The pirates still crept through the night forest. What an evil gang they were! Yet even they trembled before their leader—the black-hearted Captain James Hook.
Hook dressed in velvet and lace. He wore his hair in long black curls. And he had the speech and manners of a perfect gentleman. Except when he was running you through with his sword! Then his blue eyes burned with two red spots. But that was not the worst of it.
In place of his right hand was an iron hook.
The captain paused among the trees and sighed. Such a beautiful night! Suddenly he felt like talking.
“I know what I’d do if I were a mother,” Hook told his man Smee. “I would pray that my children be born with a hook.” Yet it was the hook that made him hate Peter.
“It was Pan who cut off my arm,” Hook explained. “Then he fed it to a crocodile. The croc found me delicious. And it has followed me ever since.”
“In a way it’s a compliment,” said Smee.
“I want no such compliments!” barked Hook. “I want Peter Pan. He’s the one who gave the croc its taste for me!”
Hook sat down on a large mushroom. “That crocodile would have had me by now. But it swallowed a clock. Now it ticks! That warns me to run away.”
“Some day the clock will run down,” said Smee.
“Aye, that’s the fear that haunts me,” said Hook. “And it’s all Pan’s doing! I’ve waited long enough. I want to shake his hand with this!” He sliced the air with the deadly hook.
Suddenly the captain jumped up. “Odds bobs, hammer and tongs! This mushroom is hot!”
Hook and Smee looked at the thing. They pulled it loose. Smoke rose in the air. “A chimney!” they exclaimed. Then something else came out.
The chatter of boys.
The pirates had found the chimney to the home under the ground! Wendy had put the boys to bed. But they were far too excited to sleep.
The captain’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “Back to the ship! We’ll cook up a large rich cake. With thick green sugar on it! Then we’ll leave it here where the boys will find it.”
He giggled. “They have no mother. Don’t you see? They won’t know how dangerous it is to eat rich damp cake. They’ll gobble it up. And die!” Hook shook with laughter.
Tick tick tick tick.
“The crocodile!” gasped Hook. The captain ran off with his long curls flying. Smee was close behind.