ mslf Red-handd Jac,” h sd difidntli.

“N a gd nem tù. W’l cōl y ɖt hir, bŭli, f y jôn.”

“Ẃt d y ʈnc, Mîcl?” asct Jon.

“Ẃt wd y cōl m f I jôn?” Mîcl dmandd.

“Blacbird Jo.”

Mîcl wz naćṛli imprest. “Ẃt d y ʈnc, Jon?” H wontd Jon t dsîd, n Jon wontd him t dsîd.

“Śl w stl b rspctfl subjicts v ɖ Cñ?” Jon inqîrd.

Ʈru Hc’s tīʈ cem ɖ ansr: “Y wd hv t swer, ‘Dǎn wɖ ɖ Cñ.’”

Phps Jon hd nt bhevd vri wel so far, bt h śon ǎt nǎ.

“Ɖen I rfyz,” h craid, baññ ɖ baṛl in frunt v Hc.

“N I rfyz,” craid Mîcl.

“Rūl Britańa!” sqīct Crli.

Ɖ infyrietd pîṛts buḟtd ɖm in ɖ mǎʈ; n Hc rord ǎt, “Ɖt sìlz yr dūm. Brñ p ɖer muɖr. Gt ɖ planc redi.”

Ɖe wr onli bôz, n ɖe wnt ẃît az ɖe sw Jūcs n Ćeco pripẹrñ ɖ fetl planc. Bt ɖe traid t lc brev ẃn Wndi wz bròt p.

No wrdz v mîn cn tel y hǎ Wndi dspîzd ɖoz pîṛts. T ɖ bôz ɖr wz at līst sm glamr in ɖ pîṛtcōlñ; bt ol ɖt ś sw wz ɖt ɖ śip hd nt bn tîdid fr yirz. Ɖr wz nt a porthoul on ɖ grîmi glas v ẃć y mt nt hv ritn wɖ yr fngr “Drti pig”; n ś hd olrdi ritn it on sevṛl. Bt az ɖ bôz gaɖrd rnd hr ś hd no ʈōt, v cors, sev fr ɖm.

“So, mî byti,” sd Hc, az f h spouc in siṛp, “y r t si yr ćildṛn wōc ɖ planc.”

Fîn jntlṃn ɖo h wz, ɖ intnṣti v hiz cḿnñz hd sôld hiz rúf, n sudnli h ń ɖt ś wz gezñ at it. Wɖ a hesti jsćr h traid t hîd it, bt h wz tù lêt.

“R ɖe t dî?” asct Wndi, wɖ a lc v sć frîtfl cntmt ɖt h nirli fentd.

“Ɖe r,” h snarld. “Sîḷns ol,” h cōld glotñli, “fr a muɖr’z last wrdz t hr ćildṛn.”

At ɖs momnt Wndi wz grand. “Ɖz r mî last wrdz, dir bôz,” ś sd frmli. “I fīl ɖt I hv a mesij t y fṛm yr riyl muɖrz, n it z ɖs: ‘W hop ǎr sunz wl dî lîc Ñgliś jntlṃn.’”

Īvn ɖ pîṛts wr ōd, n Tūtlz craid ǎt histericli, “I am gwñ t d ẃt mî muɖr hops. Ẃt r y t d, Nibz?”

“Ẃt mî muɖr hops. Ẃt r y t d, Twin?”

“Ẃt mî muɖr hops. Jon, ẃt r—”

Bt Hc hd faund hiz vôs agn.

“Tî hr p!” h śǎtd.

It wz Smi hu taid hr t ɖ māst. “Si hir, huni,” h ẃisprd, “I’l sev y f y promis t b mî muɖr.”

Bt nt īvn fr Smi wd ś mc sć a promis. “I wd olmst rɖr hv no ćildṛn at ol,” ś sd dsdenḟli.

It z sad t nǒ ɖt nt a bô wz lcñ at hr az Smi taid hr t ɖ māst; ɖ îz v ol wr on ɖ planc: ɖt last litl wōc ɖe wr abt t tec. Ɖe wr no longr ebl t hop ɖt ɖe wd wōc it manḟli, fr ɖ cpaṣti t ʈnc hd gn fṛm ɖm; ɖe cd stér n śivr onli.

Hc smîld on ɖm wɖ hiz tīʈ clozd, n tc a step twd Wndi. Hiz intnśn wz t trn hr fes so ɖt ś śd si ɖ bôz wōcñ ɖ planc wn bî wn. Bt h nvr rīćt hr, h nvr hŕd ɖ crî v anḡś h hopt t riñ fṛm hr. H hŕd smʈñ els instd.

It wz ɖ teṛbl tíc-tíc v ɖ croc̣dîl.

Ɖe ol hŕd it—pîṛts, bôz, Wndi; n imīɉtli evri hed wz bloun in wn d’rex́n; nt t ɖ wōtr ẃns ɖ sǎnd pṛsidd, bt twd Hc. Ol ń ɖt ẃt wz abt t hapn cnsrnd him alon, n ɖt fṛm biyñ actrz ɖe wr sudnli bcm spectetrz.

Vri frîtfl wz it t si ɖ ćenj ɖt cem ovr him. It wz az f h hd bn clipt at evri jônt. H fél in a litl hīp.

Ɖ sǎnd cem steḍli nirr; n in advans v it cem ɖs gastli ʈōt, “Ɖ croc̣dîl z abt t bōrd ɖ śip!”

Īvn ɖ ayn clw huñ inactiv; az f nwñ ɖt it wz no intrinzic part v ẃt ɖ atacñ fors wontd. Left so firḟli alon, eni uɖr man wd hv lein wɖ hiz îz śut ẃr h fél: bt ɖ jîgantic bren v Hc wz stl wrcñ, n undr its gîdns h crōld on ɖ niz alñ ɖ dec az far fṛm ɖ sǎnd az h cd g. Ɖ pîṛts rspctḟli clird a pasij fr him, n it wz onli ẃn h bròt p agnst ɖ bŭlẉcs ɖt h spouc.

“Hîd m!” h craid hōrsli.

Ɖe gaɖrd rnd him, ol îz avrtd fṛm ɖ ʈñ ɖt wz cmñ abōrd. Ɖe hd no ʈōt v fîtñ it. It wz Fet.

Onli ẃn Hc wz hidn fṛm ɖm dd krioṣti lūsn ɖ limz v ɖ bôz so ɖt ɖe cd ruś t ɖ śip’s sîd t si ɖ croc̣dîl clîmñ it. Ɖen ɖe got ɖ strenjist s’prîz v ɖ Nît v Nîts; fr it wz no croc̣dîl ɖt wz cmñ t ɖer ed. It wz Pītr.

H sînd t ɖm nt t gv vnt t eni crî v adṃreśn ɖt mt rǎz sspiśn. Ɖen h wnt on ticñ.

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A difṛnt trītmnt wz acordd t Wndi, hu cem last. Wɖ îronicl p’lîtnis Hc rezd hiz hat t hr, n, oḟrñ hr hiz arm, iscortd hr t ɖ spot ẃr ɖ uɖrz wr biyñ gagd. H dd it wɖ sć an er, h wz so frîtḟli distingué, ɖt ś wz tù faṣnetd t crî ǎt. Ś wz onli a litl grl.

Phps it z tel-têl t dvulj ɖt fr a momnt Hc intranst hr, n w tel on hr onli bcz hr slip léd t strenj rzults. Hd ś hōṭli unhandd him (n w śd hv luvd t rait it v hr), ś wd hv bn hrld ʈru ɖ er lîc ɖ uɖrz, n ɖen Hc wd probbli nt hv bn preznt at ɖ tayñ v ɖ ćildṛn; n hd h nt bn at ɖ tayñ h wd nt hv dscuvrd Slîtli’z sīcrit, n wɖt ɖ sīcrit h cd nt prezntli hv md hiz fǎl atmt on Pītr’z lîf.

Ɖe wr taid t privnt ɖer flayñ awe, dubld p wɖ ɖer niz clos t ɖer irz; n fr ɖ trusñ v ɖm ɖ blac pîṛt hd cut a rop intu nîn īql pìsz. Ol wnt wel untl Slîtli’z trn cem, ẃn h wz faund t b lîc ɖoz iṛtetñ parslz ɖt yz p ol ɖ strñ in gwñ rnd n līv no tagz wɖ ẃć t tî a nót. Ɖ pîṛts cict him in ɖer rej, jst az y cic ɖ parsl (ɖo in fernis y śd cic ɖ strñ); n strenj t se it wz Hc hu tld ɖm t b’le ɖer vayḷns. Hiz lip wz crld wɖ mliśs trîumf. Ẃl hiz dogz wr mirli swetñ bcz evri tîm ɖe traid t pac ɖ unhapi lad tît in wn part h buljd ǎt in anɖr, Hc’s mastr mînd hd gn far bnʈ Slîtli’z srfis, probñ nt fr ifcts bt fr cōzz; n hiz xlteśn śoud ɖt h hd faund ɖm. Slîtli, ẃît t ɖ gilz, ń ɖt Hc hd s’prîzd hiz sīcrit, ẃć wz ɖs, ɖt no bô so bloun ǎt cd yz a tri ẃr-in an aṿrij man nīd stic. Pur Slîtli, most rećid v ol ɖ ćildṛn nǎ, fr h wz in a panic abt Pītr, bitrli rgretd ẃt h hd dn. Madli adictd t ɖ drincñ v wōtr ẃn h wz hot, h hd sweld in consiqns t hiz preznt grʈ, n instd v rdysñ himslf t fit hiz tri h hd, uņoun t ɖ uɖrz, ẃitld hiz tri t mc it fit him.

Sfiśnt v ɖs Hc gest t pswed him ɖt Pītr at last le at hiz mrsi, bt no wrd v ɖ darc dzîn ɖt nǎ formd in ɖ subṭreńn cavnz v hiz mînd crost hiz lips; h mirli sînd ɖt ɖ captivz wr t b cnveid t ɖ śip, n ɖt h wd b alon.

Hǎ t cnve ɖm? Hunćt p in ɖer rops ɖe mt indd b rold dǎn hil lîc baṛlz, bt most v ɖ we le ʈru a mras. Agn Hc’s jīńs smǎntd dificltiz. H indcetd ɖt ɖ litl hǎs mst b yzd az a cnveyns. Ɖ ćildṛn wr fluñ intu it, for stǎt pîṛts rezd it on ɖer śoldrz, ɖ uɖrz fél in bhnd, n sññ ɖ hetfl pîṛtcōṛs ɖ strenj pṛseśn set of ʈru ɖ wŭd. I d’nt nǒ ẃɖr eni v ɖ ćildṛn wr crayñ; f so, ɖ sññ drǎnd ɖ sǎnd; bt az ɖ litl hǎs dis’pird in ɖ forist, a brev ɖo tîni jet v smoc iśùd fṛm its ćimni az f dfayñ Hc.

Hc sw it, n it dd Pītr a bad srvis. It draid p eni tricl v piti fr him ɖt me hv rmend in ɖ pîṛt’s infyrietd brest.

Ɖ frst ʈñ h dd on fîndñ himslf alon in ɖ fast fōlñ nît wz t tipto t Slîtli’z tri, n mc śr ɖt it pṛvîdd him wɖ a pasij. Ɖen fr loñ h rmend brūdñ; hiz hat v il omn on ɖ sword, so ɖt eni jntl brīz ẃć hd arizn mt ple rfreśñli ʈru hiz her. Darc az wr hiz ʈōts hiz blu îz wr az soft az ɖ periwncl. Intntli h lisnd fr eni sǎnd fṛm ɖ neɖr wrld, bt ol wz az sîḷnt b’lo az abv; ɖ hǎs undr ɖ grǎnd sīmd t b bt wn mor emti teṇmnt in ɖ vôd. Wz ɖt bô aslip, or dd h stand wêtñ at ɖ ft v Slîtli’z tri, wɖ hiz dagr in hiz hand?

Ɖr wz no we v nwñ, sev bî gwñ dǎn. Hc let hiz clǒc slip softli t ɖ grǎnd, n ɖen bîtñ hiz lips tl a lūd blud std on ɖm, h stept intu ɖ tri. H wz a brev man, bt fr a momnt h hd t stop ɖr n wîp hiz brǎ, ẃć wz dripñ lîc a candl. Ɖen, sîḷntli, h let himslf g intu ɖ uņoun.

H arîvd unṃlestd at ɖ ft v ɖ śaft, n std stil agn, bîtñ at hiz breʈ, ẃć hd olmst left him. Az hiz îz bcem acustmd t ɖ dim lît verịs objicts in ɖ hom undr ɖ triz tc śep; bt ɖ onli wn on ẃć hiz grīdi gêz restd, loñ sòt fr n faund at last, wz ɖ gret bed. On ɖ bed le Pītr fast aslip.

Un’wer v ɖ traɉdi biyñ inactd abv, Pītr hd cntinyd, fr a litl tîm aftr ɖ ćildṛn left, t ple gêli on hiz pîps: no dǎt rɖr a f’lorn atmt t pruv t himslf ɖt h dd nt cer. Ɖen h dsîdd nt t tec hiz meḍsin, so az t grīv Wndi. Ɖen h le dǎn on ɖ bed ǎtsd ɖ cuṿrḷt, t vx hr stl mor; fr ś hd olwz tuct ɖm insd it, bcz y nvr nǒ ɖt y me nt gro ćili at ɖ trn v ɖ nît. Ɖen h nirli craid; bt it struc him hǎ indignnt ś wd b f h laft instd; so h laft a hōti laf n fél aslip in ɖ midl v it.

Smtmz, ɖo nt ofn, h hd drīmz, n ɖe wr mor penfl ɖn ɖ drīmz v uɖr bôz. Fr aurz h cd nt b seṗretd fṛm ɖz drīmz, ɖo h weild pitịsli in ɖm. Ɖe hd t d, I ʈnc, wɖ ɖ ridl v hiz xistns. At sć tîmz it hd bn Wndi’z custm t tec him ǎt v bed n sit wɖ him on hr lap, suɖñ him in dir wez v hr ǒn invnśn, n ẃn h grù cāmr t pt him bac t bed bfr h qt wouc p, so ɖt h śd nt nǒ v ɖ indigṇti t ẃć ś hd sbjctd him. Bt on ɖs oceźn h hd fōḷn at wns intu a drīmlis slīp. Wn arm dropt ovr ɖ éj v ɖ bed, wn leg wz arćt, n ɖ unfiniśt part v hiz laf wz strandd on hiz mǎʈ, ẃć wz opn, śowñ ɖ litl prlz.

Ɖus dfnslis Hc faund him. H std sîḷnt at ɖ ft v ɖ tri lcñ acrs ɖ ćembr at hiz eṇmi. Dd no fīlñ v cmpaśn dstrb hiz sombr brest? Ɖ man wz nt hoļi īvl; h luvd flǎrz (I hv bn tld) n swīt ḿzic (h wz himslf no mīn pformr on ɖ harpṣcōrd); n, let it b francli admitd, ɖ idilic nećr v ɖ sīn strd him pṛfǎndli. Mastrd bî hiz betr slf h wd hv rtrnd rluctntli p ɖ tri, bt fr wn ʈñ.

