Many things happen in life that we do not notice at first. That night, Peter Pan had a strange experience. Peter walked across the island with his dagger (a small, sharp knife) in his hand. He saw the crocodile pass him. Peter noticed something different. The crocodile was not making a "tick-tick" sound. Peter realized the clock inside the crocodile stopped.
Peter wanted to use this to his advantage. He decided to make the "tick-tick" sound with his own mouth. He wanted the wild animals to think he was the crocodile. Then the animals would stay away from him. Peter made the sound perfectly. The real crocodile heard Peter and followed him. The crocodile was a very stupid animal. It did not know why it followed the sound.
Peter reached the water and began to swim. He only had one thought: "Hook or me this time." Peter continued to make the "tick-tick" sound. He did not even know he was doing it. He reached the pirate ship and climbed the side. He was surprised to see the pirates. They were all very afraid. Captain Hook was hiding because he heard the ticking.
Peter realized that the pirates were afraid of him. He liked this. He told the boys to be quiet. A quartermaster (a pirate officer) named Ed Teynte came onto the deck. Peter moved quickly and killed him with his knife. John stopped the pirate from making a noise. Four boys caught the pirate and threw him into the sea. Slightly said, "One!"
Peter ran into the cabin. The pirates heard their own breath because the ticking stopped. Captain Hook looked up. "The sound is gone," Smee said. Captain Hook felt brave again. He hated the boys because they saw him afraid. He began to sing a mean song about the plank (the board used to throw people into the sea).
Captain Hook asked the boys if they wanted to feel the "cat." The "cat" was a whip (a long piece of leather used for hitting). The boys said no. Captain Hook told a pirate named Bill Jukes to go into the cabin. Jukes went to get the whip. Suddenly, a terrible scream came from the cabin. Then everyone heard a sound like a bird.
"What was that?" Captain Hook asked. Slightly said, "Two!" Another pirate named Cecco went into the cabin. He came out looking very sick. He told Captain Hook that Bill Jukes was dead. Cecco said there was something terrible inside the dark cabin. Captain Hook was angry. He told Cecco to go back inside. Cecco was afraid, but he went.
Another scream came from the cabin. Then the bird sound happened again. Slightly said, "Three!" Captain Hook asked who would go in next. A pirate named Starkey refused. Captain Hook moved toward Starkey with his iron hook. Starkey was very scared. He jumped off the ship and into the sea. Slightly said, "Four!"
Captain Hook took a lamp and went into the cabin himself. But he came out quickly. He said the light went out. The pirates were very nervous. They thought the ship was cursed. They thought a ghost was on the ship. The boys began to cheer. This made Captain Hook very angry.
Captain Hook had a new idea. He told the pirates to push the boys into the cabin. He wanted the boys to fight the "thing" inside. The pirates pushed the boys into the dark room and closed the door. The pirates waited and listened. But Wendy stayed tied to the mast (the tall pole on the ship). She waited for Peter Pan.
Peter was inside the cabin. He found the keys for the boys' chains. He freed all the boys and gave them weapons. Peter told the boys to hide. Then Peter cut Wendy’s ropes. He told Wendy to hide with the boys. Peter put on Wendy’s cloak (a long coat) and stood at the mast. He made the bird sound again.
The pirates thought the boys were dead. Captain Hook said that women were bad luck on a ship. He told the pirates to throw the girl into the sea. The pirates ran to the person in the cloak. "Nobody can save you now!" a pirate said. "I can!" the person answered. Peter Pan threw off the cloak. The pirates were shocked.
"Attack, boys!" Peter shouted. The boys ran out of the cabin with their weapons. A big fight began on the ship. The pirates were very confused and scared. They did not stay together. The boys fought in pairs and killed many pirates. Some pirates jumped into the sea. Slightly continued to count the pirates as they died.
Finally, only Captain Hook was left. The boys stood around him. Peter Pan stepped forward. "This man is mine," Peter said. Peter and Captain Hook looked at each other. Captain Hook was shaking, but Peter was smiling. They began to fight with swords. Peter was very fast. Captain Hook was very strong.
Captain Hook tried to hit Peter with his iron hook. Peter moved under the hook and hurt Captain Hook’s side. Captain Hook saw his own blood. This made him feel very weak. Peter was a great fighter. Captain Hook ran to the room with the gunpowder (dust that causes an explosion). He wanted to blow up the ship.
Peter followed Captain Hook and stopped the explosion. Captain Hook felt that he could not win. He saw that Peter was a very brave boy. Captain Hook went to the side of the ship. He saw Peter coming toward him. Captain Hook jumped into the sea. He did not know that the crocodile was waiting there. The crocodile caught Captain Hook. That was the end of the pirate.
Slightly said, "Seventeen!" Most of the pirates were gone. Only Smee and Starkey lived, but they were not pirates anymore. Wendy was very proud of Peter and the boys. She looked at the clock. It was very late. Wendy told the boys to go to sleep in the pirates' beds. Peter stayed on the deck. He fell asleep and had a dream. Wendy held him while he slept.