He sat down on a large mushroom , and now there was a quiver in his voice . `` Smee , '' he said huskily , `` that crocodile would have had me before this , but by a lucky chance it swallowed a clock which goes tick tick inside it , and so before it can reach me I hear the tick and bolt . '' He laughed , but in a hollow way . `` Some day , '' said Smee , `` the clock will run down , and then he 'll get you . '' Hook wetted his dry lips . `` Ay , '' he said , `` that 's the fear that haunts me . '' Since sitting down he had felt curiously warm . `` Smee , '' he said , `` this seat is hot . '' He jumped up . `` Odds bobs , hammer and tongs I 'm burning . '' They examined the mushroom , which was of a size and solidity unknown on the mainland ; they tried to pull it up , and it came away at once in their hands , for it had no root . Stranger still , smoke began at once to ascend . The pirates looked at each other . `` A chimney ! '' they both exclaimed . They had indeed discovered the chimney of the home under the ground . It was the custom of the boys to stop it with a mushroom when enemies were in the neighbourhood . Not only smoke came out of it . There came also children 's voices , for so safe did the boys feel in their hiding-place that they were gaily chattering . The pirates listened grimly , and then replaced the mushroom .
They XXXXX around them and noted the holes in the seven trees .
's began chattering discovered laughed looked sat sitting swallowed wetted