Ẃt steid him wz Pītr’z imprtinnt apiṛns az h slept. Ɖ opn mǎʈ, ɖ drūpñ arm, ɖ arćt ni: ɖe wr sć a psoniḟceśn v cocinis az, tecn tgɖr, wl nvr agn, wn me hop, b prizntd t îz so snṣtiv t ɖer ofnsivnis. Ɖe stīld Hc’s hart. F hiz rej hd brocn him intu a hundṛd pìsz evrwn v ɖm wd hv disrigardd ɖ insidnt, n lept at ɖ slīpr.

Ɖo a lît fṛm ɖ wn lamp śon dimli on ɖ bed, Hc std in darcnis himslf, n at ɖ frst stelʈi step fwd h dscuvrd an obsṭcl, ɖ dor v Slîtli’z tri. It dd nt intîrli fil ɖ aṗćr, n h hd bn lcñ ovr it. Fīlñ fr ɖ cać, h faund t hiz fyri ɖt it wz lo dǎn, bynd hiz rīć. T hiz dsordrd bren it sīmd ɖen ɖt ɖ iṛtetñ qoḷti in Pītr’z fes n figr viẓbli incrist, n h ratld ɖ dor n fluñ himslf agnst it. Wz hiz eṇmi t iscep him aftr ol?

Bt ẃt wz ɖt? Ɖ red in hiz î hd còt sît v Pītr’z meḍsin standñ on a lej wɖn īzi rīć. H faɖmd ẃt it wz stret-we, n imīɉtli ń ɖt ɖ slīpr wz in hiz pǎr.

Lest h śd b tecn alîv, Hc olwz carid abt hiz prsn a dredfl drug, blendd bî himslf v ol ɖ deʈ-dīlñ rñz ɖt hd cm intu hiz pześn. Ɖz h hd bôld dǎn intu a yelo liqid qt uņoun t sayns, ẃć wz probbli ɖ most viryḷnt pôzn in xistns.

Fîv drops v ɖs h nǎ add t Pītr’z cup. Hiz hand śc, bt it wz in xlteśn rɖr ɖn in śem. Az h dd it h avôdd glansñ at ɖ slīpr, bt nt lest piti śd uņrv him; mirli t avôd spilñ. Ɖen wn loñ glǒtñ lc h cast upn hiz victim, n trnñ, wrmd hiz we wɖ dificlti p ɖ tri. Az h imrjd at ɖ top h lct ɖ vri spirit v īvl brecñ fṛm its houl. Donñ hiz hat at its most rêciś angl, h waund hiz clǒc arnd him, holdñ wn end in frunt az f t cnsil hiz prsn fṛm ɖ nît, v ẃć it wz ɖ blacist part, n muṭrñ strenjli t himslf, stoul awe ʈru ɖ triz.

Pītr slept on. Ɖ lît gutrd n wnt ǎt, līvñ ɖ teṇmnt in darcnis; bt stl h slept. It mst hv bn nt les ɖn ten o’cloc bî ɖ croc̣dîl, ẃn h sudnli sat p in hiz bed, wecnd bî h ń nt ẃt. It wz a soft cōśs tapñ on ɖ dor v hiz tri.

Soft n cōśs, bt in ɖt stilnis it wz sinistr. Pītr flt fr hiz dagr tl hiz hand gript it. Ɖen h spouc.

“Hu z ɖt?”

Fr loñ ɖr wz no ansr: ɖen agn ɖ noc.

“Hu r y?”

No ansr.

H wz ʈrild, n h luvd biyñ ʈrild. In tū strîdz h rīćt ɖ dor. Unlîc Slîtli’z dor, it fild ɖ aṗćr, so ɖt h cd nt si bynd it, nr cd ɖ wn nocñ si him.

“I w’nt opn unls y spīc,” Pītr craid.

Ɖen at last ɖ vizitr spouc, in a luvli beļîc vôs.

“Let m in, Pītr.”

It wz Tnc, n qcli h unbàrd t hr. Ś flù in xîtidli, hr fes fluśt n hr dres stend wɖ mud.

“Ẃt z it?”

“Ǒ, y cd nvr ges!” ś craid, n ofrd him ʈri gesz. “Ǎt wɖ it!” h śǎtd, n in wn ungṛmaticl sntns, az loñ az ɖ ribnz ɖt cunjrrz pl fṛm ɖer mǎɖz, ś tld v ɖ capćr v Wndi n ɖ bôz.

Pītr’z hart bobd p n dǎn az h lisnd. Wndi baund, n on ɖ pîṛtśip; ś hu luvd evrʈñ t b jst so!

“I’l resk hr!” h craid, līpñ at hiz wepnz. Az h lept h ʈt v smʈñ h cd d t plīz hr. H cd tec hiz meḍsin.

Hiz hand clozd on ɖ fetl dráft.

“No!” śrīct Tncr Bel, hu hd hŕd Hc mutr abt hiz dīd az h sped ʈru ɖ forist.

“Ẃ nt?”

“It z pôznd.”

“Pôznd? Hu cd hv pôznd it?”

“Hc.”

“D’nt b sili. Hǎ cd Hc hv got dǎn hir?”

Alas, Tncr Bel cd nt xplen ɖs, fr īvn ś dd nt nǒ ɖ darc sīcrit v Slîtli’z tri. Nvɖles Hc’s wrdz hd left no rūm fr dǎt. Ɖ cup wz pôznd.

“Bsdz,” sd Pītr, qt b’livñ himslf, “I nvr fél aslip.”

H rezd ɖ cup. No tîm fr wrdz nǎ; tîm fr dīdz; n wɖ wn v hr lîtnñ muvmnts Tnc got btwn hiz lips n ɖ dráft, n drend it t ɖ dregz.

“Ẃ, Tnc, hǎ der y drinc mî meḍsin?”

Bt ś dd nt ansr. Olrdi ś wz rīlñ in ɖ er.

“Ẃt z ɖ matr wɖ y?” craid Pītr, sudnli afreid.

“It wz pôznd, Pītr,” ś tld him softli; “n nǎ I am gwñ t b ded.”

“O Tnc, dd y drinc it t sev m?”

“Yes.”

“Bt ẃ, Tnc?”

Hr wñz wd scersli cari hr nǎ, bt in rplî ś alîtd on hiz śoldr n gev hiz nǒz a luvñ bît. Ś ẃisprd in hiz ir “Y sili as,” n ɖen, toṭrñ t hr ćembr, le dǎn on ɖ bed.

Hiz hed olmst fild ɖ forʈ wōl v hr litl rūm az h nlt nir hr in dstres. Evri momnt hr lît wz growñ fentr; n h ń ɖt f it wnt ǎt ś wd b no mor. Ś lîct hiz tirz so mć ɖt ś pt ǎt hr bytifl fngr n let ɖm run ovr it.

Hr vôs wz so lo ɖt at frst h cd nt mc ǎt ẃt ś sd. Ɖen h md it ǎt. Ś wz seyñ ɖt ś ʈt ś cd gt wel agn f ćildṛn b’livd in fẹriz.

Pītr fluñ ǎt hiz armz. Ɖr wr no ćildṛn ɖr, n it wz nît tîm; bt h adrest ol hu mt b drīmñ v ɖ Neṿland, n hu wr ɖrfr nirr t him ɖn y ʈnc: bôz n grlz in ɖer nîtiz, n necid ppūsz in ɖer bascits huñ fṛm triz.

“D y b’liv?” h craid.

Tnc sat p in bed olmst briscli t lisn t hr fet.

Ś fansid ś hŕd ansrz in ɖ afrṃtiv, n ɖen agn ś wz’nt śr.

“Ẃt d y ʈnc?” ś asct Pītr.

“F y b’liv,” h śǎtd t ɖm, “clap yr handz; d’nt let Tnc dî.”

Mni clapt.

Sm dd’nt.

A fy bīsts hist.

Ɖ clapñ stopt sudnli; az f cǎntlis muɖrz hd ruśt t ɖer nrṣriz t si ẃt on rʈ wz haṗnñ; bt olrdi Tnc wz sevd. Frst hr vôs grù stroñ, ɖen ś popt ǎt v bed, ɖen ś wz flaśñ ʈru ɖ rūm mor meri n impydnt ɖn evr. Ś nvr ʈt v ʈancñ ɖoz hu b’livd, bt ś wd hv lîct t gt at ɖ wnz hu hd hist.

“N nǎ t resk Wndi!”

Ɖ mūn wz rîdñ in a clǎdi hevn ẃn Pītr rouz fṛm hiz tri, bgrt wɖ wepnz n wẹrñ litl els, t set ǎt upn hiz periḷs qst. It wz nt sć a nît az h wd hv ćozn. H hd hopt t flî, cīpñ nt far fṛm ɖ grǎnd so ɖt nʈñ unwontd śd iscep hiz îz; bt in ɖt fitfl lît t hv floun lo wd hv mnt trelñ hiz śado ʈru ɖ triz, ɖus dstrbñ brdz n aqentñ a woćfl fo ɖt h wz astŕ.

H rgretd nǎ ɖt h hd gvn ɖ brdz v ɖ îḷnd sć strenj nemz ɖt ɖe r vri wîld n dificlt v aproć.

Ɖr wz no uɖr cors bt t pres fwd in redscin faśn, at ẃć haṗli h wz an adpt. Bt in ẃt d’rex́n, fr h cd nt b śr ɖt ɖ ćildṛn hd bn tecn t ɖ śip? A lît fōl v sno hd obliṭretd ol ftmarcs; n a deʈli sîḷns pvedd ɖ îḷnd, az f fr a spes Nećr std stil in horr v ɖ rīsnt carnij. H hd tòt ɖ ćildṛn smʈñ v ɖ foristlor ɖt h hd himslf lrnt fṛm Tîgr Lili n Tncr Bel, n ń ɖt in ɖer dîr aur ɖe wr nt lîcli t fget it. Slîtli, f h hd an oṗtyṇti, wd blêz ɖ triz, fr instns, Crli wd drop sīdz, n Wndi wd līv hr hanc̣ćif at sm importnt ples. Ɖ mornñ wz nīdd t srć fr sć gîdns, n h cd nt wêt. Ɖ upr wrld hd cōld him, bt wd gv no hlp.

Ɖ croc̣dîl pást him, bt nt anɖr livñ ʈñ, nt a sǎnd, nt a muvmnt; n yt h ń wel ɖt sudn deʈ mt b at ɖ nxt tri, or stōcñ him fṛm bhnd.

H swòr ɖs teṛbl oʈ: “Hc or m ɖs tîm.”

Nǎ h crōld fwd lîc a snec, n agn irect, h dartd acrs a spes on ẃć ɖ mūnlît pleid, wn fngr on hiz lip n hiz dagr at ɖ redi. H wz frîtḟli hapi.

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Bî ol ɖ unritn lwz v savij worfér it z olwz ɖ redscin hu atacs, n wɖ ɖ wîlinis v hiz rês h dz it jst bfr ɖ dōn, at ẃć tîm h nz ɖ curij v ɖ ẃîts t b at its lǒist eb. Ɖ ẃît men hv in ɖ mntm md a rūd stoced on ɖ sumit v yondr undyletñ grǎnd, at ɖ ft v ẃć a strīm runz, fr it z dstrux́n t b tù far fṛm wōtr. Ɖr ɖe awêt ɖ onslōt, ɖ inixpirịnst wnz clućñ ɖer rvolvrz n trédñ on twigz, bt ɖ old handz slīpñ tranqli untl jst bfr ɖ dōn. Ʈru ɖ loñ blac nît ɖ savij scǎts rigl, sneclîc, amñ ɖ gras wɖt stŕñ a bled. Ɖ bruśwŭd clozz bhnd ɖm, az sîḷntli az sand intu ẃć a mol hz dîvd. Nt a sǎnd z t b hŕd, sev ẃn ɖe gv vnt t a wundrfl iṃteśn v ɖ lonli cōl v ɖ côote. Ɖ crî z ansrd bî uɖr brevz; n sm v ɖm d it īvn betr ɖn ɖ côotiz, hu r nt vri gd at it. So ɖ ćil aurz wer on, n ɖ loñ sspns z hoṛbli trayñ t ɖ pelfes hu hz t liv ʈru it fr ɖ frst tîm; bt t ɖ trênd hand ɖoz gastli cōlz n stl gastlịr sîḷnsz r bt an inṭmeśn v hǎ ɖ nît z marćñ.

Ɖt ɖs wz ɖ yźl pṛsijr wz so wel noun t Hc ɖt in disrigardñ it h canot b xkzd on ɖ pli v ignṛns.

Ɖ Pic̣niniz, on ɖer part, trustd impliṣtli t hiz onr, n ɖer hol ax́n v ɖ nît standz ǎt in marct contrast t hiz. Ɖe left nʈñ undun ɖt wz cnsistnt wɖ ɖ repyteśn v ɖer trîb. Wɖ ɖt alrtnis v ɖ snsz ẃć z at wns ɖ marvl n dsper v siṿlîzd pplz, ɖe ń ɖt ɖ pîṛts wr on ɖ îḷnd fṛm ɖ momnt wn v ɖm trod on a drî stic; n in an increḍbli śort spes v tîm ɖ côote crîz bgan. Evri ft v grǎnd btwn ɖ spot ẃr Hc hd landd hiz forsz n ɖ hom undr ɖ triz wz stelʈ̇li xamind bî brevz wẹrñ ɖer moc̣sinz wɖ ɖ hìlz in frunt. Ɖe faund onli wn hiḷc wɖ a strīm at its bes, so ɖt Hc hd no ćôs; hir h mst istabliś himslf n wêt fr jst bfr ɖ dōn. Evrʈñ biyñ ɖus mapt ǎt wɖ olmst dạbolicl cunñ, ɖ mn bodi v ɖ redscinz foldd ɖer blancits arnd ɖm, n in ɖ fḷgmatic manr ɖt z t ɖm, ɖ prl v manhd sqotd abv ɖ ćildṛn’z hom, awêtñ ɖ cold momnt ẃn ɖe śd dīl pel deʈ.

Hir drīmñ, ɖo wîd-awec, v ɖ xqizit torćrz t ẃć ɖe wr t pt him at brec v de, ɖoz cnfîdñ saṿjz wr faund bî ɖ trećṛs Hc. Fṛm ɖ acǎnts afṭwdz s’plaid bî sć v ɖ scǎts az iscept ɖ carnij, h dz nt sīm īvn t hv pōzd at ɖ rîzñ grǎnd, ɖo it z srtn ɖt in ɖt gre lît h mst hv sìn it: no ʈt v wêtñ t b atact apirz fṛm frst t last t hv viẓtd hiz sutl mînd; h wd nt īvn hold of tl ɖ nît wz nirli spent; on h pǎndd wɖ no poḷsi bt t fōl t. Ẃt cd ɖ bwildrd scǎts d, mastrz az ɖe wr v evri worlîc arṭfis sev ɖs wn, bt trot hlplisli aftr him, xpozñ ɖmslvz feṭli t vy, ẃl ɖe gev pʈetic utṛns t ɖ côote crî.

