“Peter had no idea how old he really was, so he gave himself whatever age suited him, and it suited him to always be one year older than the oldest of his mates. If Peter was nine, and a new boy came to St. Norbert’s Home for Wayward Boys who said he was ten, why, then, Peter would declare himself to be eleven.”

Barry and Pearson quickly establish key differences between Peter and J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. While the original character famously refuses to grow up, this novel’s version of Peter is anxious to be perceived as older and more mature than he is. The silliness of Peter’s age game, however, indicates that Barry and Pearson’s character retains the original character’s wit and playfulness. 

“Boys get into all sorts of trouble.”

Alf’s thought upon seeing Peter on deck of the Never Land foreshadows the adventure to follow, and humorously indicates Alf’s involvement. Though Alf, an old seaman, considers himself too grown up to be bothered by children, he will find that he has more in common with Peter and the orphaned boys than he assumes. 

“The shipping company, following sound business practices, had given Pembridge the most worthless ship, staffed with the most incompetent and disposable crew. […] It was Slank who ran the Never Land.”

Pembridge is so incompetent that his own shipping company will not trust him with anything but their most insignificant sailors and resources. However, the disorder and lack of leadership make the Never Land the perfect environment for Slank to smuggle the starstuff to King Zarboff III without raising suspicions.