SCENE
4

THE
PIRATE RIVER

Curtain
rises on a scene shrouded in mist and as this slowly breaks the scene is disclosed
as a mysterious river of the South American kind. The river — which should
perhaps be red — flows slowly and sullenly from R. to L. It is not real
water but merely an effect of lighting, and the direction of the flow is indicated
by drift-wood, broken water plants, &c. The river is nearly the whole depth
of the stage but not quite. On the far bank is practical ground much covered
by reeds &c. Beyond this — on back cloth — is the boundless,
gloomy forest. On the near bank of river is also a strip of practical ground
with reeds &c growing on it, and at L. and R. two trees whose branches meet
high overhead, and from these hang *parasticial growth, through which —
it merely consists of long, thin, dangling streamers — the audience looks
upon the river. In the water, near centre of stage a tree is growing, from which
a branch stretches to the far bank, and this branch is strong enough for certain
feats that are to be performed on it. To help certain business, two clumps of
grass are growing in the water, and on the clump near this tree, a great bird
has a nest on which it is sitting at rise of curtain. This bird is played by
an actor, supported by flying wires. Water lilies of great size grow in the
other clump. The time is evening. A deadly stillness pervades the scene and
not a sound should be heard except when especially indicated.

Among
the brushwood on far side of river, some wolves are seen passing. The effect
here will be increased the more vaguely the animals are seen — half hidden
by the undergrowth, stealing about like shadows, &c. After they disappear
a lion comes and drinks. The great bird flies away down river, out of sight.
A snake which has been twined round the tree growing in water drops into river
with a soft plop and disappears. The lion goes away. A crocodile's head rises
near second clump of grass and disappears. From L. a raft comes into view lit
by a pirate lantern. In the front are piled like a load of merchandise, all
the boys gagged. In the stern sits Capt. Hook with Wendy gagged. Starkey is
punting. Hook whistles as a signal and Cecco appears on near bank and Smee on
far bank. Hook signs to them to hide and the raft goes on out of sight. Smee
disappears on his bank, but Cecco crouches in reeds partly visible to audience.
The great bird flies up river and out of sight. Suddenly and with no warning
to the audience, a jaguar which has been, unknown to them, crouching in tree
on near side of river, leaps upon Cecco. They disappear together, presumable
into water. There is no scream from Cecco, all is stillness.

Peter
in a small boat with sails appears L. He is wearing his mask and the reason
for the mask is that his place is now taken by a substitute who passes to the
audience as Peter who is really a gymnast. As he appears a crocodile raises
its open mouth, barring the way and Peter saves himself by leaping and catching
the branch overhanging river, to which he hangs. The bow of the boat goes into
crocodile's mouth which breaks it in pieces. The bits of boat are borne backwards
out of sight, crocodile sinks in river and Peter works his way along branch
to far side of river and alights on ground. He disappears for a second in wood
and reappears. This is to let the real Peter take his place. Tiger Lily appears
L. standing erect, paddle in hand, in bark canoe.

  PETER:
H'sh!

  TIGER
LILY: Peter Paleface! (She brings canoe close to bank on far side.)

  PETER:
The heart of the Great White Chief is sad, for he has lost his boat.

  TIGER
LILY: Sad is the heart of Tiger Lily for the Pirates have killed many
of her braves. (She lands.) Wah-wah-wah. (This is a dirge for the
dead. Peter takes her hand. She becomes cheerful.) Us no be sad no more.
Tiger Lily with Peter Paleface — Peter Paleface with Tiger Lily —
now we rub noses. (Does so.) Now us dance with joy!

  PETER:
Not till I save Wendy! (She stamps angrily.) Will Tiger Lily give the
Great White Chief her canoe that he may rescue Wendy?

  TIGER
LILY: Tiger Ligly take Peter Paleface in her canoe.

  PETER:
Oh, thank you, Tiger Lily — I'll rub noses again. (They do so.)