Arnd ɖ brev Tîgr Lili wr a duzn v hr stǎtist worịrz, n ɖe sudnli sw ɖ pfidịs pîṛts bẹrñ dǎn upn ɖm. Fél fṛm ɖer îz ɖen ɖ film ʈru ẃć ɖe hd lct at vicṭri. No mor wd ɖe torćr at ɖ stec. Fr ɖm ɖ hapi huntñgrǎndz wz nǎ. Ɖe ń it; bt az ɖer faɖr’z sunz ɖe aqitd ɖmslvz. Īvn ɖen ɖe hd tîm t gaɖr in a falanx ɖt wd hv bn hard t brec hd ɖe rizn qcli, bt ɖs ɖe wr fbidn t d bî ɖ tṛdiśnz v ɖer rês. It z ritn ɖt ɖ nobl savij mst nvr xpres s’prîz in ɖ prezns v ɖ ẃît. Ɖus teṛbl az ɖ sudn apiṛns v ɖ pîṛts mst hv bn t ɖm, ɖe rmend steṣ́nri fr a momnt, nt a musl muvñ; az f ɖ fo hd cm bî invteśn. Ɖen, indd, ɖ tṛdiśn gaḷntli upheld, ɖe sizd ɖer wepnz, n ɖ er wz torn wɖ ɖ worcrî; bt it wz nǎ tù lêt.

It z no part v ǎrz t dscrîb ẃt wz a maṣcr rɖr ɖn a fît. Ɖus periśt mni v ɖ flǎr v ɖ Pic̣nini trîb. Nt ol un’vnjd dd ɖe dî, fr wɖ Līn Wlf fél Alf Mesn, t dstrb ɖ Spaniś Mên no mor, n amñ uɖrz hu bit ɖ dust wr Jorj Scūri, Ćarlz Trli, n ɖ Alseśn Foġti. Trli fél t ɖ toṃhōc v ɖ teṛbl Panʈr, hu ultiṃtli cut a we ʈru ɖ pîṛts wɖ Tîgr Lili n a smōl remnnt v ɖ trîb.

T ẃt xtnt Hc z t blem fr hiz tactics on ɖs oceźn z fr ɖ historịn t dsîd. Hd h wêtd on ɖ rîzñ grǎnd tl ɖ propr aur h n hiz men wd probbli hv bn bćrd; n in jujñ him it z onli fer t tec ɖs intu acǎnt. Ẃt h śd phps hv dn wz t aqent hiz oponnts ɖt h pṛpozd t folo a ny meʈ̇d. On ɖ uɖr hand, ɖs, az dstroyñ ɖ elimnt v s’prîz, wd hv md hiz straṭji v no avel, so ɖt ɖ hol qsćn z bset wɖ dificltiz. Wn canot at līst wɖhold a rluctnt adṃreśn fr ɖ wit ɖt hd cnsivd so bold a scīm, n ɖ fél jīńs wɖ ẃć it wz carid ǎt.

Ẃt wr hiz ǒn fīlñz abt himslf at ɖt trîumfnt momnt? Fein wd hiz dogz hv noun, az briɖñ heṿli n wîpñ ɖer cutḷsz, ɖe gaɖrd at a dscrit distns fṛm hiz hc, n sqintd ʈru ɖer ferit îz at ɖs xtrordnri man. Ileśn mst hv bn in hiz hart, bt hiz fes dd nt rflect it: evr a darc n solitri inigma, h std alūf fṛm hiz folowrz in spirit az in substns.

Ɖ nît’s wrc wz nt yt ovr, fr it wz nt ɖ redscinz h hd cm ǎt t dstrô; ɖe wr bt ɖ bìz t b smoct, so ɖt h śd gt at ɖ huni. It wz Pan h wontd, Pan n Wndi n ɖer band, bt ćīfli Pan.

Pītr wz sć a smōl bô ɖt wn tndz t wundr at ɖ man’z hetrid v him. Tru h hd fluñ Hc’s arm t ɖ croc̣dîl, bt īvn ɖs n ɖ incrist inṣkṛti v lîf t ẃć it léd, owñ t ɖ croc̣dîl’z prṭnaṣti, hardli acǎnt fr a vindictivnis so rlentlis n mlignnt. Ɖ truʈ z ɖt ɖr wz a smʈñ abt Pītr ẃć gǒdd ɖ pîṛtcaptin t frenzi. It wz nt hiz curij, it wz nt hiz ingejñ apiṛns, it wz nt—. Ɖr z no bìtñ abt ɖ bś, fr w nǒ qt wel ẃt it wz, n hv got t tel. It wz Pītr’z cocinis.

Ɖs hd got on Hc’s nrvz; it md hiz ayn clw twić, n at nît it dstrbd him lîc an insect. Ẃl Pītr livd, ɖ torćrd man flt ɖt h wz a layn in a cej intu ẃć a sparo hd cm.

Ɖ qsćn nǎ wz hǎ t gt dǎn ɖ triz, or hǎ t gt hiz dogz dǎn? H ran hiz grīdi îz ovr ɖm, srćñ fr ɖ ʈinist wnz. Ɖe rigld uncumftbli, fr ɖe ń h wd nt scrūpl t ram ɖm dǎn wɖ polz.

In ɖ mntm, ẃt v ɖ bôz? W hv sìn ɖm at ɖ frst clañ v ɖ wepnz, trnd az it wr intu ston figrz, opn-mǎɖd, ol apilñ wɖ ǎtstrećt armz t Pītr; n w rtrn t ɖm az ɖer mǎɖz cloz, n ɖer armz fōl t ɖer sîdz. Ɖ panḍmońm abv hz sīst olmst az sudnli az it arouz, pást lîc a firs gust v wind; bt ɖe nǒ ɖt in ɖ pasñ it hz dtrmind ɖer fet.

Ẃć sîd hd wún?

Ɖ pîṛts, liṣnñ avidli at ɖ mǎɖz v ɖ triz, hŕd ɖ qsćn pt bî evri bô, n alas, ɖe olso hŕd Pītr’z ansr.

“F ɖ redscinz hv wún,” h sd, “ɖe wl bìt ɖ tom-tom; it z olwz ɖer sîn v vicṭri.”

Nǎ Smi hd faund ɖ tom-tom, n wz at ɖt momnt sitñ on it. “Y wl nvr hír ɖ tom-tom agn,” h mutrd, bt inōḍbli v cors, fr strict sîḷns hd bn injônd. T hiz amezmnt Hc sînd him t bìt ɖ tom-tom, n slǒli ɖr cem t Smi an unḍstandñ v ɖ dredfl wicidnis v ɖ ordr. Nvr, probbli, hd ɖs simpl man admîrd Hc so mć.

Twîs Smi bìt upn ɖ instṛmnt, n ɖen stopt t lisn glīḟli.

“Ɖ tom-tom,” ɖ miscrịnts hŕd Pītr crî; “an Indịn vicṭri!”

Ɖ dūmd ćildṛn ansrd wɖ a ćir ɖt wz ḿzic t ɖ blac harts abv, n olmst imīɉtli ɖe rpitd ɖer gdbîz t Pītr. Ɖs puzld ɖ pîṛts, bt ol ɖer uɖr fīlñz wr swoloud bî a bes dlît ɖt ɖ eṇmi wr abt t cm p ɖ triz. Ɖe smrct at ć uɖr n rubd ɖer handz. Rapidli n sîḷntli Hc gev hiz ordrz: wn man t ć tri, n ɖ uɖrz t arenj ɖmslvz in a lîn tū yardz apart.

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“I hd rɖr h hd bn a ledi,” Crli sd.

“I wś h hd bn a ẃît rat,” sd Nibz.

“Qayt,” ɖer muɖr admoniśt ɖm. “Ɖr wz a ledi olso, n—”

“Ǒ, mumi,” craid ɖ frst twin, “y mīn ɖt ɖr z a ledi olso, d’nt y? Ś z nt ded, z ś?”

“Ǒ, No.”

“I am ōḟli glad ś z’nt ded,” sd Tūtlz. “R y glad, Jon?”

“V cors I am.”

“R y glad, Nibz?”

“Rɖr.”

“R y glad, Twinz?”

“W r glad.”

“Ǒ dir,” said Wndi.

“Litl les nôz ɖr,” Pītr cōld ǎt, dtrmind ɖt ś śd hv fer ple, hvr bīstli a stori it mt b in hiz opińn.

“Ɖ jntlmn’z nem,” Wndi cntinyd, “wz Mr Darlñ, n hr nem wz Msz Darlñ.”

“I ń ɖm,” Jon sd, t anô ɖ uɖrz.

“I ʈnc I ń ɖm,” sd Mîcl rɖr dǎtḟli.

“Ɖe wr marid, y nǒ,” xplend Wndi, “n ẃt d y ʈnc ɖe hd?”

“Ẃît rats,” craid Nibz, inspîrd.

“No.”

“It’s ōḟli puẓlñ,” sd Tūtlz, hu ń ɖ stori bî hart.

“Qayt, Tūtlz. Ɖe hd ʈri dsndnts.”

“Ẃt z dsndnts?”

“Wel, y r wn, Twin.”

“Dd y hír ɖt, Jon? I am a dsndnt.”

“Dsndnts r onli ćildṛn,” sd Jon.

“Ǒ dir, ǒ dir,” said Wndi. “Nǎ ɖz ʈri ćildṛn hd a feʈfl nrs cōld Nana; bt Mr Darlñ wz angri wɖ hr n ćend hr p in ɖ yard, n so ol ɖ ćildṛn flù awe.”

“It’s an ōḟli gd stori,” sd Nibz.

“Ɖe flù awe,” Wndi cntinyd, “t ɖ Neṿland, ẃr ɖ lost ćildṛn r.”

“I jst ʈt ɖe dd,” Crli brouc in xîtidli. “I d’nt nǒ hǎ it z, bt I jst ʈt ɖe dd!”

“O Wndi,” craid Tūtlz, “wz wn v ɖ lost ćildṛn cōld Tūtlz?”

“Yes, h wz.”

“I am in a stori. Hrā, I am in a stori, Nibz.”

“Huś. Nǎ I wont y t cnsidr ɖ fīlñz v ɖ unhapi peṛnts wɖ ol ɖer ćildṛn floun awe.”

“Oo!” ɖe ol mond, ɖo ɖe wr nt riyli cnsiḍrñ ɖ fīlñz v ɖ unhapi peṛnts wn jot.

“Ʈnc v ɖ emti bedz!”

“Oo!”

“It’s ōḟli sad,” ɖ frst twin sd ćirḟli.

“I d’nt si hǎ it cn hv a hapi endñ,” sd ɖ secnd twin. “D y, Nibz?”

“I’m frîtḟli añśs.”

“F y ń hǎ gret z a muɖr’z luv,” Wndi tld ɖm trîumfntli, “y wd hv no fir.” Ś hd nǎ cm t ɖ part ɖt Pītr hetd.

“I d lîc a muɖr’z luv,” sd Tūtlz, hitñ Nibz wɖ a pilo. “D y lîc a muɖr’z luv, Nibz?”

“I d jst,” sd Nibz, hitñ bac.

“Y si,” Wndi sd cmplesntli, “ǎr herǒin ń ɖt ɖ muɖr wd olwz līv ɖ windo opn fr hr ćildṛn t flî bac bî; so ɖe steid awe fr yirz n hd a luvli tîm.”

“Dd ɖe evr g bac?”

“Let s nǎ,” sd Wndi, bresñ hrslf p fr hr fînist eḟt, “tec a pīp intu ɖ fyćr;” n ɖe ol gev ɖmslvz ɖ twist ɖt mcs pīps intu ɖ fyćr īzịr. “Yirz hv rold bî, n hu z ɖs elignt ledi v unsrtn ej alîtñ at Lundn Steśn?”

“O Wndi, hu z ś?” craid Nibz, evri bit az xîtd az f h dd’nt nǒ.

“Cn it b—yes—no—it z—ɖ fer Wndi!”

“Ǒ!”

“N hu r ɖ tū nobl portli figrz acumṗniyñ hr, nǎ groun t man’z istet? Cn ɖe b Jon n Mîcl? Ɖe r!”

“Ǒ!”

“‘Si, dir bruɖrz,’ sz Wndi pôntñ upwdz, ‘ɖr z ɖ windo stl standñ opn. Ā, nǎ w r rwordd fr ǎr sblîm feʈ in a muɖr’z luv.’ So p ɖe flù t ɖer mumi n dadi, n pén canot dscrîb ɖ hapi sīn, ovr ẃć w drw a veil.”

Ɖt wz ɖ stori, n ɖe wr az plizd wɖ it az ɖ fer nretr hrslf. Evrʈñ jst az it śd b, y si. Of w scip lîc ɖ most hartlis ʈñz in ɖ wrld, ẃć z ẃt ćildṛn r, bt so atractiv; n w hv an intîrli slfiś tîm, n ɖen ẃn w hv nīd v speśl atnśn w nobli rtrn fr it, confidnt ɖt w śl b rwordd instd v smact.

So gret indd wz ɖer feʈ in a muɖr’z luv ɖt ɖe flt ɖe cd aford t b caḷs fr a bit longr.

Bt ɖr wz wn ɖr hu ń betr, n ẃn Wndi finiśt h utrd a holo gron.

“Ẃt z it, Pītr?” ś craid, runñ t him, ʈncñ h wz il. Ś flt him s’lisiṭsli, lowr dǎn ɖn hiz ćst. “Ẃr z it, Pītr?”

“It z’nt ɖt cnd v pen,” Pītr rplaid darcli.

“Ɖen ẃt cnd z it?”

“Wndi, y r roñ abt muɖrz.”

Ɖe ol gaɖrd rnd him in afrît, so alarmñ wz hiz ajteśn; n wɖ a fîn candr h tld ɖm ẃt h hd hiɖrtu cnsild.

“Loñ ago,” h sd, “I ʈt lîc y ɖt mî muɖr wd olwz cīp ɖ windo opn fr m, so I steid awe fr mūnz n mūnz n mūnz, n ɖen flù bac; bt ɖ windo wz bàrd, fr muɖr hd fgotn ol abt m, n ɖr wz anɖr litl bô slīpñ in mî bed.”

I am nt śr ɖt ɖs wz tru, bt Pītr ʈt it wz tru; n it scerd ɖm.

“R y śr muɖrz r lîc ɖt?”

“Yes.”

