y removing one of
the sleeves, and was forthwith carried backward by a contrary breeze, to
his no small peril. He now let go the sail, with the result that he was
drifted toward the far shore, where are black shadows he knew not the
dangers of, but suspected them, and so once more hoisted his night-gown
and went roomer of the shadows until he caught a favouring wind, which
bore him westward, but at so great a speed that he was like to be broke
against the bridge. Which, having avoided, he passed under the bridge
and came, to his great rejoicing, within full sight of the delectable
Gardens. But having tried to cast anchor, which was a stone at the end
of a piece of the kite-string, he found no bottom, and was fain to hold
off, seeking for moorage, and, feeling his way, he buffeted against a
sunken reef that cast him overboard by the greatness of the shock, and
he was near to being drowned, but clambered back into the vessel. There
now arose a mighty storm, accompanied by roaring of waters, such as he
had never heard the like, and he was tossed this way and that, and
his hands so numbed with the cold that he could not close them. Having
escaped the danger of which, he was mercifully carried into a small bay,
where his boat rode at peace.

Nevertheless, he was not yet in safety; for, on pretending to disembark,
he found a multitude of small people drawn up on the shore to contest
his landing; and shouting shrilly to him to be off, for it was long past
Lock-out Time. This, with much brandishing of their holly-leaves, and
also a company of them carried an arrow which some boy had left in the
Gardens, and this they were prepared to use as a battering-ram.

Then Peter, who knew them for the fairies, called out that he was not an
ordinary human and had no desire to do them displeasure, but to be their
friend, nevertheless, having found a jolly harbour, he was in no temper
to draw off there-from, and he warned them if they sought to mischief
him to stand to their harms.

So saying; he boldly leapt ashore, and they gathered around him with
intent to slay him, but there then arose a great cry among the women,
and it was because they had now observed that his sail was a baby's
night-gown. Whereupon, they straightway loved him, and grieved that
their laps were too small, the which I cannot explain, except by saying
that such is the way of women. The men-fairies now sheathed their
weapons on observing the behaviour of their women,