Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens

wn-up. They are people who despise money except what you need for to-day, and he had all that and five pounds over. So, w

e sends one from Class A, but if it ruffles him he sends very funny ones indeed. Sometimes he sends none at all, and at another time he sends a nestful; it all depends on the mood you catch him in. He likes you to leave it all to him, and if you mention particularly that you hope he

, and then with their toes pointed in, decided that it came from some greedy person who wanted five. They thought this because there was a large five printed on i

le ways, and decided (wisely, I think) to choose the best way. But, first, he had to tell the birds of the value of Shelley's boat; and though they were too honest to demand it back, he saw that they were galled, and they cast such black looks at Solomon, who was rather vain

!' cried Solo

a certain yew-stump in the Figs which had taken his fancy, and for years he had been quietly filling his stocking. It was a stocking belonging to some bathing person which had been cast upon the island, and at the time I speak of it contained a hundred

had consulted together they called a meeting of the thrus

them into good-humour at once, as it was meant to do; for all the quarrels between birds are about the best way of building nests. Other birds, said Solomon, omitted to line their nests with mud, and as a result they did not hold water. Here he cocked his head as if he had use

t last, 'how warm the

n water gets into the nest it remains t

ok to say something crushing in reply

Mrs. Finch pertly. Kate was her

been quietly fi

finch's nest is placed on the Serpentine it fills and breaks to piec

id what they should have done at first-chased her from the meeting. After this it was most orderly. What they had been brought together to hear, said Solomon, was

to fidget, which made Pet

f the cumbrous boats that humans use; the proposed boat wa

were sulky. 'We are very busy people,' the

remember that he is now in comfortable circumstances, and he will pay you such wages as you have

ly the demand from the mainland. The stout, rather greedy children, who look so well in perambulators but get puffed easily when they walk, were all young thrushes once, and ladies often ask specially for them. What do you think Solomon did? He sent over to the house-tops for a lot of sparrows and ordered them to lay their eggs

Gardens who puff and blow as if they

ing politely while he cut the paper sixpences out of his bank-note, and presently he called the roll, and

o it, and after it was lined with mud and the mud had dried he always slept in it. He sleeps in his nest still, and has a fascinating way of curling round in it, for it is just large enough to hold him comfortably when he curls round like a kitten. It

at each other in dismay; but Peter replied that he had no need of oars, for he had a sail, and with such a proud, happy face he produced a sail which he had fashioned out of his nightgown, and though it was still rather like a nightgown it made a lovely sail. And that nig

koning to him beneath the bridge, and he could not wait. His face was flushed, but he never looked back; there was an exultation in hi

ws until he caught a favouring wind, which bore him westward, but at so great a speed that he was like to be broke against the bridge. Which, having avoided, he passed under the bridge and came, to his great rejoicing, within full sight of the delectable Gardens. But having tried to cast anchor, which was a stone at the end of a piece of the kite-string, he found no bottom, and was fain to hold off, seeking for moorage; and, feeling his way, he buffeted ag

st his landing, and shouting shrilly to him to be off, for it was long past Lock-out Time. This, with much brandishing of their holly-leaves

to do them displeasure, but to be their friend; nevertheless, having found a jolly harbour, he was in no

ghtway loved him, and grieved that their laps were too small, the which I cannot explain, except by saying that such is the way of women. The men-fairies now sheathed their weapons on observing the behaviour of their women, on whose intell

and came within full sigh

y older, and if we could be watching for him under the bridge to-night (but, of course, we can't), I dare say we should see him hoisting his nightgown and s

him (he is not so human as all that), but this gives him hours for play, and he plays exactly as real children

telling came, it was wonderful how little they really knew. They told him the truth about hide-and-seek, and he often plays it by himself, but even the ducks on the Round Pond could not explain to him what it is that makes the

he had never seen a hoop, and he wondered what you play at with them, and decided that you play at pretending they are boats. This hoop always sank at once, but h

stra

ty storm, and he was t

ng fro

lso he found a balloon. It was bobbing about on the Hump, quite as if it was having a game by itself, and he caught it after an exciting chase

t gave no answer, he went nearer and felt it cautiously. He gave it a little push, and it ran from him, which made him think it must be alive after all; but, as it had run from him, he was not afraid. So he stretched out his hand to pull it to him, but this time it ran at him, and he was so alarmed that he leapt the railing and scudded away to hi

ime would be impertinence. He thought he had the most splendid time in the Gardens, and to think you have it is almost quite as good as really to have it. He played without ceas

than your father. Sometimes he fell, like a spinning-top, from sheer merriment. Have

more or less in

, but it is really Peter's pipe they hear. Of course, he had no mother-at least, what use was she to him? You can be sorry for him for