So ɖs wz ɖ truʈ abt muɖrz. Ɖ tǒdz!

Stl it z bst t b cerfl; n nwn nz so qcli az a ćîld ẃn h śd gv in. “Wndi, let s g hom,” craid Jon n Mîcl tgɖr.

“Yes,” ś sd, clućñ ɖm.

“Nt tnît?” asct ɖ lost bôz bwildrd. Ɖe ń in ẃt ɖe cōld ɖer harts ɖt wn cn gt on qt wel wɖt a muɖr, n ɖt it z onli ɖ muɖrz hu ʈnc y c’nt.

“At wns,” Wndi rplaid reẓlutli, fr ɖ hoṛbl ʈōt hd cm t hr: “Phps muɖr z in haf mōrnñ bî ɖs tîm.”

Ɖs dred md hr fgetfl v ẃt mst b Pītr’z fīlñz, n ś sd t him rɖr śarpli, “Pītr, wl y mc ɖ nesṣri arenjmnts?”

“F y wś it,” h rplaid, az cūli az f ś hd asct him t pas ɖ nuts.

Nt so mć az a sori-t-lūz-y btwn ɖm! F ś dd nt mînd ɖ partñ, h wz gwñ t śo hr, wz Pītr, ɖt nɖr dd h.

Bt v cors h cerd vri mć; n h wz so fl v roʈ agnst groun-ups, hu, az yźl, wr spôlñ evrʈñ, ɖt az sn az h got insd hiz tri h briɖd intnśṇli qc śort breʈs at ɖ ret v abt fîv t a secnd. H dd ɖs bcz ɖr z a seyñ in ɖ Neṿland ɖt, evri tîm y briɖ, a groun-up dîz; n Pītr wz cilñ ɖm of vndictivli az fast az poṣbl.

Ɖen hvñ gvn ɖ nesṣri instrux́nz t ɖ redscinz h rtrnd t ɖ hom, ẃr an unwrɖi sīn hd bn inactd in hiz absns. Panic-stricn at ɖ ʈōt v luzñ Wndi ɖ lost bôz hd advanst upn hr ʈreṭnñli.

“It wl b wrs ɖn bfr ś cem,” ɖe craid.

“W ś’nt let hr g.”

“Let’s cīp hr priznr.”

“Ai, ćen hr p.”

In hr xtreṃti an instñt tld hr t ẃć v ɖm t trn.

“Tūtlz,” ś craid, “I apil t y.”

Wz it nt strenj? Ś apild t Tūtlz, qt ɖ siliist wn.

Grandli, hvr, dd Tūtlz rspond. Fr ɖt wn momnt h dropt hiz silinis n spouc wɖ digṇti.

“I am jst Tūtlz,” h sd, “n nbdi mîndz m. Bt ɖ frst hu dz nt bhev t Wndi lîc an Ñgliś jntlmn I wl blud him svirli.”

H drù bac hiz hañr; n fr ɖt instnt hiz sún wz at nūn. Ɖ uɖrz hld bac unīẓli. Ɖen Pītr rtrnd, n ɖe sw at wns ɖt ɖe wd gt no s’port fṛm him. H wd cīp no grl in ɖ Neṿland agnst hr wl.

“Wndi,” h sd, strîdñ p n dǎn, “I hv asct ɖ redscinz t gîd y ʈru ɖ wŭd, az flayñ tîrz y so.”

“Ʈanc y, Pītr.”

“Ɖen,” h cntinyd, in ɖ śort śarp vôs v wn acustmd t b obeid, “Tncr Bel wl tec y acrs ɖ sī. Wec hr, Nibz.”

Nibz hd t noc twîs bfr h got an ansr, ɖo Tnc hd riyli bn sitñ p in bed liṣnñ fr sm tîm.

“Hu r y? Hǎ der y? G awe,” ś craid.

“Y r t gt p, Tnc,” Nibz cōld, “n tec Wndi on a jrni.”

V cors Tnc hd bn dlîtd t hír ɖt Wndi wz gwñ; bt ś wz joli wel dtrmind nt t b hr curịr, n ś sd so in stl mor ofnsiv lanḡj. Ɖen ś pritndd t b aslip agn.

“Ś sz ś w’nt!” Nibz xclemd, agast at sć insborḍneśn, ẃr’pn Pītr wnt strnli twd ɖ yuñ ledi’z ćembr.

“Tnc,” h rapt ǎt, “f y d’nt gt p n dres at wns I wl opn ɖ crtnz, n ɖen w śl ol si y in yr negligée.”

Ɖs md hr līp t ɖ flor. “Hu sd I wz’nt gtñ p?” ś craid.

In ɖ mntm ɖ bôz wr gezñ vri f’lornli at Wndi, nǎ iqipt wɖ Jon n Mîcl fr ɖ jrni. Bî ɖs tîm ɖe wr djctd, nt mirli bcz ɖe wr abt t lūz hr, bt olso bcz ɖe flt ɖt ś wz gwñ of t smʈñ nîs t ẃć ɖe hd nt bn invîtd. Novlti wz bec̣nñ t ɖm az yźl.

Creḍtñ ɖm wɖ a noblr fīlñ Wndi mltd.

“Dir wnz,” ś sd, “f y wl ol cm wɖ m I fīl olmst śr I cn gt mî faɖr n muɖr t adopt y.”

Ɖ invteśn wz mnt speṣ́li fr Pītr, bt ć v ɖ bôz wz ʈncñ xclusivli v himslf, n at wns ɖe jumt wɖ jô.

“Bt w’nt ɖe ʈnc s rɖr a hanfl?” Nibz asct in ɖ midl v hiz jump.

“Ǒ no,” sd Wndi, rapidli ʈncñ it ǎt, “it wl onli mīn hvñ a fy bedz in ɖ drw̃rūm; ɖe cn b hidn bhnd ɖ scrīnz on frst Ʈrzdez.”

“Pītr, cn w g?” ɖe ol craid implorñli. Ɖe tc it fr grantd ɖt f ɖe wnt h wd g olso, bt riyli ɖe scersli cerd. Ɖus ćildṛn r evr redi, ẃn novlti nocs, t dzrt ɖer dirist wnz.

“Ol rît,” Pītr rplaid wɖ a bitr smîl, n imīɉtli ɖe ruśt t gt ɖer ʈñz.

“N nǎ, Pītr,” Wndi sd, ʈncñ ś hd pt evrʈñ rît, “I am gwñ t gv y yr meḍsin bfr y g.” Ś luvd t gv ɖm meḍsin, n undǎtidli gev ɖm tù mć. V cors it wz onli wōtr, bt it wz ǎt v a botl, n ś olwz śc ɖ botl n cǎntd ɖ drops, ẃć gev it a srtn mdisinl qoḷti. On ɖs oceźn, hvr, ś dd nt gv Pītr hiz dráft, fr jst az ś hd priperd it, ś sw a lc on hiz fes ɖt md hr hart snc.

“Gt yr ʈñz, Pītr,” ś craid, śecñ.

“No,” h ansrd, pritndñ indifṛns, “I am nt gwñ wɖ y, Wndi.”

“Yes, Pītr.”

“No.”

T śo ɖt hr dparćr wd līv him unmuvd, h scipt p n dǎn ɖ rūm, pleyñ gêli on hiz hartlis pîps. Ś hd t run abt aftr him, ɖo it wz rɖr undigṇfaid.

“T fînd yr muɖr,” ś cǒxt.

Nǎ, f Pītr hd evr qt hd a muɖr, h no longr míst hr. H cd d vri wel wɖt wn. H hd ʈt ɖm ǎt, n rmembrd onli ɖer bad pônts.

“No, no,” h tld Wndi dsîsivli; “phps ś wd se I wz old, n I jst wont olwz t b a litl bô n t hv fun.”

“Bt, Pītr—”

“No.”

N so ɖ uɖrz hd t b tld.

“Pītr z’nt cmñ.”

Pītr nt cmñ! Ɖe gezd blancli at him, ɖer stics ovr ɖer bacs, n on ć stic a bundl. Ɖer frst ʈōt wz ɖt f Pītr wz nt gwñ h hd probbli ćenjd hiz mînd abt letñ ɖm g.

Bt h wz far tù prǎd fr ɖt. “F y fînd yr muɖrz,” h sd darcli, “I hop y wl lîc ɖm.”

Ɖ ōfl siṇsizm v ɖs md an uncumftbl impreśn, n most v ɖm bgan t lc rɖr dǎtfl. Aftr ol, ɖer fesz sd, wr ɖe nt nūdlz t wont t g?

“Nǎ ɖen,” craid Pītr, “no fus, no bluḅrñ; gdbî, Wndi;” n h hld ǎt hiz hand ćiṛli, qt az f ɖe mst riyli g nǎ, fr h hd smʈñ importnt t d.

Ś hd t tec hiz hand, n ɖr wz no indceśn ɖt h wd prifŕ a ʈimbl.

“Y wl rmembr abt ćenjñ yr flanlz, Pītr?” ś sd, linġrñ ovr him. Ś wz olwz so ptiklr abt ɖer flanlz.

“Yes.”

“N y wl tec yr meḍsin?”

“Yes.”

Ɖt sīmd t b evrʈñ, n an ōcẉd pōz foloud. Pītr, hvr, wz nt ɖ cnd ɖt brecs dǎn bfr uɖr ppl. “R y redi, Tncr Bel?” h cōld ǎt.

“Ai, ai.”

“Ɖen līd ɖ we.”

Tnc dartd p ɖ nirist tri; bt nwn foloud hr, fr it wz at ɖs momnt ɖt ɖ pîṛts md ɖer dredfl atac upn ɖ redscinz. Abv, ẃr ol hd bn so stil, ɖ er wz rent wɖ śrīcz n ɖ claś v stīl. B’lo, ɖr wz ded sîḷns. Mǎɖz opnd n rmend opn. Wndi fél on hr niz, bt hr armz wr xtndd twd Pītr. Ol armz wr xtndd t him, az f sudnli bloun in hiz d’rex́n; ɖe wr bsićñ him ḿtli nt t dzrt ɖm. Az fr Pītr, h sizd hiz sord, ɖ sem h ʈōt h hd slein Barḅk wɖ, n ɖ lust v batl wz in hiz î.

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Ɖe cōld Pītr ɖ Gret Ẃît Faɖr, pṛstretñ ɖmslvz bfr him; n h lîct ɖs tṛmndsli, so ɖt it wz nt riyli gd fr him.

“Ɖ gret ẃît faɖr,” h wd se t ɖm in a vri lordli manr, az ɖe grovld at hiz fīt, “z glad t si ɖ Pic̣nini worịrz pṛtctñ hiz wigwam fṛm ɖ pîṛts.”

“M Tîgr Lili,” ɖt luvli crīćr wd rplî. “Pītr Pan sev m, m hiz veli nîs frend. M no let pîṛts hrt him.”

Ś wz far tù priti t crinj in ɖs we, bt Pītr ʈt it hiz dy, n h wd ansr condisndñli, “It z gd. Pītr Pan hz spocn.”

Olwz ẃn h sd, “Pītr Pan hz spocn,” it mnt ɖt ɖe mst nǎ śut p, n ɖe axptd it humbli in ɖt spirit; bt ɖe wr bî no mīnz so rspctfl t ɖ uɖr bôz, hūm ɖe lct upn az jst ordnri brevz. Ɖe sd “Hǎ d?” t ɖm, n ʈñz lîc ɖt; n ẃt anoid ɖ bôz wz ɖt Pītr sīmd t ʈnc ɖs olrît.

Sīcṛtli Wndi simṗʈîzd wɖ ɖm a litl, bt ś wz far tù loyl a hǎswîf t lisn t eni cmplents agnst faɖr. “Faɖr nz bst,” ś olwz sd, ẃtvr hr prîṿt opińn mst b. Hr prîṿt opińn wz ɖt ɖ redscinz śd nt cōl hr a sqw.

W hv nǎ rīćt ɖ īvnñ ɖt wz t b noun amñ ɖm az ɖ Nît v Nîts, bcz v its advnćrz n ɖer upśot. Ɖ de, az f qaytli gaɖ̇rñ its forsz, hd bn olmst univntfl, n nǎ ɖ redscinz in ɖer blancits wr at ɖer posts abv, ẃl, b’lo, ɖ ćildṛn wr hvñ ɖer īvnñ mīl; ol xpt Pītr, hu hd gn ǎt t gt ɖ tîm. Ɖ we y got ɖ tîm on ɖ îḷnd wz t fînd ɖ croc̣dîl, n ɖen ste nir him tl ɖ cloc struc.

Ɖ mīl hapnd t b a mc-b’liv ti, n ɖe sat arnd ɖ bōrd, guẓlñ in ɖer grīd; n riyli, ẃt wɖ ɖer ćatr n rcriṃneśnz, ɖ nôz, az Wndi sd, wz poztivli deḟnñ. T b śr, ś dd nt mînd nôz, bt ś simpli wd nt hv ɖm grabñ ʈñz, n ɖen xkzñ ɖmslvz bî seyñ ɖt Tūtlz hd pśt ɖer elbo. Ɖr wz a fixt rūl ɖt ɖe mst nvr hit bac at mīlz, bt śd rfŕ ɖ matr v dspyt t Wndi bî rezñ ɖ rît arm p’lîtli n seyñ, “I cmplen v so-n-so;” bt ẃt yẓ́li hapnd wz ɖt ɖe fgot t d ɖs or dd it tù mć.

“Sîḷns,” craid Wndi ẃn fr ɖ twentiiʈ tîm ś hd tld ɖm ɖt ɖe wr nt ol t spīc at wns. “Z yr mug emti, Slîtli darlñ?”

“Nt qt emti, mumi,” Slîtli sd, aftr lcñ intu an imajinri mug.

“H hz’nt īvn bgun t drinc hiz milc,” Nibz inṭpozd.

Ɖs wz telñ, n Slîtli sizd hiz ćans.

“I cmplen v Nibz,” h craid promtli.

Jon, hvr, hd hld p hiz hand frst.

“Wel, Jon?”

“Me I sit in Pītr’z ćer, az h z nt hir?”

“Sit in faɖr’z ćer, Jon!” Wndi wz scanḍlîzd. “Srtnli nt.”

“H z nt riyli ǎr faɖr,” Jon ansrd. “H dd’nt īvn nǒ hǎ a faɖr dz tl I śoud him.”

Ɖs wz grumḅlñ. “W cmplen v Jon,” craid ɖ twinz.

Tūtlz hld p hiz hand. H wz so mć ɖ humblist v ɖm, indd h wz ɖ onli humbl wn, ɖt Wndi wz speṣ́li jntl wɖ him.

“I d’nt s’poz,” Tūtlz sd difidntli, “ɖt I cd b faɖr.”

“No, Tūtlz.”

Wns Tūtlz bgan, ẃć wz nt vri ofn, h hd a sili we v gwñ on.