  TIGER
LILY: Tiger Lily takes Peter Paleface in her canoe that way. (Pointing
L.)

  PETER:
No, the Pirates took her that way. (Pointing R.)

  TIGER
LILY: This Wendy. (Pointing to herself.)

  PETER:
No, you're not.

  TIGER
LILY (cajoling): Tiger Lily wants to be your Wendy! Peter Paleface
come with me, be Great Indian White Chief, and this (pointing to her self)
your squaw.

  PETER:
Deserrt Wendy? Never!

  TIGER
LILY (fiercely): No let Wendy have you! (Claps hands, two Indians
appear on far bank.) Tie him tree. (They seize Peter and tie him to tree,
threaten, dancing round him with tomahawks.)

  INDIANS:
Have him's scalp?

  TIGER
LILY: Go — wait. (They disappear down bank.) Tiger Lily
loves Peter Paleface.

  PETER:
You have a queer way of showing it.

  TIGER
LILY: This Indian girl's way. Me cut cord if you come with me.

  PETER:
Never!

  TIGER
LILY: Me scalp you myself if you no nice to me!

  PETER:
I don't care. Wendy is my only mother.

  TIGER
LILY: Then Tiger Lily leave you here — you starve or else wild
beasts come eat you — little bit here, little bit there.

  PETER:
Whatever happens I'll be true to Wendy! (She meditates tomahawking behind
him but eventually goes away in canoe, back the way she had come. The cries
of wild beasts are now heard in distance. Then Tippy comes into view L. darting
up river — Peter sees her.) Tippy! (She darts to him, ringing.)
Tippy, Tippy, do you think your little teeth could bite through these cords?
(Tippy alights on cords and is seen moving about them. The cries of beasts
increase — Peter is soon free.) Dear, dear Tippy! (Bells.)
I can't tell you now, but come into my pocket, & I'll tell you as we go.

(Tippy
gets into his pocket. He rushes off R. but immediately reappears — it
is the substitute who comes now — evidently pursued. He springs on the
branch and works his way along it to the tree in the middle of stream. He is
pursued by Smee, knife in mouth, and a chase among the trees takes place. When
Smee is out of sight, Peter comes down the trunk, in river, and leaps onto grass
where great nest is. There are three eggs in it. he puts his hat on grass, puts
eggs in it, gets into nest, and with a stick he finds there, punts himself off
with difficulty R. out of sight and uttering a crow. The great bird flies back
and sits on hat.

Mist
again falls. Now is heard drawing near a rabble of wicked song and music, which,
when the mist clears, is seen to come from the pirate ship whch now occupies
most of the stage. It is as far back as possible to allow there being some of
river between it and the near bank. Not all of it is seen, as the stern is out
of sight L. The ship — to be described in full afterward — is an
evil looking rakish craft and its side is presented to audience. Level with
the stage is R. the bow of the ship and C. the cabin which is open to the audience's
view — ie. there are no windows to it. Also L. is a hold which is closed
to view. A door from cabin leads into it. It has a small round window space
facing audience, but through this nothing can be seen save blackness. Above
cabin and hold and stretching L. out of sight is upper deck. It is reached by
a ladder from bow. The ship is flying the Skull and Crossbones. On deck Starkey
is keeping watch and two Pirates loll about. At bow are a number of Pirates
singing to accordian played by COOKSON, a pirate. Others play cards. In cabin
Capt. Hook seated at small table with two Pirates beside him is questioning
the eight boys whose hands & legs are tied but mouths free.)

  HOOK
(starting up & threatening singers): Quiet, you dogs, or I'll cast
anchor in you! (Raising hook — they are very afraid of him & stop
singing, but the card playing goes on —he returns to boys.) Now then,
I've told you, six of you walks the plank this night, but I have room for two
cabin-boys — which of you is it to be?

  TOOTLES:
You see, sir, I don't think my mohter would like me to be a pirate, would your
mother like you to be a pirate, Slightly?

