Nevertheless the bird was determined to save him if she could , and by one last mighty effort she propelled the nest against the rock . Then up she flew ; deserting her eggs , so as to make her meaning clear . Then at last he understood , and clutched the nest and waved his thanks to the bird as she fluttered overhead . It was not to receive his thanks , however , that she hung there in the sky ; it was not even to watch him get into the nest ; it was to see what he did with her eggs . There were two large white eggs , and Peter lifted them up and reflected . The bird covered her face with her wings , so as not to see the last of her eggs ; but she could not help peeping between the feathers . I forget whether I have told you that there was a stave on the rock , driven into it by some buccaneers of long ago to mark the site of buried treasure . The children had discovered the glittering hoard , and when in mischievous mood used to fling showers of moidores , diamonds , pearls and pieces of eight to the gulls , who pounced upon them for food , and then flew away , raging at the scurvy trick that had been played upon them . The stave was still there , and on it Starkey had hung his hat , a deep tarpaulin , watertight , with a broad brim . Peter put the eggs into this hat and set it on the lagoon . It floated beautifully . The Never bird saw at once what he was up to , and screamed her admiration of him ; and , alas , Peter crowed his agreement with her . Then he got into the nest , reared the stave in it as a mast , and hung up his shirt for a sail . At the same moment the bird fluttered down upon the hat and once more sat snugly on her eggs . She drifted in one direction , and he was borne off in another , both cheering . Of course when Peter landed he beached his barque in a place where the bird would easily find it ; but the hat was such a great success that she abandoned the nest . It drifted about till it went to pieces , and often Starkey came to the shore of the lagoon , and with many bitter feelings watched the bird sitting on his hat . As we shall not see her again , it may be worth mentioning here that all Never birds now build in that shape of nest , with a broad brim on which the youngsters take an airing . Great were the rejoicings when Peter reached the home under the ground almost as soon as Wendy , who had been carried hither and thither by the kite . Every boy had adventures to tell ; but perhaps the biggest adventure of all was that they were several hours late for bed .
This so inflated them that they did various dodgy things to get staying up still longer , such as demanding bandages ; but XXXXX , though glorying in having them all home again safe and sound , was scandalised by the lateness of the hour , and cried , ` To bed , to bed , ' in a voice that had to be obeyed .
Peter Starkey Wendy barque buccaneers hoard hours moidores rejoicings watertight