“Az I c’nt b faɖr,” h sd heṿli, “I d’nt s’poz, Mîcl, y wd let m b bebi?”

“No, I w’nt,” Mîcl rapt ǎt. H wz olrdi in hiz bascit.

“Az I c’nt b bebi,” Tūtlz sd, gtñ hevịr n hevịr n hevịr, “d y ʈnc I cd b a twin?”

“No, indd,” rplaid ɖ twinz; “it’s ōḟli dificlt t b a twin.”

“Az I c’nt b enʈñ importnt,” sd Tūtlz, “wd eni v y lîc t si m d a tric?”

“No,” ɖe ol rplaid.

Ɖen at last h stopt. “I hd’nt riyli eni hop,” h sd.

Ɖ hetfl telñ brouc ǎt agn.

“Slîtli z cofñ on ɖ tebl.”

“Ɖ twinz bgan wɖ ćīz cecs.”

“Crli z tecñ bʈ butr n huni.”

“Nibz z spīcñ wɖ hiz mǎʈ fl.”

“I cmplen v ɖ twinz.”

“I cmplen v Crli.”

“I cmplen v Nibz.”

“Ǒ dir, ǒ dir,” craid Wndi, “I’m śr I smtmz ʈnc ɖt spinstrz r t b envid.”

Ś tld ɖm t clir awe, n sat dǎn t hr wrcbascit, a hevi lod v stocñz n evri ni wɖ a houl in it az yźl.

“Wndi,” remnstretd Mîcl, “I’m tù big fr a credl.”

“I mst hv smbdi in a credl,” ś sd olmst tartli, “n y r ɖ liṭlist. A credl z sć a nîs homli ʈñ t hv abt a hǎs.”

Ẃl ś soud ɖe pleid arnd hr; sć a grūp v hapi fesz n dansñ limz lit p bî ɖt r’mantic fîr. It hd bcm a vri fmiłr sīn, ɖs, in ɖ hom undr ɖ grǎnd, bt w r lcñ on it fr ɖ last tîm.

Ɖr wz a step abv, n Wndi, y me b śr, wz ɖ frst t rec̣gnîz it.

“Ćildṛn, I hír yr faɖr’z step. H lîcs y t mīt him at ɖ dor.”

Abv, ɖ redscinz crǎćt bfr Pītr.

“Woć wel, brevz. I hv spocn.”

N ɖen, az so ofn bfr, ɖ ge ćildṛn dragd him fṛm hiz tri. Az so ofn bfr, bt nvr agn.

H hd bròt nuts fr ɖ bôz az wel az ɖ c’rect tîm fr Wndi.

“Pītr, y jst spôl ɖm, y nǒ,” Wndi simprd.

“Ā, old ledi,” sd Pītr, haññ p hiz gun.

“It wz m tld him muɖrz r cōld old ledi,” Mîcl ẃisprd t Crli.

“I cmplen v Mîcl,” sd Crli instntli.

Ɖ frst twin cem t Pītr. “Faɖr, w wont t dans.”

“Dans awe, mî litl man,” sd Pītr, hu wz in hî gd hymr.

“Bt w wont y t dans.”

Pītr wz riyli ɖ bst dansr amñ ɖm, bt h pritndd t b scanḍlîzd.

“M! Mî old bonz wd ratl!”

“N mumi tù.”

“Ẃt,” craid Wndi, “ɖ muɖr v sć an armfl, dans!”

“Bt on a Saṭde nît,” Slîtli insińuetd.

It wz nt riyli Saṭde nît, at līst it me hv bn, fr ɖe hd loñ lost cǎnt v ɖ dez; bt olwz f ɖe wontd t d enʈñ speśl ɖe sd ɖs wz Saṭde nît, n ɖen ɖe dd it.

“V cors it z Saṭde nît, Pītr,” Wndi sd, rlentñ.

“Ppl v ǎr figr, Wndi!”

“Bt it z onli amñ ǎr ǒn proɉni.”

“Tru, tru.”

So ɖe wr tld ɖe cd dans, bt ɖe mst pt on ɖer nîtiz frst.

“Ā, old ledi,” Pītr sd asd t Wndi, wormñ himslf bî ɖ fîr n lcñ dǎn at hr az ś sat trnñ a hìl, “ɖr z nʈñ mor pleznt v an īvnñ fr y n m ẃn ɖ de’z tôl z ovr ɖn t rest bî ɖ fîr wɖ ɖ litl wnz nir bî.”

“It z swīt, Pītr, z’nt it?” Wndi sd, frîtḟli graṭfaid. “Pītr, I ʈnc Crli hz yr nǒz.”

“Mîcl tecs aftr y.”

Ś wnt t him n pt hr hand on hiz śoldr.

“Dir Pītr,” ś sd, “wɖ sć a larj faṃli, v cors, I hv nǎ pást mî bst, bt y d’nt wont t ćenj m, d y?”

“No, Wndi.”

Srtnli h dd nt wont a ćenj, bt h lct at hr uncumftbli, blincñ, y nǒ, lîc wn nt śr ẃɖr h wz awec or aslip.

“Pītr, ẃt z it?”

“I wz jst ʈncñ,” h sd, a litl scerd. “It z onli mc-b’liv, z’nt it, ɖt I am ɖer faɖr?”

“Ǒ yes,” Wndi sd primli.

“Y si,” h cntinyd apoḷjeticli, “it wd mc m sīm so old t b ɖer riyl faɖr.”

“Bt ɖe r ǎrz, Pītr, yrz n mîn.”

“Bt nt riyli, Wndi?” h asct añśsli.

“Nt f y d’nt wś it,” ś rplaid; n ś dstñtli hŕd hiz sai v rlif. “Pītr,” ś asct, trayñ t spīc frmli, “ẃt r yr xact fīlñz t m?”

“Ɖoz v a dvotd sun, Wndi.”

“I ʈt so,” ś sd, n wnt n sat bî hrslf at ɖ xtrim end v ɖ rūm.

“Y r so qir,” h sd, francli puzld, “n Tîgr Lili z jst ɖ sem. Ɖr z smʈñ ś wonts t b t m, bt ś sz it z nt mî muɖr.”

“No, indd, it z nt,” Wndi rplaid wɖ frîtfl emḟsis. Nǎ w nǒ ẃ ś wz preɉdist agnst ɖ redscinz.

“Ɖen ẃt z it?”

“It z’nt fr a ledi t tel.”

“Ǒ, vri wel,” Pītr sd, a litl netld. “Phps Tncr Bel wl tel m.”

“Ǒ yes, Tncr Bel wl tel y,” Wndi rtortd scornḟli. “Ś z an abandnd litl crīćr.”

Hir Tnc, hu wz in hr bedrūm, īvzdropñ, sqīct ǎt smʈñ impydnt.

“Ś sz ś gloriz in biyñ abandnd,” Pītr intrpṛtd.

H hd a sudn îdīa. “Phps Tnc wonts t b mî muɖr?”

“Y sili as!” craid Tncr Bel in a paśn.

Ś hd sd it so ofn ɖt Wndi nīdd no trnzleśn.

“I olmst agri wɖ hr,” Wndi snapt. Fansi Wndi snapñ! Bt ś hd bn mć traid, n ś litl ń ẃt wz t hapn bfr ɖ nît wz ǎt. F ś hd noun ś wd nt hv snapt.

Nn v ɖm ń. Phps it wz bst nt t nǒ. Ɖer ignṛns gev ɖm wn mor glad aur; n az it wz t b ɖer last aur on ɖ îḷnd, let s rjôs ɖt ɖr wr sixti glad minits in it. Ɖe sañ n danst in ɖer nîtgǎnz. Sć a dliśsli crīpi soñ it wz, in ẃć ɖe pritndd t b frîtnd at ɖer ǒn śadoz, litl witñ ɖt so sn śadoz wd clos in upn ɖm, fṛm hūm ɖe wd śrinc in riyl fir. So uprorịsli ge wz ɖ dans, n hǎ ɖe buḟtd ć uɖr on ɖ bed n ǎt v it! It wz a pilo fît rɖr ɖn a dans, n ẃn it wz finiśt, ɖ piloz insistd on wn bǎt mor, lîc partnrz hu nǒ ɖt ɖe me nvr mīt agn. Ɖ storiz ɖe tld, bfr it wz tîm fr Wndi’z gdnît stori! Īvn Slîtli traid t tel a stori ɖt nît, bt ɖ bginñ wz so firḟli dul ɖt it apōld nt onli ɖ uɖrz bt himslf, n h sd glūṃli:

“Yes, it z a dul bginñ. I se, let s pritnd ɖt it z ɖ end.”

N ɖen at last ɖe ol got intu bed fr Wndi’z stori, ɖ stori ɖe luvd bst, ɖ stori Pītr hetd. Yẓ́li ẃn ś bgan t tel ɖs stori h left ɖ rūm or pt hiz handz ovr hiz irz; n poṣbli f h hd dn îɖr v ɖoz ʈñz ɖs tîm ɖe mt ol stl b on ɖ îḷnd. Bt tnît h rmend on hiz stūl; n w śl si ẃt hapnd.

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Ɖ last sǎnd Pītr hŕd bfr h wz qt alon wr ɖ mrmeidz rtîrñ wn bî wn t ɖer bedćembrz undr ɖ sī. H wz tù far awe t hír ɖer dorz śut; bt evri dor in ɖ coṛl cevz ẃr ɖe liv rñz a tîni bel ẃn it opnz or clozz (az in ol ɖ nîsist hǎzz on ɖ mênḷnd), n h hŕd ɖ belz.

Steḍli ɖ wōtrz rouz tl ɖe wr niḅlñ at hiz fīt; n t pas ɖ tîm untl ɖe md ɖer fînl gulp, h woćt ɖ onli ʈñ on ɖ l’gūn. H ʈt it wz a pìs v flotñ pepr, phps part v ɖ cît, n wundrd îdli hǎ loñ it wd tec t drift aśor.

Prezntli h notist az an od ʈñ ɖt it wz undǎtidli ǎt upn ɖ l’gūn wɖ sm defiṇt prṗs, fr it wz fîtñ ɖ tîd, n smtmz winñ; n ẃn it wún, Pītr, olwz simṗʈetic t ɖ wìcr sîd, cd nt hlp clapñ; it wz sć a gaḷnt pìs v pepr.

It wz nt riyli a pìs v pepr; it wz ɖ Nvr brd, mcñ despṛt eḟts t rīć Pītr on ɖ nst. Bî wrcñ hr wñz, in a we ś hd lrnt sins ɖ nst fél intu ɖ wōtr, ś wz ebl t sm xtnt t gîd hr strenj craft, bt bî ɖ tîm Pītr rec̣gnîzd hr ś wz vri xōstd. Ś hd cm t sev him, t gv him hr nst, ɖo ɖr wr egz in it. I rɖr wundr at ɖ brd, fr ɖo h hd bn nîs t hr, h hd olso smtmz tormntd hr. I cn s’poz onli ɖt, lîc Msz Darlñ n ɖ rest v ɖm, ś wz mltd bcz h hd ol hiz frst tīʈ.

Ś cōld ǎt t him ẃt ś hd cm fr, n h cōld ǎt t hr ẃt ś wz dwñ ɖr; bt v cors nɖr v ɖm unḍstd ɖ uɖr’z lanḡj. In fansifl storiz ppl cn tōc t ɖ brdz frīli, n I wś fr ɖ momnt I cd pritnd ɖt ɖs wr sć a stori, n se ɖt Pītr rplaid intelijntli t ɖ Nvr brd; bt truʈ z bst, n I wont t tel y onli ẃt riyli hapnd. Wel, nt onli cd ɖe nt unḍstand ć uɖr, bt ɖe fgot ɖer manrz.

“I—wont—y—t—gt—intu—ɖ—nst,” ɖ brd cōld, spīcñ az slǒli n dstñtli az poṣbl, “n—ɖen—y—cn—drift—aśor, bt—I—am—tù—tîrd—t—brñ—it—eni—nirr—so—y—mst—trî—t—swim—t—it.”

“Ẃt r y qacñ abt?” Pītr ansrd. “Ẃ d’nt y let ɖ nst drift az yźl?”

“I—wont—y—” ɖ brd sd, n rpitd it ol ovr.

Ɖen Pītr traid slo n dstñt.

“Ẃt—r—y—qacñ—abt?” n so on.

Ɖ Nvr brd bcem iṛtetd; ɖe hv vri śort tmprz.

“Y dunḍhedd litl je!” ś scrīmd, “Ẃ d’nt y d az I tel y?”

Pītr flt ɖt ś wz cōlñ him nemz, n at a vnćr h rtortd hotli:

“So r y!”

Ɖen rɖr krịsli ɖe bʈ snapt ǎt ɖ sem rmarc:

“Śut p!”

“Śut p!”

Nvɖles ɖ brd wz dtrmind t sev him f ś cd, n bî wn last mîti eḟt ś pṛpeld ɖ nst agnst ɖ roc. Ɖen p ś flù; dzrtñ hr egz, so az t mc hr mīnñ clir.

Ɖen at last h unḍstd, n clućt ɖ nst n wevd hiz ʈancs t ɖ brd az ś flutrd oṿhed. It wz nt t rsiv hiz ʈancs, hvr, ɖt ś huñ ɖr in ɖ scî; it wz nt īvn t woć him gt intu ɖ nst; it wz t si ẃt h dd wɖ hr egz.

Ɖr wr tū larj ẃît egz, n Pītr liftd ɖm p n rflectd. Ɖ brd cuvrd hr fes wɖ hr wñz, so az nt t si ɖ last v ɖm; bt ś cd nt hlp pīpñ btwn ɖ feɖrz.

I fget ẃɖr I hv tld y ɖt ɖr wz a stev on ɖ roc, drivn intu it bî sm buc̣nirz v loñ ago t marc ɖ sait v berid treźr. Ɖ ćildṛn hd dscuvrd ɖ gliṭrñ hōrd, n ẃn in a misćiṿs mūd yst t flñ śǎrz v môdorz, dîmndz, prlz n pìsz v et t ɖ gulz, hu pǎnst upn ɖm fr fūd, n ɖen flù awe, rejñ at ɖ scrvi tric ɖt hd bn pleid upn ɖm. Ɖ stev wz stl ɖr, n on it Starci hd huñ hiz hat, a dīp tarpōlin, wōtrtît, wɖ a brōd brim. Pītr pt ɖ egz intu ɖs hat n set it on ɖ l’gūn. It flotd bytifli.

Ɖ Nvr brd sw at wns ẃt h wz p t, n scrīmd hr adṃreśn v him; n, alas, Pītr croud hiz agrīmnt wɖ hr. Ɖen h got intu ɖ nst, rird ɖ stev in it az a māst, n huñ p hiz śrt fr a sêl. At ɖ sem momnt ɖ brd flutrd dǎn upn ɖ hat n wns mor sat snugli on hr egz. Ś driftd in wn d’rex́n, n h wz bòrn of in anɖr, bʈ ćirñ.

