`` Ay , '' they snarled , `` a man wi ' a hook . '' `` No , lads , no , it 's the girl . Never was luck on a pirate ship wi ' a woman on board . We 'll right the ship when she 's gone . '' Some of them remembered that this had been a saying of Flint 's . `` It 's worth trying , '' they said doubtfully . `` Fling the girl overboard , '' cried Hook ; and they made a rush at the figure in the cloak . `` There 's none can save you now , missy , '' Mullins hissed jeeringly . `` There 's one , '' replied the figure . `` Who 's that ? '' `` Peter Pan the avenger ! '' came the terrible answer ; and as he spoke Peter flung off his cloak . Then they all knew who 't was that had been undoing them in the cabin , and twice Hook essayed to speak and twice he failed . In that frightful moment I think his fierce heart broke . At last he cried , `` Cleave him to the brisket ! '' but without conviction . `` Down , boys , and at them ! '' Peter 's voice rang out ; and in another moment the clash of arms was resounding through the ship . Had the pirates kept together it is certain that they would have won ; but the onset came when they were still unstrung , and they ran hither and thither , striking wildly , each thinking himself the last survivor of the crew . Man to man they were the stronger ; but they fought on the defensive only , which enabled the boys to hunt in pairs and choose their quarry .
Some of the miscreants leapt into the sea ; others hid in dark recesses , where they were found by Slightly , who did not fight , but XXXXX about with a lantern which he flashed in their faces , so that they were half blinded and fell as an easy prey to the reeking swords of the other boys .
't Fling came cried enabled fought ran save thinking won