?"

"Yes."

So this was the truth about mothers. The toads!

Still it is best to be careful; and no one knows so quickly as a child
when he should give in. "Wendy, let us [let's] go home," cried John and
Michael together.

"Yes," she said, clutching them.

"Not to-night?" asked the lost boys bewildered. They knew in what they
called their hearts that one can get on quite well without a mother, and
that it is only the mothers who think you can't.

"At once," Wendy replied resolutely, for the horrible thought had come
to her: "Perhaps mother is in half mourning by this time."

This dread made her forgetful of what must be Peter's feelings, and
she said to him rather sharply, "Peter, will you make the necessary
arrangements?"

"If you wish it," he replied, as coolly as if she had asked him to pass
the nuts.

Not so much as a sorry-to-lose-you between them! If she did not mind the
parting, he was going to show her, was Peter, that neither did he.

But of course he cared very much; and he was so full of wrath against
grown-ups, who, as usual, were spoiling everything, that as soon as he
got inside his tree he breathed intentionally quick short breaths at the
rate of about five to a second. He did this because there is a saying in
the Neverland that, every time you breathe, a grown-up dies; and Peter
was killing them off vindictively as fast as possible.

Then having given the necessary instructions to the redskins he returned
to the home, where an unworthy scene had been enacted in his absence.
Panic-stricken at the thought of losing Wendy the lost boys had advanced
upon her threateningly.

"It will be worse than before she came," they cried.

"We shan't let her go."

"Let's keep her prisoner."

"Ay, chain her up."

In her extremity an instinct told her to which of them to turn.

"Tootles," she cried, "I appeal to you."

Was it not strange? She appealed to Tootles, quite the silliest one.

Grandly, however, did Tootles respond. For that one moment he dropped
his silliness and spoke with dignity.

"I am just Tootles," he said, "and nobody minds me. But the first who
does not behave to Wendy like an English gentleman I will blood him
severely."

He drew back his hanger; and for that instant his sun was at noon. The
others held back uneasily. Then Peter returned, and they saw at once
that they would get no support from him. He would keep no girl in the
Neverland against her will.

"Wendy," he said,