  SLIGHTLY:
I don't think so. Would you mother like you to be a pirate, Twin?

  FIRST
TWIN: I don't think so. Nibs, would you mother — —

  HOOK:
Stow this gab! You boy (to John) you look as if you had a little pluck
in you. Didst ever want to be a pirate, my hearty?

  JOHN:
When I was at school I rather wanted to be a pirate. I thought of calling myself
Red Handed Jack.

  HOOK:
And a good name too. We'll call you that here, Bully, if you join.

  JOHN:
Alexander, what do you think?

  ALEX:
What would you call me if I join?

  HOOK:
You should be Blackbeard Joe.

  ALEX:
John, what do you think?

  JOHN:
Shall we still be loyal subjects of King Edward?

  HOOK:
You would have to swear, "Down with King Edward".

  JOHN
(banging table): Then I refuse.

  ALEX
(banging table): And I refuse.

  TOOTLES
(excitedly): Rule Britannia. (Pirates buffet him.)

  HOOK:
That seals your doom. (To pirate.) Bring in their mother. (Exit pirate
into hold L.) Get the plank ready. (To those at bow.)

  BOATSWAIN:
Ay, ay, sir — tumble up, you lubbers. (Several hurry up ladder to deck,
and get plank ready — It protrudes from deck towards audience —
Wendy is brought into cabin from hold.)

  ALEX
(running to her): Wendy! (All boys gather round her for protection.)

  WENDY:
You wicked man, why have you sent for me?

  HOOK:
I thought, my hearty, you would like to say goodbye to your cubs.

  WENDY:
Are they to die?

  SECOND
TWIN: Wendy, he is to make us walk the plank.

  WENDY:
What's that?

  JUKES:
She don't know what it is, Captain!

  MULLINS:
Here's ignorance!

  JUKES:
Shall I take her up on deck and then she'll see Johnny Plank?

  HOOK:
Ay, but silence, first, for a mother's last words to her children.

  WENDY:
These are my last words. Dear, dear boys, I feel that I have a message to you
from your real mothers, and it's this — we hope our sons will die like
English gentlemen. (She is thrust up on to deck.)

  TOOTLES:
I'm going to do what my mother hopes. What are you to do, Nibs?

  NIBS:
What my mother hopes. What are you to do, Curtly?

  CURLY:
What my mother hopes. John, what are — —

  HOOK:
Silence!

  STARKEY
(on deck to Wendy): Ay, that's Johnny Plank.

  WENDY:
Oh, horrible.

  STARKEY:
See here, honey, I'll save you if you tell me a story. Tell me about
the Babes in the Wood.

  WENDY:
Tell a story to such as you! I'd rather die.

  STARKEY:
Then die you shall! (He ties her to mast — during this scene between
Wendy and Starkey, Peter steals along side vessel below from L. with a knife
in his mouth, climbs in at port hole of hold and is lost to view.) Avast
there, the plank is waiting.

  COOKSON:
All's ready, Captain.

  HOOK
(drinking): Then, here's to Johnny Plank. (Sings.)

Oh
tooral loo the English brig

We
took & quickly sank

And
for a warning to the crew

We
made them walk the plank

Yo
ho, yo ho the frisky plank

You
walks along it so

Till
it goes down and you goes down

To
tooral looral lo.

(All
Pirates wherever they are repeat the last lines with action — when it's
finished the boys strike up God Save the King.)

  HOOK:
Stow that! D'you want a touch of the cat to make you skip up the ladder? Fetch
it, Jukes — it's in the hold. (Exit Jukes L. into hold with lighted
match.)

Yo
ho, yo ho, the scratching cat

Its
tails are n ine, you know,

And
when they're writ upon your back

You're
fit to go below.

So
here's to — —

(Peter's
victorious crow is heard from hold — Pirates are startled for they don't
understand what it means, though the boys do.)

