Peter Pan

An extract from

Peter Pan

by JM Barrie

“Mermaids!” said Peter again.

“Oo!”

“And there are pirates!”

“Pirates,” cried John, seizing his Sunday hat, “let us go at once.”

It was just at this moment that Mr and Mrs Darling hurried with

Nana out of 27. They ran into the middle of the street to look up at the

nursery window; and, yes, it was still shut, but the room was ablaze with

light, and most heart-gripping sight of all, they could see in shadow on

the curtain three little figures in night attire circling round and round, not

on the floor but in the air. Not three figures, four!

In a tremble they opened the street door. Mr Darling would have

rushed upstairs, but Mrs Darling signed to him to go softly. She even

tried to make her heart go softly.

Then Peter knew that there was not a moment to lose. “Come,” he

cried imperiously, and soared out at once into the night, followed by

John and Michael and Wendy.

Mr and Mrs Darling and Nana rushed into the nursery too late. The

birds were flown.