The children wept , and Nana ran to him beseechingly , but he waved her back . He felt he was a strong man again . ` In vain , in vain , ' he cried ; ` the proper place for you is the yard , and there you go to be tied up this instant . ' ` George , George , ' Mrs. Darling whispered , ` remember what I told you about that boy . ' Alas , he would not listen . He was determined to show who was master in that house , and when commands would not draw Nana from the kennel , he lured her out of it with honeyed words , and seizing her roughly , dragged her from the nursery . He was ashamed of himself , and yet he did it . It was all owing to his too affectionate nature , which craved for admiration . When he had tied her up in the back-yard , the wretched father went and sat in the passage , with his knuckles to his eyes . In the meantime Mrs. Darling had put the children to bed in unwonted silence and lit their night-lights . They could hear Nana barking , and John whimpered , ` It is because he is chaining her up in the yard , ' but Wendy was wiser . ` That is not Nana 's unhappy bark , ' she said , little guessing what was about to happen ; ` that is her bark when she smells danger . ' Danger ! ` Are you sure , Wendy ? ' ` Oh yes . ' Mrs. Darling quivered and went to the window . It was securely fastened . She looked out , and the night was peppered with stars . They were crowding round the house , as if curious to see what was to take place there , but she did not notice this , nor that one or two of the smaller ones winked at her . Yet a nameless fear clutched at her heart and made her cry , ` Oh , how I wish that I was n't going to a party to-night ! '
Even Michael , already half asleep , knew that she was perturbed , and he asked , ` Can anything harm us , mother , after the XXXXX are lit ? '
Darling George John Nana Wendy back danger night night-lights to-night