"Second to the right, and straight on until morning."
Peter Pan told Wendy Darling that this was the way to Neverland. Peter Pan often said anything that came into his head. Even birds with maps could not find the island with those directions.
At first, Wendy Darling, John, and Michael trusted Peter Pan. Flying was very exciting. They flew around tall church spires (the pointed tops of churches). They flew around any tall objects that they liked.
John and Michael had a race. Michael started first. Not long ago, they were proud because they could fly around a room. Now they felt like very strong flyers.
They flew for a long time. Soon, they were flying over the sea. Wendy Darling began to worry. John thought it was their second sea. He thought it was their third night.
Sometimes it was dark and sometimes it was light. Sometimes they were very cold and sometimes they were too warm. They felt very hungry. Peter Pan had a strange way to find food.
Peter Pan chased birds that had food in their mouths. He took the food from the birds. Then the birds chased the children to take the food back. At the end, they were all friendly again. Wendy Darling thought this was a very strange way to get bread and butter.
The children were very sleepy. This was a great danger. When they fell asleep, they fell down toward the sea. Peter Pan thought this was funny.
"There he goes again!" Peter Pan shouted happily. Michael was falling like a stone.
"Save him, save him!" Wendy Darling cried. She looked at the scary sea below them.
Peter Pan dived through the air. He caught Michael just before Michael hit the water. Peter Pan always waited until the last moment. He wanted to show how clever he was.
Peter Pan could sleep in the air. He lay on his back and floated. Peter Pan was very light. If someone blew on him, he went faster.
"Please be more polite to Peter Pan," Wendy Darling whispered to John. They were playing a game called "Follow my Leader."
"Tell him to stop showing off," John said.
Peter Pan flew close to the water. He touched the tails of sharks (large, dangerous fish with many teeth). John and Michael could not do this. Peter Pan looked back to see if they were following him.
"You must be nice to Peter Pan," Wendy Darling told her brothers. "What can we do if he leaves us?"
"We can go back home," Michael said.
"We cannot find the way without Peter Pan," Wendy Darling said.
"Then we can go forward," John said.
"That is the problem, John," Wendy Darling said. "We must go forward because we do not know how to stop." This was true. Peter Pan forgot to show them how to stop.
John said the world was round. He thought they would reach their own window again.
"Who will find food for us, John?" Wendy Darling asked.
"I took food from an eagle," John said.
"You tried twenty times before you caught it," Wendy Darling said. "And we hit many clouds when Peter Pan is not near us."
They often hit clouds. They could fly well now, but they still kicked their legs too much. If they saw a cloud, they usually hit it. Michael needed a bandage for his head.
Peter Pan was not with them now. The children felt very lonely. Peter Pan was much faster than the children. He often flew away to have an adventure alone.
Peter Pan came back laughing. He told a joke to a star, but he forgot the joke. Sometimes he had mermaid (a creature that is half woman and half fish) scales on his clothes. But he could not remember what happened.
"If he forgets adventures, he will forget us," Wendy Darling said.
Sometimes Peter Pan did not remember the children. Wendy Darling saw this in his eyes. Once, she had to tell him her name.
"I am Wendy Darling," she said.
Peter Pan was very sorry. "If I forget you, just say your name," he said. "Then I will remember."
This was not a good answer. But Peter Pan showed them how to lie on the wind. This was a safe way to sleep. They liked this very much.
Soon they were near Neverland. They flew for many moons. The island was looking for them. Only then can people see those magic shores.
"There it is," Peter Pan said quietly.
"Where? Where?" the children asked.
"Look where the arrows are pointing," Peter Pan said.
The sun sent many golden arrows of light to the island. The sun wanted the children to see the way. Wendy Darling, John, and Michael looked down at the island.
They all knew the island immediately. It was not a dream now. It was a place they knew well. It felt like home.
"John, look at the lagoon (a lake of salt water near the sea)," Wendy Darling said.
"Look at the turtles in the sand," John said.
"I see the flamingo with the broken leg!" Michael shouted.
"Look, Michael, there is your cave!" Wendy Darling said.
"John, what is that in the grass?" Wendy Darling asked.
"It is a wolf and her babies," John said.
