Peter had already lashed himself to the wheel ; but he piped all hands and delivered a short address to them ; said he hoped they would do their duty like gallant hearties , but that he knew they were the scum of Rio and the Gold Coast , and if they snapped at him he would tear them . His bluff strident words struck the note sailors understand , and they cheered him lustily . Then a few sharp orders were given , and they turned the ship round , and nosed her for the mainland . Captain Pan calculated , after consulting the ship 's chart , that if this weather lasted they should strike the Azores about the 21st of June , after which it would save time to fly . Some of them wanted it to be an honest ship and others were in favour of keeping it a pirate ; but the captain treated them as dogs , and they dared not express their wishes to him even in a round robin . Instant obedience was the only safe thing . Slightly got a dozen for looking perplexed when told to take soundings . The general feeling was that Peter was honest just now to lull Wendy 's suspicions , but that there might be a change when the new suit was ready , which , against her will , she was making for him out of some of Hook 's wickedest garments . It was afterwards whispered among them that on the first night he wore this suit he sat long in the cabin with Hook 's cigar-holder in his mouth and one hand clenched , all but the forefinger , which he bent and held threateningly aloft like a hook . Instead of watching the ship , however , we must now return to that desolate home from which three of our characters had taken heartless flight so long ago . It seems a shame to have neglected No. 14 all this time ; and yet we may be sure that Mrs. Darling does not blame us . If we had returned sooner to look with sorrowful sympathy at her , she would probably have cried , ` Do n't be silly ; what do I matter ? Do go back and keep an eye on the children . ' So long as mothers are like this their children will take advantage of them ; and they may lay to that . Even now we venture into that familiar nursery only because its lawful occupants are on their way home ; we are merely hurrying on in advance of them to see that their beds are properly aired and that Mr. and Mrs. Darling do not go out for the evening . We are no more than servants . Why on earth should their beds be properly aired , seeing that they left them in such a thankless hurry ? Would it not serve them jolly well right if they came back and found that their parents were spending the week-end in the country ? It would be the moral lesson they have been in need of ever since we met them ; but if we contrived things in this way Mrs. Darling would never forgive us . One thing I should like to do immensely , and that is to tell her , in the way authors have , that the children are coming back , that indeed they will be here on Thursday week .
This would spoil so completely the surprise to which XXXXX and John and Michael are looking forward .
Azores Darling Pan Wendy cigar-holder evening hearties left right scum