the
greatness of the shock, and he was near to being drowned, but clambered
back into the vessel. There now arose a mighty storm, accompanied by
roaring of waters, such as he had never heard the like, and he was
tossed this way and that, and his hands so numbed with the cold that he
could not close them. Having escaped the danger of which, he was
mercifully carried into a small bay, where his boat rode at peace.

Nevertheless, he was not yet in safety; for, on pretending to
disembark, he found a multitude of small people drawn up on the shore
to contest his landing, and shouting shrilly to him to be off, for it
was long past Lock-out Time. This, with much brandishing of their
holly-leaves, and also a company of them carried an arrow which some
boy had left in the Gardens, and this they were prepared to use as a
battering-ram.

Then Peter, who knew them for the fairies, called out that he was not
an ordinary human and had no desire to do them displeasure, but to be
their friend; nevertheless, having found a jolly harbour, he was in no
temper to draw off therefrom, and he warned them if they sought to
mischief him to stand to their harms.

So saying, he boldly leapt ashore, and they gathered around him with
intent to slay him, but there then arose a great cry among the women,
and it was because they had now observed that his sail was a baby's
nightgown. Whereupon, they straightway loved him, and grieved that
their laps were too small, the which I cannot explain, except by saying
that such is the way of women. The men-fairies now sheathed their
weapons on observing the behaviour of their women, on whose
intelligence they set great store, and they led him civilly to their
queen, who conferred upon him the courtesy of the Gardens after
Lock-out Time, and henceforth Peter could go whither he chose, and the
fairies had orders to put him in comfort.

Such was his first voyage to the Gardens, and you may gather from the
antiquity of the language that it took place a long time ago. But
Peter never grows any older, and if we could be watching for him under
the bridge to-night (but, of course, we can't), I dare say we should
see him hoisting his nightgown and sailing or paddling towards us in
the Thrushes Nest. When he sails, he sits down, but he stands up to
paddle. I shall tell you presently how he got his paddle.

Long before the time for the opening of the gates comes he steals back
to the island, for people must