The Jolly Roger lay wrapped in a blanket of darkness. Wendy was tied to the mast. The lost boys were about to walk the plank.
Wendy hated the pirates. The boys could not help but admire them a little. But all Wendy saw was how mean and messy they were. The ship had not been scrubbed for years.
“So, my beauty,” Hook said. “Are you ready to see your boys walk the plank?” Suddenly he froze.
Tick tick tick tick tick tick.
Hook fell in a heap. His hook hung helpless in the air. “Hide me!” he gasped.
The pirates crowded around their captain. The boys rushed to the ship’s side to see the crocodile. But it was not the crocodile.
It was Peter Pan!
Remember how the crocodile had passed Peter in the forest? Without a sound. The crocodile had stopped ticking. The clock inside had finally run down.
So Peter began to tick. At first it was just to scare the beasts in the night. Then he reached the Jolly Roger. And he saw that it frightened the pirates.
Peter ticked as he slipped on board. He ticked as he hid in the cabin. Then he stopped ticking.
“Captain—the crocodile’s gone!” said Smee.
Slowly Hook raised his head to listen. It was true. The ticking had stopped.
“Then here’s to Johnny Plank!” he cried. His hatred for the boys was doubled now. For they had seen him shake in fear.
A shriek came from the cabin.
“Jukes,” said Hook. “Find out what that was.”
Jukes went into the cabin. But he did not come out. Cecco went in after him. There were terrible shrieks. But he did not come out, either.
“Drive the boys into the cabin,” ordered Hook. “Maybe they will all kill each other.”
The boys pretended to be afraid. The pirates shoved them into the cabin and shut the door.
Of course, only Peter was inside. He smiled and gave them weapons.
“Hide yourselves now,” Peter whispered. “But stand ready for my call. I am going to free Wendy.”
Quiedy he snuck up and untied her. “Hide with the others,” he whispered. “Hurry!”
Then he wrapped himself in Wendy’s cloak. He would pretend to be Wendy. “Hook or me this time!” he swore.
Hook had decided there was bad luck on board. And he had decided the bad luck was Wendy!
“Throw her overboard!” Hook ordered. “Then all our troubles will be over!”
Peter hid his face. The pirates crowded around the mast. “No one can save you now!” one shouted.
Peter spoke in a voice like Wendy’s: “There’s one who can.”
“Who?!” said Hook.
“Peter Pan!” Peter flung off Wendy’s cloak and crowed.
“So!” said Hook. “This is all your doing!”
“Aye, James Hook,” Peter said with pride.
“Foolish boy,” spat Hook. “Prepare to meet your doom.”
Peter was a master with the sword. But so was Hook. They fought each other with skill and passion.
At last Hook was cornered. He lashed out at the boy with his iron hook. But Peter lunged. His sword pierced the captain’s ribs. Hook dropped his sword. The captain was at Peter’s mercy.
“Now!” cried the lost boys.
However, Peter waited. The fight must be fair. And it must be fair to the finish.
James Hook took up his sword again. But he fought without hope. Escape was now his only chance. He backed up to the side of the boat. Then he threw himself into the sea.
He did not know that the silent crocodile had been drawn to Peter’s ticking. That he had followed the boy. That he waited below with hungry jaws.
And that was the end of Captain Hook.
The battle was over. But it was half past one in the morning! Wendy tucked the boys into the pirates’ bunks. All but Peter. He had to strut up and down the deck for a while. Then he, too, fell asleep.
Peter had bad dreams that night. He cried in his sleep. Wendy held him tight.
The next morning the boys put on pirates’ clothes. Captain Peter took the wheel and turned the ship toward the mainland.
He was taking Wendy home.