"I see the smoke from the redskin (an old word for Native American people) camp," John said. John looked at the smoke to see if they were ready for war.
Peter Pan was a little angry. He wanted to know more than the children. But soon, the children became afraid.
The golden arrows went away. Neverland became dark and scary. At home, Neverland was make-believe. But now Neverland was real.
There were no night-lights here. It was getting darker every moment. The children missed their dog, Nana.
The children flew very close to Peter Pan. Peter Pan was not relaxed now. His eyes were very bright. They flew very low over the island. Sometimes the trees touched their feet.
"They do not want us to land," Peter Pan explained.
"Who are they?" Wendy Darling whispered. She was shaking with fear.
Peter Pan did not answer. Tinker Bell was asleep on his shoulder. Peter Pan woke her up. He told Tinker Bell to fly in front of them.
Peter Pan listened carefully. He looked down at the ground. Then he moved forward again.
"Do you want an adventure now?" Peter Pan asked John. "Or do you want your tea first?"
"Tea first," Wendy Darling said quickly.
"What kind of adventure?" John asked.
"There is a pirate (a person who robs ships at sea) asleep below us," Peter Pan said. "We can go down and kill him."
"Suppose he wakes up?" John asked.
"I will wake him first," Peter Pan said. "Then I will kill him. I always do that."
"Do you kill many pirates?" John asked.
"I kill many," Peter Pan said.
John decided to have tea first. He asked about the pirates on the island. Peter Pan said there were many pirates.
"Who is the captain now?" John asked.
"Hook," Peter Pan answered. His face became very serious.
Michael began to cry. John and Michael knew that Captain Hook was a very bad man.
"Hook was a famous pirate," John whispered. "He is the worst pirate of all. Everyone was afraid of him."
"That is him," Peter Pan said.
"Is he big?" John asked.
"He is not as big as he was," Peter Pan said. "I cut off a piece of him."
"You did?" John asked.
"Yes, me," Peter Pan said.
"What piece did you cut off?" John asked.
"His right hand," Peter Pan said.
"Then he cannot fight now?" John asked.
"He can fight very well," Peter Pan said. "He has an iron hook instead of a right hand. He uses it to hurt people."
Peter Pan looked at John. "You must promise me one thing. If we fight Hook, you must let me fight him alone."
"I promise," John said.
Tinker Bell was flying with them. Her light helped them see each other. But Tinker Bell flew very fast. She flew in circles around the children.
"Tinker Bell says the pirates saw us," Peter Pan said. "They have a big gun. Its name is Long Tom."
"The pirates can see Tinker Bell's light," Wendy Darling said. "Tell her to go away, Peter Pan."
"No," Peter Pan said. "She is afraid. I will not send her away alone."
"Tell her to turn off her light," Wendy Darling said.
"Fairies cannot turn off their light," Peter Pan said. "The light only goes out when they fall asleep."
"Tell her to sleep now," John said.
"She can only sleep when she is sleepy," Peter Pan said.
They did not have any pockets to hide Tinker Bell. Then Peter Pan had an idea. They used John's hat.
Tinker Bell went into the hat. John carried the hat in his hand. Later, Wendy Darling carried the hat. Tinker Bell was angry because she did not like Wendy Darling.
Now the light was hidden. They flew in silence. They heard wild animals drinking water. They heard a sound like knives. Peter Pan said the redskins were sharpening their knives.
Suddenly, there was a giant BOOM! The pirates fired the big gun at them.
The noise was very loud. The echoes shouted in the mountains. The children learned that this island was real and dangerous.
John and Michael were alone in the darkness. They were not hit by the gun. But the wind from the gun pushed Peter Pan away.
Wendy Darling was also alone. She was high in the air with Tinker Bell. Wendy Darling still had the hat.
Tinker Bell jumped out of the hat. She wanted to hurt Wendy Darling. Tinker Bell felt jealousy (an angry feeling because you want what another person has). She wanted Peter Pan to like only her.
Tinker Bell made a sound like a bell. Wendy Darling did not understand the fairy language. But the sound was kind. Tinker Bell flew back and forth.
"Follow me," Tinker Bell seemed to say.
Wendy Darling was lost and afraid. She called for Peter Pan and her brothers. No one answered. She followed Tinker Bell into the dark.