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Do You Believe In Fairies?
AllwentwelluntilSlightly’sturncame,whenhewasfoundtobelikethoseirritatingparcelsthatuseupallthestringingoingroundandleavenotagswithwhichtotieaknot.Thepirateskickedhimintheirrage,justasyoukicktheparcel(thoughinfairnessyoushouldkickthestring);andstrangetosayitwasHookwhotoldthemtobelaytheirviolence.Hislipwascurledwithmalicioustriumph.Whilehisdogsweremerelysweatingbecauseeverytimetheytriedtopacktheunhappyladtightinoneparthebulgedoutinanother,Hook’smastermindhadgonefarbeneathSlightly’ssurface,probingnotforeffectsbutforcauses;andhisexultationshowedthathehadfoundthem.Slightly,whitetothegills,knewthatHookhadsurprisedhissecret,whichwasthis,thatnoboysoblownoutcoulduseatreewhereinanaveragemanneedstick.PoorSlightly,mostwretchedofallthechildrennow,forhewasinapanicaboutPeter,bitterlyregrettedwhathehaddone.Madlyaddictedtothedrinkingofwaterwhenhewashot,hehadswelledinconsequencetohispresentgirth,andinsteadofreducinghimselftofithistreehehad,unknowntotheothers,whittledhistreetomakeitfithim.
SufficientofthisHookguessedtopersuadehimthatPeteratlastlayathismercy;butnowordofthedarkdesignthatnowformedinthesubterraneancavernsofhismindcrossedhislips;hemerelysignedthatthecaptivesweretobeconveyedtotheship,andthathewouldbealone.
Howtoconveythem?Hunchedupintheirropestheymightindeedberolleddownhilllikebarrels,butmostofthewaylaythroughamorass.
