Rapidly and silently Hook gave his orders : one man to each tree , and the others to arrange themselves in a line two yards apart . Chapter 13 DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRIES ? The more quickly this horror is disposed of the better . The first to emerge from his tree was Curly . He rose out of it into the arms of Cecco , who flung him to Smee , who flung him to Starkey , who flung him to Bill Jukes , who flung him to Noodler , and so he was tossed from one to another till he fell at the feet of the black pirate . All the boys were plucked from their trees in this ruthless manner ; and several of them were in the air at a time , like bales of goods flung from hand to hand . A different treatment was accorded to Wendy , who came last . With ironical politeness Hook raised his hat to her , and , offering her his arm , escorted her to the spot where the others were being gagged . He did it with such an air , he was so frightfully DISTINGUE -LSB- imposingly distinguished -RSB- , that she was too fascinated to cry out . She was only a little girl . Perhaps it is tell-tale to divulge that for a moment Hook entranced her , and we tell on her only because her slip led to strange results . Had she haughtily unhanded him -LRB- and we should have loved to write it of her -RRB- , she would have been hurled through the air like the others , and then Hook would probably not have been present at the tying of the children ; and had he not been at the tying he would not have discovered Slightly 's secret , and without the secret he could not presently have made his foul attempt on Peter 's life . They were tied to prevent their flying away , doubled up with their knees close to their ears ; and for the trussing of them the black pirate had cut a rope into nine equal pieces . All went well until Slightly 's turn came , when he was found to be like those irritating parcels that use up all the string in going round and leave no tags -LSB- ends -RSB- with which to tie a knot . The pirates kicked him in their rage , just as you kick the parcel -LRB- though in fairness you should kick the string -RRB- ; and strange to say it was Hook who told them to belay their violence . His lip was curled with malicious triumph . While his dogs were merely sweating because every time they tried to pack the unhappy lad tight in one part he bulged out in another , Hook 's master mind had gone far beneath Slightly 's surface , probing not for effects but for causes ; and his exultation showed that he had found them . Slightly , white to the gills , knew that Hook had surprised -LSB- discovered -RSB- his secret , which was this , that no boy so blown out could use a tree wherein an average man need stick . Poor Slightly , most wretched of all the children now , for he was in a panic about Peter , bitterly regretted what he had done . Madly addicted to the drinking of water when he was hot , he had swelled in consequence to his present girth , and instead of reducing himself to fit his tree he had , unknown to the others , whittled his tree to make it fit him .
Sufficient of this Hook guessed to persuade him that XXXXX at last lay at his mercy , but no word of the dark design that now formed in the subterranean caverns of his mind crossed his lips ; he merely signed that the captives were to be conveyed to the ship , and that he would be alone .
Cecco Jukes Noodler Peter Smee Wendy first gills trussing violence