e round in that wind by night.

In the gloom that they brought with them the two pirates did not see the
rock till they crashed into it.

"Luff, you lubber," cried an Irish voice that was Smee's; "here's the
rock. Now, then, what we have to do is to hoist the redskin on to it and
leave her here to drown."

It was the work of one brutal moment to land the beautiful girl on the
rock; she was too proud to offer a vain resistance.

Quite near the rock, but out of sight, two heads were bobbing up and
down, Peter's and Wendy's. Wendy was crying, for it was the first
tragedy she had seen. Peter had seen many tragedies, but he had
forgotten them all. He was less sorry than Wendy for Tiger Lily: it was
two against one that angered him, and he meant to save her. An easy way
would have been to wait until the pirates had gone, but he was never one
to choose the easy way.

There was almost nothing he could not do, and he now imitated the voice
of Hook.

"Ahoy there, you lubbers!" he called. It was a marvellous imitation.

"The captain!" said the pirates, staring at each other in surprise.

"He must be swimming out to us," Starkey said, when they had looked for
him in vain.

"We are putting the redskin on the rock," Smee called out.

"Set her free," came the astonishing answer.

"Free!"

"Yes, cut her bonds and let her go."

"But, captain--"

"At once, d'ye hear," cried Peter, "or I'll plunge my hook in you."

"This is queer!" Smee gasped.

"Better do what the captain orders," said Starkey nervously.

"Ay, ay." Smee said, and he cut Tiger Lily's cords. At once like an eel
she slid between Starkey's legs into the water.

Of course Wendy was very elated over Peter's cleverness; but she knew
that he would be elated also and very likely crow and thus betray
himself, so at once her hand went out to cover his mouth. But it was
stayed even in the act, for "Boat ahoy!" rang over the lagoon in Hook's
voice, and this time it was not Peter who had spoken.

Peter may have been about to crow, but his face puckered in a whistle of
surprise instead.

"Boat ahoy!" again came the voice.

Now Wendy understood. The real Hook was also in the water.

He was swimming to the boat, and as his men showed a light to guide him
he had soon reached them. In the light of the lantern Wendy saw his hook
grip the boat's side; she saw his evil swarthy face as he rose dripping
from the water, and, quaking, she would have liked to swim away,