V cors ẃn Pītr landd h bīćt hiz bàrc in a ples ẃr ɖ brd wd īẓli fînd it; bt ɖ hat wz sć a gret s’xes ɖt ś abandnd ɖ nst. It driftd abt tl it wnt t pìsz, n ofn Starci cem t ɖ śor v ɖ l’gūn, n wɖ mni bitr fīlñz woćt ɖ brd sitñ on hiz hat. Az w śl nt si hr agn, it me b wrʈ mnṣ́nñ hir ɖt ol Nvr brdz nǎ bild in ɖt śep v nst, wɖ a brōd brim on ẃć ɖ yuñstrz tec an e’rñ.

Gret wr ɖ rjôsñz ẃn Pītr rīćt ɖ hom undr ɖ grǎnd olmst az sn az Wndi, hu hd bn carid hiɖr n ɖiɖr bî ɖ cît. Evri bô hd advnćrz t tel; bt phps ɖ bigist advnćr v ol wz ɖt ɖe wr sevṛl aurz lêt fr bed. Ɖs so infletd ɖm ɖt ɖe dd verịs doji ʈñz t gt steyñ p stl longr, sć az dmandñ banḍjz; bt Wndi, ɖo gloriyñ in hvñ ɖm ol hom agn sef n sǎnd, wz scanḍlîzd bî ɖ lêtnis v ɖ aur, n craid, “T bed, t bed,” in a vôs ɖt hd t b obeid. Nxt de, hvr, ś wz ōḟli tndr, n gev ǎt banḍjz t evrwn, n ɖe pleid tl bedtîm at limpñ abt n cariyñ ɖer armz in slñz.

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Ɖ ćildṛn ofn spent loñ sumrdez on ɖs l’gūn, swimñ or flotñ most v ɖ tîm, pleyñ ɖ mrmeid gemz in ɖ wōtr, n so fʈ. Y mst nt ʈnc fṛm ɖs ɖt ɖ mrmeidz wr on frendli trmz wɖ ɖm: on ɖ contrri, it wz amñ Wndi’z lastñ rgrets ɖt ol ɖ tîm ś wz on ɖ îḷnd ś nvr hd a sivl wrd fṛm wn v ɖm. Ẃn ś stoul softli t ɖ éj v ɖ l’gūn ś mt si ɖm bî ɖ scor, ispeṣ́li on Mrūnrz’ Roc, ẃr ɖe luvd t basc, comñ ǎt ɖer her in a lezi we ɖt qt iṛtetd hr; or ś mt īvn swim, on tipto az it wr, t wɖn a yard v ɖm, bt ɖen ɖe sw hr n dîvd, probbli splaśñ hr wɖ ɖer teilz, nt bî axidnt, bt intnśṇli.

Ɖe trītd ol ɖ bôz in ɖ sem we, xpt v cors Pītr, hu ćatd wɖ ɖm on Mrūnrz’ Roc bî ɖ aur, n sat on ɖer teilz ẃn ɖe got ćīci. H gev Wndi wn v ɖer comz.

Ɖ most hōntñ tîm at ẃć t si ɖm z at ɖ trn v ɖ mūn, ẃn ɖe utr strenj weilñ crîz; bt ɖ l’gūn z denjṛs fr mortlz ɖen, n untl ɖ īvnñ v ẃć w hv nǎ t tel, Wndi hd nvr sìn ɖ l’gūn bî mūnlît, les fṛm fir, fr v cors Pītr wd hv acumṗnid hr, ɖn bcz ś hd strict rūlz abt evrwn biyñ in bed bî sevn. Ś wz ofn at ɖ l’gūn, hvr, on súni dez aftr ren, ẃn ɖ mrmeidz cm p in xtrordnri numbrz t ple wɖ ɖer bublz. Ɖ bublz v mni culrz md in renbowōtr ɖe trīt az bōlz, hitñ ɖm gêli fṛm wn t anɖr wɖ ɖer teilz, n trayñ t cīp ɖm in ɖ renbo tl ɖe brst. Ɖ golz r at ć end v ɖ renbo, n ɖ cīprz onli r alaud t yz ɖer handz. Smtmz a duzn v ɖz gemz wl b gwñ on in ɖ l’gūn at a tîm, n it z qt a priti sît.

Bt ɖ momnt ɖ ćildṛn traid t jôn in ɖe hd t ple bî ɖmslvz, fr ɖ mrmeidz imīɉtli dis’pird. Nvɖles w hv prūf ɖt ɖe sīcṛtli woćt ɖ inṭloprz, n wr nt abv tecñ an îdīa fṛm ɖm; fr Jon intṛdyst a ny we v hitñ ɖ bubl, wɖ ɖ hed instd v ɖ hand, n ɖ mrmeidz adoptd it. Ɖs z ɖ wn marc ɖt Jon hz left on ɖ Neṿland.

It mst olso hv bn rɖr priti t si ɖ ćildṛn restñ on a roc fr haf an aur aftr ɖer miḑemīl. Wndi insistd on ɖer dwñ ɖs, n it hd t b a riyl rest īvn ɖo ɖ mīl wz mc-b’liv. So ɖe le ɖr in ɖ sún, n ɖer bodiz glisnd in it, ẃl ś sat bsd ɖm n lct importnt.

It wz wn sć de, n ɖe wr ol on Mrūnrz’ Roc. Ɖ roc wz nt mć larjr ɖn ɖer gret bed, bt v cors ɖe ol ń hǎ nt t tec p mć rūm, n ɖe wr dozñ, or at līst layñ wɖ ɖer îz śut, n pinćñ oceźṇli ẃn ɖe ʈt Wndi wz nt lcñ. Ś wz vri bizi, stićñ.

Ẃl ś stićt a ćenj cem t ɖ l’gūn. Litl śivrz ran ovr it, n ɖ sún wnt awe n śadoz stoul acrs ɖ wōtr, trnñ it cold. Wndi cd no longr si t ʈred hr nīdl, n ẃn ś lct p, ɖ l’gūn ɖt hd olwz hiɖrtu bn sć a lafñ ples sīmd formiḍbl n unfrendli.

It wz nt, ś ń, ɖt nît hd cm, bt smʈñ az darc az nît hd cm. No, wrs ɖn ɖt. It hd nt cm, bt it hd snt ɖt śivr ʈru ɖ sì t se ɖt it wz cmñ. Ẃt wz it?

Ɖr crǎdd upn hr ol ɖ storiz ś hd bn tld v Mrūnrz’ Roc, so cōld bcz īvl captinz pt sêlrz on it n līv ɖm ɖr t drǎn. Ɖe drǎn ẃn ɖ tîd rîzz, fr ɖen it z sbmrjd.

V cors ś śd hv rǎzd ɖ ćildṛn at wns; nt mirli bcz v ɖ uņoun ɖt wz stōcñ twd ɖm, bt bcz it wz no longr gd fr ɖm t slīp on a roc groun ćili. Bt ś wz a yuñ muɖr n ś dd nt nǒ ɖs; ś ʈt y simpli mst stic t yr rūl abt haf an aur aftr ɖ miḑe mīl. So, ɖo fir wz upn hr, n ś loñd t hír mel vôsz, ś wd nt wecn ɖm. Īvn ẃn ś hŕd ɖ sǎnd v mufld òrz, ɖo hr hart wz in hr mǎʈ, ś dd nt wecn ɖm. Ś std ovr ɖm t let ɖm hv ɖer slīp ǎt. Wz it nt brev v Wndi?

It wz wel fr ɖoz bôz ɖen ɖt ɖr wz wn amñ ɖm hu cd snif denjr īvn in hiz slīp. Pītr sprañ irect, az wîd awec at wns az a dog, n wɖ wn wornñ crî h rǎzd ɖ uɖrz.

H std mośnlis, wn hand t hiz ir.

“Pîṛts!” h craid. Ɖ uɖrz cem closr t him. A strenj smîl wz pleyñ abt hiz fes, n Wndi sw it n śudrd. Ẃl ɖt smîl wz on hiz fes nwn derd adres him; ol ɖe cd d wz t stand redi t obe. Ɖ ordr cem śarp n insîsiv.

“Dîv!”

Ɖr wz a glīm v legz, n instntli ɖ l’gūn sīmd dzrtd. Mrūnrz’ Roc std alon in ɖ fbidñ wōtrz az f it wr itslf mrūnd.

Ɖ bot drù nirr. It wz ɖ pîṛt dngi, wɖ ʈri figrz in hr, Smi n Starci, n ɖ ʈrd a captiv, no uɖr ɖn Tîgr Lili. Hr handz n anclz wr taid, n ś ń ẃt wz t b hr fet. Ś wz t b left on ɖ roc t periś, an end t wn v hr rês mor teṛbl ɖn deʈ bî fîr or torćr, fr z it nt ritn in ɖ bc v ɖ trîb ɖt ɖr z no paʈ ʈru wōtr t ɖ hapi huntñgrǎnd? Yt hr fes wz impasiv; ś wz ɖ dōtr v a ćīf, ś mst dî az a ćīf’s dōtr, it z inuf.

Ɖe hd còt hr bōrdñ ɖ pîṛtśip wɖ a nîf in hr mǎʈ. No woć wz cept on ɖ śip, it biyñ Hc’s bost ɖt ɖ wind v hiz nem gardd ɖ śip fr a mîl arnd. Nǎ hr fet wd hlp t gard it olso. Wn mor weil wd g ɖ rnd in ɖt wind bî nît.

In ɖ glūm ɖt ɖe bròt wɖ ɖm ɖ tū pîṛts dd nt si ɖ roc tl ɖe craśt intu it.

“Luf, y lubr,” craid an Îriś vôs ɖt wz Smi’z; “hir’z ɖ roc. Nǎ, ɖen, ẃt w hv t d z t hôst ɖ redscin on t it n līv hr hir t drǎn.”

It wz ɖ wrc v wn brūtl momnt t land ɖ bytifl grl on ɖ roc; ś wz tù prǎd t ofr a ven rzistns.

Qt nir ɖ roc, bt ǎt v sît, tū hedz wr bobñ p n dǎn, Pītr’z n Wndi’z. Wndi wz crayñ, fr it wz ɖ frst traɉdi ś hd sìn. Pītr hd sìn mni traɉdiz, bt h hd fgotn ɖm ol. H wz les sori ɖn Wndi fr Tîgr Lili: it wz tū agnst wn ɖt angrd him, n h mnt t sev hr. An īzi we wd hv bn t wêt untl ɖ pîṛts hd gn, bt h wz nvr wn t ćūz ɖ īzi we.

Ɖr wz olmst nʈñ h cd nt d, n h nǎ iṃtetd ɖ vôs v Hc.

“Ahô ɖr, y lubrz!” h cōld. It wz a marvḷs iṃteśn.

“Ɖ captin!” sd ɖ pîṛts, stẹrñ at ć uɖr in s’prîz.

“H mst b swimñ ǎt t s,” Starci sd, ẃn ɖe hd lct fr him in ven.

“W r ptñ ɖ redscin on ɖ roc,” Smi cōld ǎt.

“Set hr fri,” cem ɖ astoṇśñ ansr.

“Fri!”

“Yes, cut hr bondz n let hr g.”

“Bt, captin—”

“At wns, d’yi hír,” craid Pītr, “or I’l plunj mî hc in y.”

“Ɖs z qir!” Smi gaspt.

“Betr d ẃt ɖ captin ordrz,” sd Starci nrṿsli.

“Ai, ai,” Smi sd, n h cut Tîgr Lili’z cordz. At wns lîc an īl ś slid btwn Starci’z legz intu ɖ wōtr.

V cors Wndi wz vri iletd ovr Pītr’z clevrnis; bt ś ń ɖt h wd b iletd olso n vri lîcli cro n ɖus btre himslf, so at wns hr hand wnt ǎt t cuvr hiz mǎʈ. Bt it wz steid īvn in ɖ act, fr “Bot ahô!” rañ ovr ɖ l’gūn in Hc’s vôs, n ɖs tîm it wz nt Pītr hu hd spocn.

Pītr me hv bn abt t cro, bt hiz fes pucrd in a ẃisl v s’prîz instd.

“Bot ahô!” agn cem ɖ vôs.

Nǎ Wndi unḍstd. Ɖ riyl Hc wz olso in ɖ wōtr.

H wz swimñ t ɖ bot, n az hiz men śoud a lît t gîd him h hd sn rīćt ɖm. In ɖ lît v ɖ lantn Wndi sw hiz hc grip ɖ bot’s sîd; ś sw hiz īvl sworɖi fes az h rouz dripñ fṛm ɖ wōtr, n, qecñ, ś wd hv lîct t swim awe, bt Pītr wd nt buj. H wz tnġlñ wɖ lîf n olso top-hevi wɖ cnsit. “Am I nt a wundr, ǒ, I am a wundr!” h ẃisprd t hr, n ɖo ś ʈt so olso, ś wz riyli glad fr ɖ sec v hiz repyteśn ɖt nwn hŕd him xpt hrslf.

H sînd t hr t lisn.

Ɖ tū pîṛts wr vri krịs t nǒ ẃt hd bròt ɖer captin t ɖm, bt h sat wɖ hiz hed on hiz hc in a pziśn v pṛfǎnd meḷnc̣li.

“Captin, z ol wel?” ɖe asct timidli, bt h ansrd wɖ a holo mon.

“H saiz,” sd Smi.

“H saiz agn,” sd Starci.

“N yt a ʈrd tîm h saiz,” sd Smi.

Ɖen at last h spouc paśṇtli.

“Ɖ gem’z p,” h craid, “ɖoz bôz hv faund a muɖr.”

Afrîtd ɖo ś wz, Wndi sweld wɖ prîd.

“O īvl de!” craid Starci.

“Ẃt’s a muɖr?” asct ɖ ignṛnt Smi.

Wndi wz so śoct ɖt ś xclemd. “H dz’nt nǒ!” n olwz aftr ɖs ś flt ɖt f y cd hv a pet pîṛt Smi wd b hr wn.

Pītr pld hr bnʈ ɖ wōtr, fr Hc hd startd p, crayñ, “Ẃt wz ɖt?”

“I hŕd nʈñ,” sd Starci, rezñ ɖ lantn ovr ɖ wōtrz, n az ɖ pîṛts lct ɖe sw a strenj sît. It wz ɖ nst I hv tld y v, flotñ on ɖ l’gūn, n ɖ Nvr brd wz sitñ on it.

“Si,” sd Hc in ansr t Smi’z qsćn, “ɖt z a muɖr. Ẃt a lésn! Ɖ nst mst hv fōḷn intu ɖ wōtr, bt wd ɖ muɖr dzrt hr egz? No.”

Ɖr wz a brec in hiz vôs, az f fr a momnt h rcōld iṇsnt dez ẃn—bt h bruśt awe ɖs wìcnis wɖ hiz hc.

