Peter arrived at the shore of Kidd's Creek where the Jolly Roger was anchored.
He had quickly crawled across the island.
After seeing the silent crocodile, Peter had decided to imitate it.
In fact, he tick-tocked so perfectly the way the creature had done that the other animals let him pass unharmed.
The crocodile, which had become fond of the sound, followed him, hoping to get his tick-tock back.
"This time, it's Hook or me!" Peter vowed to himself, then dived into the water.
He had been tick-tocking so long that he hardly thought about it anymore.
He swam to the ship and climbed up the side—tick-tocking all the while.
When the boys looked over the side, he signaled them to be quiet.
Then he climbed around the hull to the other side of the ship.
He peeked over the rail and saw the boys in chains and Wendy tied to the mast.
They all saw him too, and he gave them another signal to be quiet.
Hook was trembling on the deck.
"How clever of me!" Peter thought, grinning.
At the back of the deck was the cabin. Peter watched the cabin door.
When one of the pirates came out, Peter stabbed him with his dagger.
He covered the pirate's mouth to muffle his dying moan.
The boys watched as Peter threw the pirate overboard.
There was a loud splash, followed by silence.
Then Peter vanished into the cabin.
"Pirate number one!" whispered Slightly.
The pirates had heard a big splash, and then the tick-tocking had stopped.
All they could hear now was the sound of their breathing.
"It's gone, Captain," Smee said, wiping his spectacles. "All is still again."
Listening hard, Hook slowly raised his head.
Hearing nothing, he got up and yelled, "Get those boys on the plank!" His nerve was back.
But the boys had seen him act like a coward, and it made him hate them more.
"Fetch my whip from the cabin!" he yelled to one of his pirates.
"The cabin! Peter's in there!" thought the children, as they looked at each other.
"Ay, ay," said Bill Jukes, cheerfully opening the cabin door.
As soon as the door closed behind him, a terrible scream was heard from inside.
It was followed by a sound like a rooster crowing.
The boys knew the sound, but the pirates looked puzzled.
"Number two!" Slightly said quietly to the boys.
"What was that?" shouted Hook.
Cecco thought for a moment, and then ran into the cabin. Shocked, he stumbled out.
"What's the matter?" Hook yelled.
"Juke's been stabbed to death," cried Cecco.
"The cabin is dark, and there is some terrible thing in there. It's . . . crowing."
"Cecco," Hook ordered, "go find out what that thing is!"
"No, no! I can't do that!" Cecco said, desperately.
Hook lifted his iron claw. "Are you disobeying me?" he yelled.
Trembling, Cecco followed Hook's order and went slowly into the cabin.
Again, they all heard a deadly scream followed by a crowing sound.
"Number three!" Slightly called out.
Hook yelled at his crew. "Who will get this crowing thing?"
"Wait until Cecco comes out," cried Starkey.
The other pirates agreed. "Yes, let's wait!"
"Did I hear you volunteer, Starkey?" said Hook.
"No, by thunder!" growled Starkey. "I'll hang before I go in there."
"Is this mutiny?" asked Hook, lifting his claw.
"Captain, please, have mercy!" the fearful pirate begged.
Starkey backed away, and Hook strode toward him, his hook ready to strike.
Starkey looked around for help, but all the other pirates were looking down at their feet.
With a hopeless scream, Starkey leapt off the ship and into the sea.
"Number four!" called Slightly, happily.