The Never bird became irritated ; they have very short tempers . `` You dunderheaded little jay , '' she screamed , `` Why do n't you do as I tell you ? '' Peter felt that she was calling him names , and at a venture he retorted hotly : `` So are you ! '' Then rather curiously they both snapped out the same remark : `` Shut up ! '' `` Shut up ! '' 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 them ; 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 a 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 XXXXX landed he beached his barque -LSB- small ship , actually the Never Bird 's nest in this particular case in point -RSB- in a place where the bird would easily find it ; but the hat was such a great success that she abandoned the nest .
Peter Starkey buccaneers feathers gulls hoard jay moidores shirt watertight