They put their hands over their eyes to shut out the sight . They thought they would soon be no more . As they sat thus something brushed against Peter as light as a kiss , and stayed there , as if saying timidly , `` Can I be of any use ? '' It was the tail of a kite , which Michael had made some days before . It had torn itself out of his hand and floated away . `` Michael 's kite , '' Peter said without interest , but next moment he had seized the tail , and was pulling the kite toward him . `` It lifted Michael off the ground , '' he cried ; `` why should it not carry you ? '' `` Both of us ! '' `` It ca n't lift two ; Michael and Curly tried . '' `` Let us draw lots , '' Wendy said bravely . `` And you a lady ; never . '' Already he had tied the tail round her . She clung to him ; she refused to go without him ; but with a `` Good-bye , Wendy , '' he pushed her from the rock ; and in a few minutes she was borne out of his sight . Peter was alone on the lagoon . The rock was very small now ; soon it would be submerged . Pale rays of light tiptoed across the waters ; and by and by there was to be heard a sound at once the most musical and the most melancholy in the world : the mermaids calling to the moon . Peter was not quite like other boys ; but he was afraid at last . A tremour ran through him , like a shudder passing over the sea ; but on the sea one shudder follows another till there are hundreds of them , and Peter felt just the one . Next moment he was standing erect on the rock again , with that smile on his face and a drum beating within him . It was saying , `` To die will be an awfully big adventure . ''
Chapter 9 THE NEVER BIRD The last sound Peter heard before he was quite alone were the XXXXX retiring one by one to their bedchambers under the sea .
Michael Peter Wendy days ground mermaids minutes shudder tremour use