Tootles bragged to the other boys:
"Aha! I have shot the Wendy Bird. Peter will be so proud of me."
"This is no bird," said Slightly. "It's a girl!"
"Now I understand," said Curly.
"Maybe Peter was bringing her here to take care of us."
"And you have killed her!" scolded Nibs.
Tootle's face turned white when he realized his mistake.
He was now afraid of what Peter would say and of how he would be punished.
It was a very tragic moment.
All the boys looked down in deep regret and sorrow.
Just then, they heard a crowing from up above.
This was Peter's usual signal to the boys.
"It's Peter!" the boys cried.
"We must hide her," whispered Nibs.
Nodding, the others crowded around Wendy's body in confusion.
"Greetings, boys," said Peter as he dropped down from the sky.
"I have good news. I've brought a mother to take care of us all."
He looked around at his boys.
There were none of the usual salutes or cheers.
"Why aren't you cheering me?" he asked. "Why so sad?"
The boys stepped aside for Peter to see and then pointed to the body.
"She's dead," said Peter, as he pulled the arrow from Wendy's chest.
"Who did this?"
When Tootles admitted his mistake, Peter raised his arm to hit him.
But a small hand stopped him. Wendy wasn't quite dead yet.
Even in her weak state, she had protected Tootles.
"She lives!" the boys shouted with joy.
Peter knelt beside her and found the acorn button he had given her.
It was still on a chain around her neck.
It had protected her from the arrow.
"That's the kiss I gave her, and it has saved her life.
I'm such a hero!" cried Peter.
"Hooray!" Now the boys had something to cheer about.
Only Tinker Bell was miserable.
The boys told Peter what she had said to them.
"Tink, I'm ashamed of you!" said Peter.
"Out of my sight! I don't want to see you anymore."
Tinker Bell flew down and landed on Peter's arm. She pleaded with him.
But Wendy, still lying as if dead, raised her arm again.
Feeling a bit sorry for the fairy, Peter gave in.
"Well, maybe I won't banish you forever. But at least for a whole week!"
Even so, Tinker Bell was not the least bit grateful to Wendy.
In fact, she wanted to pinch Wendy even more.
"Let's carry Wendy down to the house," Curly suggested.
"But we shouldn't touch her," said Tootles.
"We might accidentally hurt her even more."
"If she lies here in the open overnight, she'll die," argued Slightly.
"Well then, let's build a temporary little house around her right here," suggested Peter.
"Bring me the best of what each of you have.
You can take it from our house," he ordered in his captain's voice.
Happy to follow Peter's orders again, the boys went about finding soft bedding, firewood, and anything else they could think of.
They went up and down and all around, working hard to make their new mother comfortable.
Suddenly, John and Michael appeared in the sky.
They too were relieved to see Peter again. "Hello, Peter!" they yelled.
"Hello," Peter replied. He had actually forgotten all about them.
Peter was busy measuring Wendy to see how large the new house would need to be.
John and Michael watched the frantic activity around them.
"Is Wendy asleep?" asked John, seeing his sister on the ground.
"Let's wake her up," said Michael. "She can make our dinner."
"Yes, we're hungry!" John shouted.
"Maybe later," said Peter.
"Now you can help the others carry branches to build a house for your sister."
"A house for Wendy?" John exclaimed. "She's only a girl."
"But she's going to be our mother.
We must be respectful and kind," explained Curly.