'Listen, then,' said Wendy, settling down to her story, with Michael at her feet and seven boys in the bed. 'There was once a gentleman—' 'I had rather he had been a lady,' Curly said. 'I wish he had been a white rat,' said Nibs. 'Quiet,' their mother admonished them.
'There was a lady also, and—' 'Oh, mummy,' cried the first twin, 'you mean that there is a lady also, don’t you? She is not dead, is she? ' 'Oh, no. ' 'I am awfully glad she isn’t dead,' said Tootles. 'Are you glad, John? ' 'Of course I am.
' 'Are you glad, Nibs? ' 'Rather. ' 'Are you glad, Twins? ' 'We are glad. ' 'Oh dear,' sighed Wendy. 'Little less noise there,' Peter called out, determined that she should have fair play, however beastly a story it might be in his opinion. 'The gentleman’s name,' Wendy continued, 'was Mr.
Darling, and her name was Mrs. Darling. ' 'I knew them,' John said, to annoy the others. 'I think I knew them,' said Michael rather doubtfully. 'They were married, you know,' explained Wendy, 'and what do you think they had? ' 'White rats,' cried Nibs, inspired. 'No.
' 'It’s awfully puzzling,' said Tootles, who knew the story by heart. 'Quiet, Tootles. They had three descendants. ' 'What is descendants? ' 'Well, you are one, Twin. ' 'Did you hear that, John? I am a descendant. ' 'Descendants are only children,' said John. 'Oh dear, oh dear,' sighed Wendy.
'Now these three children had a faithful nurse called Nana; but Mr. Darling was angry with her and chained her up in the yard, and so all the children flew away. ' 'It’s an awfully good story,' said Nibs.
'They flew away,' Wendy continued, 'to the Neverland, where the lost children are. ' 'I just thought they did,' Curly broke in excitedly. 'I don’t know how it