` Put up your swords , boys , ' cried the newcomer , ` this man is mine . ' -LSB- Illustration : `` THIS MAN IS MINE ! '' -RSB- Thus suddenly Hook found himself face to face with Peter . The others drew back and formed a ring round them . For long the two enemies looked at one another ; Hook shuddering slightly , and Peter with the strange smile upon his face . ` So , Pan , ' said Hook at last , ` this is all your doing . ' ` Ay , James Hook , ' came the stern answer , ` it is all my doing . ' ` Proud and insolent youth , ' said Hook , ` prepare to meet thy doom . ' ` Dark and sinister man , ' Peter answered , ` have at thee . ' Without more words they fell to , and for a space there was no advantage to either blade . Peter was a superb swordsman , and parried with dazzling rapidity ; ever and anon he followed up a feint with a lunge that got past his foe 's defence , but his shorter reach stood him in ill stead , and he could not drive the steel home . Hook , scarcely his inferior in brilliancy , but not quite so nimble in wrist play , forced him back by the weight of his onset , hoping suddenly to end all with a favourite thrust , taught him long ago by Barbecue at Rio ; but to his astonishment he found this thrust turned aside again and again . Then he sought to close and give the quietus with his iron hook , which all this time had been pawing the air ; but Peter doubled under it and , lunging fiercely , pierced him in the ribs . At sight of his own blood , whose peculiar colour , you remember , was offensive to him , the sword fell from Hook 's hand , and he was at Peter 's mercy . ` Now ! ' cried all the boys ; but with a magnificent gesture Peter invited his opponent to pick up his sword . Hook did so instantly , but with a tragic feeling that Peter was showing good form . Hitherto he had thought it was some fiend fighting him , but darker suspicions assailed him now . ` Pan , who and what art thou ? ' he cried huskily .
` I 'm XXXXX , I 'm joy , ' Peter answered at a venture , ` I 'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg . '
Illustration boys fiend man others reach sight smile suspicions youth