You must not think from this that the mermaids were on friendly terms with them ; on the contrary , it was among Wendy 's lasting regrets that all the time she was on the island she never had a civil word from one of them . When she stole softly to the edge of the lagoon she might see them by the score , especially on Marooners ' Rock , where they loved to bask , combing out their hair in a lazy way that quite irritated her ; or she might even swim , on tiptoe as it were , to within a yard of them , but then they saw her and dived , probably splashing her with their tails , not by accident , but intentionally . -LSB- Illustration : SUMMER DAYS ON THE LAGOON -RSB- They treated all the boys in the same way , except of course Peter , who chatted with them on Marooners ' Rock by the hour , and sat on their tails when they got cheeky . He gave Wendy one of their combs . The most haunting time at which to see them is at the turn of the moon , when they utter strange wailing cries ; but the lagoon is dangerous for mortals then , and until the evening of which we have now to tell , Wendy had never seen the lagoon by moonlight , less from fear , for of course Peter would have accompanied her , than because she had strict rules about every one being in bed by seven . She was often at the lagoon , however , on sunny days after rain , when the mermaids come up in extraordinary numbers to play with their bubbles . The bubbles of many colours made in rainbow water they treat as balls , hitting them gaily from one to another with their tails , and trying to keep them in the rainbow till they burst . The goals are at each end of the rainbow , and the keepers only are allowed to use their hands . Sometimes hundreds of mermaids will be playing in the lagoon at a time , and it is quite a pretty sight . But the moment the children tried to join in they had to play by themselves , for the mermaids immediately disappeared . Nevertheless we have proof that they secretly watched the interlopers , and were not above taking an idea from them ; for John introduced a new way of hitting the bubble , with the head instead of the hand , and the mermaid goal-keepers adopted it . This is the one mark that John has left on the Neverland . It must also have been rather pretty to see the children resting on a rock for half an hour after their midday meal . Wendy insisted on their doing this , and it had to be a real rest even though the meal was make-believe . So they lay there in the sun , and their bodies glistened in it , while she sat beside them and looked important . It was one such day , and they were all on Marooners ' Rock . The rock was not much larger than their great bed , but of course they all knew how not to take up much room , and they were dozing , or at least lying with their eyes shut , and pinching occasionally when they thought Wendy was not looking . She was very busy , stitching . While she stitched a change came to the lagoon . Little shivers ran over it , and the sun went away and shadows stole across the water , turning it cold .
Wendy could no longer see to thread her needle , and when she looked up , the XXXXX that had always hitherto been such a laughing place seemed formidable and unfriendly .
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