  WENDY
(to herself): Peter!

  HOOK:
What was that? (Mullins rushed into hold — he staggers out.) What's
the matter with Bill Jukes, you dog?

  MULLINS:
The matter wi' him is he's dead — he's lying stark there wi' a knife in
him. (Sensation.)

  COOKSON:
Bill Jukes — him as was here this minute a hearty man — dead!

  MULLINS:
The hold's as black as a pit, but there's something terrible in there —
the thing you heard crowing.

  HOOK:
Ay, Mullins, go back and fetch me out that doodle-doo.

  MULLINS
(frightened): Captain!

  HOOK
(with horrible softness): Did you say you would go, Mullins? (Mullins
re-enters hold in fear — pause — then crowing again — panic.)
Who is to bring me that doodle-doo?

  COOKSON:
Wait till Bill Mullins comes out.

  SEVERAL:
Ay, wait for Bill.

  HOOK:
I think I heard you volunteer, Cookson?

  COOKSON:
No, by thunder!

  HOOK
(softly): My hook thinks you did — I wonder if it wouldn't be advisable,
Cookson, to humour the hook?

  COOKSON:
I'll swing before I go in there.

  SEVERAL:
And so say we.

  HOOK:
Is't mutiny? (They murmur threateningly.) Cookson's ringleader! Shake
hands, Cookson. (Offering hook — Cookson recoils — Hook follows
— Cookson in terror, jumps overboard.) Your hand, Cookson, your hand!
(Cookson disappears.) Who else said mutiny? (They cower before him
— he seizes lamp.) I'll bring out that doodle-doo. (He enters hold
— suspense — he returns looking scared — light of lantern
out.) Something blew out the light.

  FIRST
PIRATE: Some thing?

  SECOND
PIRATE: What of Bill Mullins?

  HOOK:
He's dead. (Panic.)

  THIRD
PIRATE: They do say as the surest sign of a ship's accurst is when there's
one on board more than can be accounted for.

  FIRST
PIRATE: I've heard he allus boards the pirate craft at last. Had he a
tail, Captain?

  SECOND
PIRATE: They say that when he comes it's in the likeness of the wickedest
man aboard.

  THIRD
PIRATE: Had he a hook, Captain?

  SEVERAL:
The ship's doomed. (The captain sees boys looking delighted.)

  HOOK
(fiercely): You like it do you! (To Pirates.) Lads, here's
a notion. Open the door — drive them in. Let them fight
the doodle-doo for their lives. If they kill him we're so much the better —
if he kills them we're none the worse.

  FIRST
PIRATE: Ay, that's a notion!

  SEVERAL:
In with them! (The boys pretending fear are driven into hold and door shut
on them.)

  HOOK:
Listen!

  SEVERAL:
No! No!

(All
put hands over ears, retreat to bow — business, half listening &c
— In this silence all the boys preceded by Peter and now untied creep
out at hold window with knives in their mouths and disappear along side of ship
L.)

  STARKEY
(on deck to Wendy): Tell me a story, missy, and I'll save you yet. Tell
me of men who go to church on Sundays, and unbelievable things like that.

  WENDY:
Begone, bad man, oh, Peter, Peter, Peter!

  STARKEY:
Ay, that for Peter. (Snaps fingers.)

  FIRST
PIRATE: Not a sound!

  SECOND
PIRATE: I tell you they're all lying there stark. The ship's bewitched.

  HOOK:
I've thought it out. There's a Jonah aboard!

  THIRD
PIRATE: Ay, a man wi' a hook. (They look at Hook threateningly.)

  HOOK:
No, lads, no — it's the girl. Never was luck on a pirate ship wi' a woman
on board.

  FIRST
PIRATE: Ay, Blackbeard and Kid, they both said that.

  HOOK:
We'll right the ship when she's gone overboard.

  SECOND
PIRATE: It's worth trying.

  HOOK
(calling): Starkey!