Smi, mć imprest, gezd at ɖ brd az ɖ nst wz bòrn past, bt ɖ mor sspiśs Starci sd, “F ś z a muɖr, phps ś z haññ abt hir t hlp Pītr.”

Hc winst. “Ai,” h sd, “ɖt z ɖ fir ɖt hōnts m.”

H wz rǎzd fṛm ɖs djx́n bî Smi’z īgr vôs.

“Captin,” sd Smi, “cd w nt cidnap ɖz bôz’ muɖr n mc hr ǎr muɖr?”

“It z a prinsli scīm,” craid Hc, n at wns it tc practicl śep in hiz gret bren. “W wl sīz ɖ ćildṛn n cari ɖm t ɖ bot: ɖ bôz w wl mc wōc ɖ planc, n Wndi śl b ǎr muɖr.”

Agn Wndi fgot hrslf.

“Nvr!” ś craid, n bobd.

“Ẃt wz ɖt?”

Bt ɖe cd si nʈñ. Ɖe ʈt it mst hv bn a līf in ɖ wind. “D y agri, mî bŭliz?” asct Hc.

“Ɖr z mî hand on it,” ɖe bʈ sd.

“N ɖr z mî hc. Swer.”

Ɖe ol swòr. Bî ɖs tîm ɖe wr on ɖ roc, n sudnli Hc rmembrd Tîgr Lili.

“Ẃr z ɖ redscin?” h dmandd abrupli.

H hd a plêfl hymr at momnts, n ɖe ʈt ɖs wz wn v ɖ momnts.

“Ɖt z ol rît, captin,” Smi ansrd cmplesntli; “w let hr g.”

“Let hr g!” craid Hc.

“Tẉz yr ǒn ordrz,” ɖ boṣn fōltrd.

“Y cōld ovr ɖ wōtr t s t let hr g,” sd Starci.

“Brimston n gōl,” ʈundrd Hc, “ẃt cúẓnñ z gwñ on hir!” Hiz fes hd gn blac wɖ rej, bt h sw ɖt ɖe b’livd ɖer wrdz, n h wz startld. “Ladz,” h sd, śecñ a litl, “I gev no sć ordr.”

“It z pasñ qir,” Smi sd, n ɖe ol fiɉtd uncumftbli. Hc rezd hiz vôs, bt ɖr wz a qivr in it.

“Spirit ɖt hōnts ɖs darc l’gūn tnît,” h craid, “dst hír m?”

V cors Pītr śd hv cept qayt, bt v cors h dd nt. H imīɉtli ansrd in Hc’s vôs:

“Odz, bobz, hamr n toñz, I hír y.”

In ɖt s’prīm momnt Hc dd nt blanć, īvn at ɖ gilz, bt Smi n Starci cluñ t ć uɖr in terr.

“Hu r y, strenjr? Spīc!” Hc dmandd.

“I am Jemz Hc,” rplaid ɖ vôs, “captin v ɖ Joli Rojr.”

“Y r nt; y r nt,” Hc craid hōrsli.

“Brimston n gōl,” ɖ vôs rtortd, “se ɖt agn, n I’l cast ancr in y.”

Hc traid a mor ingreśietñ manr. “F y r Hc,” h sd olmst humbli, “cm tel m, hu am I?”

“A codfiś,” rplaid ɖ vôs, “onli a codfiś.”

“A codfiś!” Hc ecoud blancli, n it wz ɖen, bt nt tl ɖen, ɖt hiz prǎd spirit brouc. H sw hiz men drw bac fṛm him.

“Hv w bn captind ol ɖs tîm bî a codfiś!” ɖe mutrd. “It z lowrñ t ǎr prîd.”

Ɖe wr hiz dogz snapñ at him, bt, trajic figr ɖo h hd bcm, h scersli hīdd ɖm. Agnst sć firfl evidns it wz nt ɖer b’lif in him ɖt h nīdd, it wz hiz ǒn. H flt hiz īgo slipñ fṛm him. “D’nt dzrt m, bŭli,” h ẃisprd hōrsli t it.

In hiz darc nećr ɖr wz a tuć v ɖ feṃnin, az in ol ɖ gret pîṛts, n it smtmz gev him intyiśnz. Sudnli h traid ɖ gesñ gem.

“Hc,” h cōld, “hv y anɖr vôs?”

Nǎ Pītr cd nvr rzist a gem, n h ansrd blîɖli in hiz ǒn vôs, “I hv.”

“N anɖr nem?”

“Ai, ai.”

“Vejtbl?” asct Hc.

“No.”

“Minṛl?”

“No.”

“Animl?”

“Yes.”

“Man?”

“No!” Ɖs ansr rañ ǎt scornḟli.

“Bô?”

“Yes.”

“Ordnri bô?”

“No!”

“Wundrfl bô?”

T Wndi’z pen ɖ ansr ɖt rañ ǎt ɖs tîm wz “Yes.”

“R y in Ñgḷnd?”

“No.”

“R y hir?”

“Yes.”

Hc wz cmplitli puzld. “Y asc him sm qsćnz,” h sd t ɖ uɖrz, wîpñ hiz damp brǎ.

Smi rflectd. “I c’nt ʈnc v a ʈñ,” h sd rgretḟli.

“C’nt ges, c’nt ges!” croud Pītr. “D y gv it p?”

V cors in hiz prîd h wz cariyñ ɖ gem tù far, n ɖ miscrịnts sw ɖer ćans.

“Yes, yes,” ɖe ansrd īgrli.

“Wel, ɖen,” h craid, “I am Pītr Pan.”

Pan!

In a momnt Hc wz himslf agn, n Smi n Starci wr hiz feʈfl hnćṃn.

“Nǎ w hv him,” Hc śǎtd. “Intu ɖ wōtr, Smi. Starci, mînd ɖ bot. Tec him ded or alîv!”

H lept az h spouc, n simlteńsli cem ɖ ge vôs v Pītr.

“R y redi, bôz?”

“Ai, ai,” fṛm verịs parts v ɖ l’gūn.

“Ɖen lam intu ɖ pîṛts.”

Ɖ fît wz śort n śarp. Frst t drw blud wz Jon, hu gaḷntli clîmd intu ɖ bot n hld Starci. Ɖr wz firs strugl, in ẃć ɖ cutḷs wz torn fṛm ɖ pîṛt’s grasp. H rigld oṿbōrd n Jon lept aftr him. Ɖ dngi driftd awe.

Hir n ɖr a hed bobd p in ɖ wōtr, n ɖr wz a flaś v stīl foloud bî a crî or a ẃūp. In ɖ cnfyźn sm struc at ɖer ǒn sîd. Ɖ corcscru v Smi got Tūtlz in ɖ forʈ rib, bt h wz himslf pnct in trn bî Crli. Farɖr fṛm ɖ roc Starci wz presñ Slîtli n ɖ twinz hard.

Ẃr ol ɖs tîm wz Pītr? H wz sīcñ bigr gem.

Ɖ uɖrz wr ol brev bôz, n ɖe mst nt b blemd fr bacñ fṛm ɖ pîṛtcaptin. Hiz ayn clw md a srcl v ded wōtr rnd him, fṛm ẃć ɖe fled lîc afrîtd fiśz.

Bt ɖr wz wn hu dd nt fir him: ɖr wz wn priperd t entr ɖt srcl.

Strenjli, it wz nt in ɖ wōtr ɖt ɖe met. Hc rouz t ɖ roc t briɖ, n at ɖ sem momnt Pītr sceld it on ɖ oṗzit sîd. Ɖ roc wz sliṗri az a bōl, n ɖe hd t crōl rɖr ɖn clîm. Nɖr ń ɖt ɖ uɖr wz cmñ. Ć fīlñ fr a grip met ɖ uɖr’z arm: in s’prîz ɖe rezd ɖer hedz; ɖer fesz wr olmst tućñ; so ɖe met.

Sm v ɖ gretist hiroz hv cnfest ɖt jst bfr ɖe fél t ɖe hd a sncñ. Hd it bn so wɖ Pītr at ɖt momnt I wd admit it. Aftr ol, h wz ɖ onli man ɖt ɖ Sī Cc hd fird. Bt Pītr hd no sncñ, h hd wn fīlñ onli, gladnis; n h náśt hiz priti tīʈ wɖ jô. Qc az ʈōt h snaćt a nîf fṛm Hc’s blt n wz abt t drîv it hom, ẃn h sw ɖt h wz hayr p ɖ roc ɖn hiz fo. It wd nt hv bn fîtñ fer. H gev ɖ pîṛt a hand t hlp him p.

It wz ɖen ɖt Hc bit him.

Nt ɖ pen v ɖs bt its unfernis wz ẃt dezd Pītr. It md him qt hlplis. H cd onli stér, hoṛfaid. Evri ćîld z afctd ɖus ɖ frst tîm h z trītd unferli. Ol h ʈncs h hz a rît t ẃn h cmz t y t b yrz z fernis. Aftr y hv bn unfer t him h wl luv y agn, bt wl nvr afṭwdz b qt ɖ sem bô. Nwn evr gts ovr ɖ frst unfernis; nwn xpt Pītr. H ofn met it, bt h olwz fgot it. I s’poz ɖt wz ɖ riyl difṛns btwn him n ol ɖ rest.

So ẃn h met it nǎ it wz lîc ɖ frst tîm; n h cd jst stér, hlplis. Twîs ɖ ayn hand clwd him.

A fy momnts afṭwdz ɖ uɖr bôz sw Hc in ɖ wōtr strîcñ wîldli fr ɖ śip; no ileśn on ɖ pstiḷnt fes nǎ, onli ẃît fir, fr ɖ croc̣dîl wz in dogid psyt v him. On ordnri oceźnz ɖ bôz wd hv swum alñsd ćirñ; bt nǎ ɖe wr unīzi, fr ɖe hd lost bʈ Pītr n Wndi, n wr scǎrñ ɖ l’gūn fr ɖm, cōlñ ɖm bî nem. Ɖe faund ɖ dngi n wnt hom in it, śǎtñ “Pītr, Wndi” az ɖe wnt, bt no ansr cem sev mocñ laftr fṛm ɖ mrmeidz. “Ɖe mst b swimñ bac or flayñ,” ɖ bôz cncludd. Ɖe wr nt vri añśs, bcz ɖe hd sć feʈ in Pītr. Ɖe ćucld, bôlîc, bcz ɖe wd b lêt fr bed; n it wz ol muɖr Wndi’z fōlt!

Ẃn ɖer vôsz daid awe ɖr cem cold sîḷns ovr ɖ l’gūn, n ɖen a fībl crî.

“Hlp, hlp!”

Tū smōl figrz wr bìtñ agnst ɖ roc; ɖ grl hd fentd n le on ɖ bô’z arm. Wɖ a last eḟt Pītr pld hr p ɖ roc n ɖen le dǎn bsd hr. Īvn az h olso fentd h sw ɖt ɖ wōtr wz rîzñ. H ń ɖt ɖe wd sn b drǎnd, bt h cd d no mor.

Az ɖe le sîd bî sîd a mrmeid còt Wndi bî ɖ fīt, n bgan pŭlñ hr softli intu ɖ wōtr. Pītr, fīlñ hr slip fṛm him, wouc wɖ a start, n wz jst in tîm t drw hr bac. Bt h hd t tel hr ɖ truʈ.

“W r on ɖ roc, Wndi,” h sd, “bt it z growñ smōlr. Sn ɖ wōtr wl b ovr it.”

Ś dd nt unḍstand īvn nǎ.

“W mst g,” ś sd, olmst brîtli.

“Yes,” h ansrd fentli.

“Śl w swim or flî, Pītr?”

H hd t tel hr.

“D y ʈnc y cd swim or flî az far az ɖ îḷnd, Wndi, wɖt mî hlp?”

Ś hd t admit ɖt ś wz tù tîrd.

H mond.

“Ẃt z it?” ś asct, añśs abt him at wns.

“I c’nt hlp y, Wndi. Hc wūndd m. I cn nɖr flî nr swim.”

“D y mīn w śl bʈ b drǎnd?”

“Lc hǎ ɖ wōtr z rîzñ.”

Ɖe pt ɖer handz ovr ɖer îz t śut ǎt ɖ sît. Ɖe ʈt ɖe wd sn b no mor. Az ɖe sat ɖus smʈñ bruśt agnst Pītr az lît az a cis, n steid ɖr, az f seyñ timidli, “Cn I b v eni ys?”

It wz ɖ teil v a cît, ẃć Mîcl hd md sm dez bfr. It hd torn itslf ǎt v hiz hand n flotd awe.

“Mîcl’z cît,” Pītr sd wɖt inṭrest, bt nxt momnt h hd sizd ɖ teil, n wz pŭlñ ɖ cît twd him.

“It liftd Mîcl of ɖ grǎnd,” h craid; “ẃ śd it nt cari y?”

“Bʈ v s!”

“It c’nt lift tū; Mîcl n Crli traid.”

“Let s drw lots,” Wndi sd brevli.

“N y a ledi; nvr.” Olrdi h hd taid ɖ teil rnd hr. Ś cluñ t him; ś rfyzd t g wɖt him; bt wɖ a “Gdbî, Wndi,” h pśt hr fṛm ɖ roc; n in a fy minits ś wz bòrn ǎt v hiz sît. Pītr wz alon on ɖ l’gūn.

Ɖ roc wz vri smōl nǎ; sn it wd b sbmrjd. Pel rez v lît tiptóud acrs ɖ wōtrz; n bî n bî ɖr wz t b hŕd a sǎnd at wns ɖ most ḿzicl n ɖ most meḷnc̣li in ɖ wrld: ɖ mrmeidz cōlñ t ɖ mūn.

Pītr wz nt qt lîc uɖr bôz; bt h wz afreid at last. A tremr ran ʈru him, lîc a śudr pasñ ovr ɖ sī; bt on ɖ sī wn śudr foloz anɖr tl ɖr r hundṛdz v ɖm, n Pītr flt jst ɖ wn. Nxt momnt h wz standñ irect on ɖ roc agn, wɖ ɖt smîl on hiz fes n a drum bìtñ wɖn him. It wz seyñ, “T dî wl b an ōḟli big advnćr.”

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Bt y simpli mst fit, n Pītr meźrz y fr yr tri az cerḟli az fr a sūt v cloɖz: ɖ onli difṛns biyñ ɖt ɖ cloɖz r md t fit y, ẃl y hv t b md t fit ɖ tri. Yẓ́li it z dn qt īẓli, az bî yr wẹrñ tù mni garmnts or tù fy, bt f y r bumpi in ōcẉd plesz or ɖ onli aveḷbl tri z an od śep, Pītr dz sm ʈñz t y, n aftr ɖt y fit. Wns y fit, gret cer mst b tecn t g on fitñ, n ɖs, az Wndi wz t dscuvr t hr dlît, cīps a hol faṃli in prfict cndiśn.

