Observe how they pass over fallen twigs without making the slightest noise . The only sound to be heard is their somewhat heavy breathing . The fact is that they are all a little fat just now after the heavy gorging , but in time they will work this off . For the moment , however , it constitutes their chief danger . The redskins disappear as they have come like shadows , and soon their place is taken by the beasts , a great and motley procession : lions , tigers , bears , and the innumerable smaller savage things that flee from them , for every kind of beast , and , more particularly ; all the man-eaters , live cheek by jowl on the favoured island . Their tongues are hanging out , they are hungry to-night . When they have passed , comes the last figure of all , a gigantic crocodile . We shall see for whom she is looking presently . The crocodile passes , but soon the boys appear again , for the procession must continue indefinitely until one of the parties stops or changes its pace . Then quickly they will be on top of each other . All are keeping a sharp look-out in front , but none suspects that the danger may be creeping up from behind . This shows how real the island was . The first to fall out of the moving circle was the boys . They flung themselves down on the sward , close to their underground home . ' I do wish Peter would come back , ' every one of them said nervously , though in height and still more in breadth they were all larger than their captain . ' I am the only one who is not afraid of the pirates , ' Slightly said , in the tone that prevented his being a general favourite ; but perhaps some distant sound disturbed him , for he added hastily , ` but I wish he would come back , and tell us whether he has heard anything more about Cinderella . ' They talked of Cinderella , and Tootles was confident that his mother must have been very like her . It was only in Peter 's absence that they could speak of mothers , the subject being forbidden by him as silly . ` All I remember about my mother , ' Nibs told them , ` is that she often said to father , `` Oh , how I wish I had a cheque-book of my own . '' I do n't know what a cheque-book is , but I should just love to give my mother one . '
While they talked they heard a distant XXXXX .
absence breathing crocodile fact height parties shadows sound subject time