  STARKEY:
Ay, ay!

  HOOK:
Fling the girl overboard.

  STARKEY:
Ay, ay. Come, missy, Davy Jones is calling.

  WENDY:
Peter, Peter, Peter!

(Peter
steals along deck from L. — he seizes Starkey. The real Starkey has disappeared
— a stuffed figure like him is in its place. It is this that Peter seizes,
he flings it far out into the river — it goes down with a splash. Peter
crows. Panic among Pirates below. Peter disappears L. with Wendy.)

  HOOK
(trying to drive Pirates up ladder): On deck — on deck!

  SEVERAL:
Back — back — the ship's accurst!

  PETER
(head unseen): Down with them — no quater to the Pirates!

(He
and the boys rush along deck — Pirates fall down ladder, cries of fear.
They rush through cabin and into hold, and the idea is that they get thro' hold
to stern out of sight, pursued by boys. Wendy appears on deck from L. excitedly
— three Pirates pursued by Tootles and the twins rush from the hold to
bow & overboard, where pursuers do not follow them — Alexander
appears on deck from L. with a knife and drunk with valour.)

  WENDY:
Oh, Alexander, stay with me, protect me!

  ALEX:
Wendy, I've killed a pirate.

  WENDY:
It's awful, awful!

  ALEX:
No, it's not, I like it! Oh, Wendy I like it very, very much!

(Disappears
L. as Capt. Hook is driven forward L. by Curly, Nibs & Slightly —
Peter appears.)

  PETER
(with authority to his boys): Put up your knives — this man's mine.
(He & Capt. H face each other.)

  HOOK:
So it's you, Pan — it's all your doing!

  PETER:
Ay, it's my doing, Hook — Peter Pan, the avenger!

  HOOK:
Proud and insolent youth, prepare to meet thy fate.

  PETER:
Dark and sinister man, have at thee!

(They
fight, mist falls, when it rises Hook is stealing away with Wendy flung over
his shoulder.)

  WENDY:
Peter!

(Fight
resumed, Wendy still on Hook's shoulder — Mist again — when it clears
they are still fighting but Wendy is now on Peter's shoulder — Finally
Hook leaps overboard — the crocodile rears its head in water.)

  PETER:
Leave him to the crocodile. (Peter is very swollen with pride in himself.)
Forward Tootles. (Tootles rushes forward and goes on his knees, like all
the others he has become very nautical in manner, wearing pirate's boots &c.)
What's your name, my man?

  TOOTLES:
Tootles.

  PETER:
Rise Lieutenant Tootles. I shall mention you in dispatches. How goes the day?

  TOOTLES:
All stabbed but six, and they are prisoners.

  PETER:
Bring the prisoners forward.

  TOOTLES:
Ay, ay Captain. (Exit L. — the others are gazing admiringly at Peter.)

  WENDY:
Oh, Peter, I think you are the bravest boy in all the world!

  PETER:
Yes, I am — I am — the bravest and the cleverst ! Oh, I'm a wonder
— oh the wonder that I am! (He stints deck & they gaze —
reproducing the picture of Napoleon on the Bellerophon — Peter crows —
Tootles &c push forward the six prisoners thro' cabin to bow.) You
dogs, there, do you repent all your wicked piracies?

  ALEX
(wandering about with a knife): Let me repent them, Peter, with Johnny
Corkscrew!

  Pirates:
We repent! Mercy, we repent!

  PETER:
They repent! Rule Britannia! (The boys & Wendy sing the chorus of
Rule Britannia.)

  WENDY:
I'm so glad they didn't die before they repented.

  PETER:
Ay, ay, and now drown them all before they have time to stop repenting!

(Pirates
are pushed into water. Again Rule Britannia is sung & while singing
the boys hit with oars &c the Pirates heads bobbing up and down in water.
The Skull and Crossbones is pulled down at same time, and Union Jack hoisted.)

CURTAIN