I'm captain." "What fun it must be!" "Yes," said cunning Peter, "but we are rather lonely.

You see we have no female companionship." "Are none of the others girls ?" "Oh, no; girls, you know, are much too clever to fall out of their prams." This flattered Wendy immensely.

"I think," she said, "it is perfectly lovely the way you talk about girls; John there just despises us." For reply Peter rose and kicked John out of bed, blankets and all; one kick.

This seemed to Wendy rather forward for a first meeting, and she told him with spirit that he was not captain in her house.

However, John continued to sleep so placidly on the floor that she allowed him to remain there.