Wndi n Mîcl fitd ɖer triz at ɖ frst trî, bt Jon hd t b oltrd a litl.

Aftr a fy dez’ practis ɖe cd g p n dǎn az gêli az bucits in a wel. N hǎ ardntli ɖe grù t luv ɖer hom undr ɖ grǎnd; ispeṣ́li Wndi. It cnsistd v wn larj rūm, az ol hǎzz śd d, wɖ a flor in ẃć y cd dig f y wontd t g fiśñ, n in ɖs flor grù stǎt muśrumz v a ćarmñ culr, ẃć wr yzd az stūlz. A Nvr tri traid hard t gro in ɖ sntr v ɖ rūm, bt evri mornñ ɖe swd ɖ trunc ʈru, levl wɖ ɖ flor. Bî tītîm it wz olwz abt tū fīt hî, n ɖen ɖe pt a dor on top v it, ɖ hol ɖus bcmñ a tebl; az sn az ɖe clird awe, ɖe swd of ɖ trunc agn, n ɖus ɖr wz mor rūm t ple. Ɖr wz an inorṃs fîrples ẃć wz in olmst eni part v ɖ rūm ẃr y cerd t lît it, n acrs ɖs Wndi strećt strñz, md v fîbr, fṛm ẃć ś sspndd hr wośñ. Ɖ bed wz tiltd agnst ɖ wōl bî de, n let dǎn at 6:30, ẃn it fild nirli haf ɖ rūm; n ol ɖ bôz slept in it, xpt Mîcl, layñ lîc sardīnz in a tin. Ɖr wz a strict rūl agnst trnñ rnd untl wn gev ɖ signl, ẃn ol trnd at wns. Mîcl śd hv yzd it olso, bt Wndi wd hv a bebi, n h wz ɖ liṭlist, n y nǒ ẃt wimin r, n ɖ śort n loñ v it z ɖt h wz huñ p in a bascit.

It wz ruf n simpl, n nt unlîc ẃt bebiberz wd hv md v an unḍgrǎnd hǎs in ɖ sem srcmstansz. Bt ɖr wz wn rses in ɖ wōl, no larjr ɖn a brdcej, ẃć wz ɖ prîṿt apartmnt v Tncr Bel. It cd b śut of fṛm ɖ rest v ɖ hǎs bî a tîni crtn, ẃć Tnc, hu wz most fstidịs, olwz cept drwn ẃn dresñ or undresñ. No wmn, hvr larj, cd hv hd a mor xqizit būdwar n bedćembr cmbînd. Ɖ cǎć, az ś olwz cōld it, wz a jenyin Qīn Mab, wɖ clublegz; n ś vẹrid ɖ bedspredz acordñ t ẃt frūtblosm wz in sīzn. Hr mirr wz a Ps-in-Būts, v ẃć ɖr r nǎ onli ʈri, unćipt, noun t fẹri dīlrz; ɖ wośstand wz Pî-crust n rvrsbl, ɖ ćst v drorz an oʈntic Ćarmñ ɖ Sixʈ, n ɖ carpit n rugz ɖ bst (ɖ rli) pirịd v Marɉri n Robin. Ɖr wz a śanḍlir fṛm Tidliwincs fr ɖ lc v ɖ ʈñ, bt v cors ś lit ɖ rezidns hrslf. Tnc wz vri cntmtẏs v ɖ rest v ɖ hǎs, az indd wz phps inevitbl, n hr ćembr, ɖo bytifl, lct rɖr cnsitd, hvñ ɖ apiṛns v a nǒz prṃnntli trnd p.

I s’poz it wz ol ispeṣ́li intransñ t Wndi, bcz ɖoz rampejs bôz v hrz gev hr so mć t d. Riyli ɖr wr hol wīcs ẃn, xpt phps wɖ a stocñ in ɖ īvnñ, ś wz nvr abv grǎnd. Ɖ ccñ, I cn tel y, cept hr nǒz t ɖ pot, n īvn f ɖr wz nʈñ in it, īvn f ɖr wz no pot, ś hd t cīp woćñ ɖt it cem aboil jst ɖ sem. Y nvr xacli ń ẃɖr ɖr wd b a riyl mīl or jst a mc-b’liv, it ol dpndd upn Pītr’z ẃim: h cd īt, riyli īt, f it wz part v a gem, bt h cd nt stoj jst t fīl stoji, ẃć z ẃt most ćildṛn lîc betr ɖn enʈñ els; ɖ nxt bst ʈñ biyñ t tōc abt it. Mc-b’liv wz so riyl t him ɖt jrñ a mīl v it y cd si him gtñ rǎndr. V cors it wz trayñ, bt y simpli hd t folo hiz līd, n f y cd pruv t him ɖt y wr gtñ lūs fr yr tri h let y stoj.

Wndi’z feṿrit tîm fr sowñ n darnñ wz aftr ɖe hd ol gn t bed. Ɖen, az ś xprest it, ś hd a briɖñ tîm fr hrslf; n ś okpaid it in mcñ ny ʈñz fr ɖm, n ptñ dubl pìsz on ɖ niz, fr ɖe wr ol most frîtḟli hard on ɖer niz.

Ẃn ś sat dǎn t a bascitfl v ɖer stocñz, evri hìl wɖ a houl in it, ś wd flñ p hr armz n xclem, “Ǒ dir, I am śr I smtmz ʈnc spinstrz r t b envid!”

Hr fes bīmd ẃn ś xclemd ɖs.

Y rmembr abt hr pet wlf. Wel, it vri sn dscuvrd ɖt ś hd cm t ɖ îḷnd n it faund hr ǎt, n ɖe jst ran intu ć uɖr’z armz. Aftr ɖt it foloud hr abt evrẃr.

Az tîm wòr on dd ś ʈnc mć abt ɖ b’luvid peṛnts ś hd left bhnd hr? Ɖs z a dificlt qsćn, bcz it z qt imposbl t se hǎ tîm dz wer on in ɖ Neṿland, ẃr it z calkletd bî mūnz n súnz, n ɖr r evr so mni mor v ɖm ɖn on ɖ mênḷnd. Bt I am afreid ɖt Wndi dd nt riyli wuri abt hr faɖr n muɖr; ś wz abṣlutli confidnt ɖt ɖe wd olwz cīp ɖ windo opn fr hr t flî bac bî, n ɖs gev hr cmplit īz v mînd. Ẃt dd dstrb hr at tîmz wz ɖt Jon rmembrd hiz peṛnts vegli onli, az ppl h hd wns noun, ẃl Mîcl wz qt wilñ t b’liv ɖt ś wz riyli hiz muɖr. Ɖz ʈñz scerd hr a litl, n nobli añśs t d hr dyti, ś traid t fix ɖ old lîf in ɖer mîndz bî setñ ɖm xaṃneśn peprz on it, az lîc az poṣbl t ɖ wnz ś yst t d at scūl. Ɖ uɖr bôz ʈt ɖs ōḟli inṭrestñ, n insistd on jônñ, n ɖe md slets fr ɖmslvz, n sat rnd ɖ tebl, raitñ n ʈncñ hard abt ɖ qsćnz ś hd ritn on anɖr slet n pást rnd. Ɖe wr ɖ most ordnri qsćnz—“Ẃt wz ɖ culr v Muɖr’z îz? Ẃć wz tōlr, Faɖr or Muɖr? Wz Muɖr blond or brūnét? Ansr ol ʈri qsćnz f poṣbl.” “(A) Rait an ese v nt les ɖn 40 wrdz on Hǎ I spent mî last Hoḷdez, or Ɖ Caṛctrz v Faɖr n Muɖr cmperd. Onli wn v ɖz t b atmtd.” Or “(1) Dscrîb Muɖr’z laf; (2) Dscrîb Faɖr’z laf; (3) Dscrîb Muɖr’z Parti Dres; (4) Dscrîb ɖ Cenl n its Inmet.”

Ɖe wr jst evride qsćnz lîc ɖz, n ẃn y cd nt ansr ɖm y wr tld t mc a cros; n it wz riyli dredfl ẃt a numbr v crosz īvn Jon md. V cors ɖ onli bô hu rplaid t evri qsćn wz Slîtli, n nwn cd hv bn mor hopfl v cmñ ǎt frst, bt hiz ansrz wr prficli r’dikḷs, n h riyli cem ǎt last: a meḷnc̣li ʈñ.

Pītr dd nt cmpit. Fr wn ʈñ h dspîzd ol muɖrz xpt Wndi, n fr anɖr h wz ɖ onli bô on ɖ îḷnd hu cd nɖr rait nr spel; nt ɖ smōlist wrd. H wz abv ol ɖt sort v ʈñ.

Bî ɖ we, ɖ qsćnz wr ol ritn in ɖ past tns. Ẃt wz ɖ culr v Muɖr’z îz, n so on. Wndi, y si, hd bn fgetñ, tù.

Advnćrz, v cors, az w śl si, wr v dêli ocuṛns; bt abt ɖs tîm Pītr invntd, wɖ Wndi’z hlp, a ny gem ɖt faṣnetd him inorṃsli, untl h sudnli hd no mor inṭrest in it, ẃć, az y hv bn tld, wz ẃt olwz hapnd wɖ hiz gemz. It cnsistd in pritndñ nt t hv advnćrz, in dwñ ɖ sort v ʈñ Jon n Mîcl hd bn dwñ ol ɖer livz, sitñ on stūlz flññ bōlz in ɖ er, pśñ ć uɖr, gwñ ǎt fr wōcs n cmñ bac wɖt hvñ cild so mć az a grizli. T si Pītr dwñ nʈñ on a stūl wz a gret sît; h cd nt hlp lcñ soḷm at sć tîmz, t sit stil sīmd t him sć a comic ʈñ t d. H bostd ɖt h hd gn wōcñ fr ɖ gd v hiz hlʈ. Fr sevṛl súnz ɖz wr ɖ most novl v ol advnćrz t him; n Jon n Mîcl hd t pritnd t b dlîtd olso; uɖ̇wz h wd hv trītd ɖm svirli.

H ofn wnt ǎt alon, n ẃn h cem bac y wr nvr abṣlutli srtn ẃɖr h hd hd an advnćr or nt. H mt hv fgotn it so cmplitli ɖt h sd nʈñ abt it; n ɖen ẃn y wnt ǎt y faund ɖ bodi; n, on ɖ uɖr hand, h mt se a gret dīl abt it, n yt y cd nt fînd ɖ bodi. Smtmz h cem hom wɖ hiz hed bandijd, n ɖen Wndi cùd ovr him n beɖd it in lūcworm wōtr, ẃl h tld a daẓlñ têl. Bt ś wz nvr qt śr, y nǒ. Ɖr wr, hvr, mni advnćrz ẃć ś ń t b tru bcz ś wz in ɖm hrslf, n ɖr wr stl mor ɖt wr at līst partli tru, fr ɖ uɖr bôz wr in ɖm n sd ɖe wr hoļi tru. T dscrîb ɖm ol wd rqîr a bc az larj az an Ñgliś-Latin, Latin-Ñgliś Dix́nri, n ɖ most w cn d z t gv wn az a spesimn v an aṿrij aur on ɖ îḷnd. Ɖ dificlti z ẃć wn t ćūz. Śd w tec ɖ bruś wɖ ɖ redscinz at Slîtli Gulć? It wz a sanḡnri afer, n ispeṣ́li inṭrestñ az śowñ wn v Pītr’z pkliaṛtiz, ẃć wz ɖt in ɖ midl v a fît h wd sudnli ćenj sîdz. At ɖ Gulć, ẃn vicṭri wz stl in ɖ baḷns, smtmz līnñ ɖs we n smtmz ɖt, h cōld ǎt, “I’m redscin tde; ẃt r y, Tūtlz?” N Tūtlz ansrd, “Redscin; ẃt r y, Nibz?” n Nibz sd, “Redscin; ẃt r y Twin?” n so on; n ɖe wr ol redscinz; n v cors ɖs wd hv endd ɖ fît hd nt ɖ riyl redscinz faṣnetd bî Pītr’z meʈ̇dz, agrìd t b lost bôz fr ɖt wns, n so at it ɖe ol wnt agn, mor firsli ɖn evr.

Ɖ xtrordnri upśot v ɖs advnćr wz—bt w hv nt dsîdd yt ɖt ɖs z ɖ advnćr w r t nret. Phps a betr wn wd b ɖ nît’tac bî ɖ redscinz on ɖ hǎs undr ɖ grǎnd, ẃn sevṛl v ɖm stuc in ɖ holo triz n hd t b pld ǎt lîc corcs. Or w mt tel hǎ Pītr sevd Tîgr Lili’z lîf in ɖ Mrmeidz’ Lgūn, n so md hr hiz alî.

Or w cd tel v ɖt cec ɖ pîṛts cct so ɖt ɖ bôz mt īt it n periś; n hǎ ɖe plest it in wn cunñ spot aftr anɖr; bt olwz Wndi snaćt it fṛm ɖ handz v hr ćildṛn, so ɖt in tîm it lost its sukḷns, n bcem az hard az a ston, n wz yzd az a misîl, n Hc fél ovr it in ɖ darc.

Or s’poz w tel v ɖ brdz ɖt wr Pītr’z frendz, ptiklrli v ɖ Nvr brd ɖt bilt its nst in a tri oṿhaññ ɖ l’gūn, n hǎ ɖ nst fél intu ɖ wōtr, n stl ɖ brd sat on hr egz, n Pītr gev ordrz ɖt ś wz nt t b dstrbd. Ɖt z a priti stori, n ɖ end śoz hǎ gretfl a brd cn b; bt f w tel it w mst olso tel ɖ hol advnćr v ɖ l’gūn, ẃć wd v cors b telñ tū advnćrz rɖr ɖn jst wn. A śortr advnćr, n qt az xîtñ, wz Tncr Bel’z atmt, wɖ ɖ hlp v sm strītfẹriz, t hv ɖ slīpñ Wndi cnveid on a gret flotñ līf t ɖ mênḷnd. Forćṇtli ɖ līf gev we n Wndi wouc, ʈncñ it wz baʈtîm, n swam bac. Or agn, w mt ćūz Pītr’z dfayns v ɖ laynz, ẃn h drù a srcl rnd him on ɖ grǎnd wɖ an aro n derd ɖm t cros it; n ɖo h wêtd fr aurz, wɖ ɖ uɖr bôz n Wndi lcñ on breʈlisli fṛm triz, nt wn v ɖm derd t axpt hiz ćalinj.

Ẃć v ɖz advnćrz śl w ćūz? Ɖ bst we wl b t tos fr it.

I hv tóst, n ɖ l’gūn hz wún. Ɖs olmst mcs wn wś ɖt ɖ Gulć or ɖ cec or Tnc’s līf hd wún. V cors I cd d it agn, n mc it bst ǎt v ʈri; hvr, phps fẹrist t stic t ɖ l’gūn.

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