The water kept rising, and Peter was alone in the lagoon on Marooners' Rock.
All he could hear were the mermaids calling good-bye to the moon as they swam to their bedrooms in the sea.
Soon the water completely covered the rock and rose above Peter's ankles.
As he waited for his doom, Peter watched the only thing moving on the water.
At first he thought it might be a piece of paper, a part of the kite.
But then he noticed it was fighting the current and getting closer.
Suddenly, he realized it was a bird, and it was trying to reach him.
The bird was still sitting on her nest, but she was guiding it using her wings as paddles.
By the time she reached Peter, she was very tired.
She was prepared to share her nest with him, even though her eggs were still in it.
Her motherly instincts told her that Peter was only a child, and she wanted to save him.
The bird called out to Peter and he called out to her.
But they couldn't understand each other's language.
"I want you to swim to my nest," she called in her language.
"I am too tired to bring it any nearer."
"What are you quacking about?" asked Peter.
"I want you to swim to me," called the bird, as clearly as she could.
Peter spoke slowly, thinking that would help.
"What . . . are . . . you . . . quacking . . . about?" he called back.
"You silly boy! Why don't you listen to me?" said the annoyed bird.
Both were exhausted and close to losing their tempers.
But the bird meant to save Peter if she could.
With one last try, she pushed the nest against the rock.
Then she flew up, circling overhead.
"Oh, now I understand what you're trying to do!" Peter exclaimed.
He grabbed the nest and waved his thanks to the bird.
She waited to see what he would do with her eggs.
Peter pulled out the two large white eggs.
Then he remembered Starkey's hat, which was still on his head.
Yes, the hat was watertight.
With its wide brim, the hat would easily float on the water.
Carefully, he placed the eggs in it and put the hat in the water.
It stayed afloat.
Peter then got into the nest and took off his shirt to make a sail.
The bird saw what Peter had done and immediately went after the hat.
Happy to have her eggs back, she sat down on them to keep them warm.
Then she drifted in one direction as Peter drifted in the other.
She cried at him and he crowed at her—in shared respect.
When Peter landed near home, he put the nest where the bird could easily find it again.
But the bird never came back for it.
She was perfectly happy with the hat for her eggs.
The broad brim was just right for the young chicks when they finally hatched.
It provided an excellent springboard for them while they were learning to fly.
And when the hat finally fell apart with age, the bird built her new nests in the shape of a hat ever after.
When Peter finally reached the underground house, everyone was happy.
After being carried here and there by the kite, Wendy had also just arrived home.
Every boy had his own tale of adventure, and they all spoke at once—except for the twins.
But the biggest topic of conversation was that they were already many hours late for bed.
"To bed, to bed, boys!" Wendy cried, and they all went off to bed.
The next day, she gave out bandages to everyone, so they could all put their arms into slings.
As everyone knows, one cannot win in battle without some serious injuries.