The droppings were warm. They lay piled among turned earth. They were olive green, smooth, and they steamed a little. Jack lifted his head and stared at the inscrutable masses of creeper that lay across the trail. Then he raised his spear and sneaked forward. Beyond the creeper, the trail joined a pig-run that was wide enough and trodden enough to be a path. The ground was hardened by an accustomed tread and as Jack rose to his full height he heard something moving on it. He swung back his right arm and hurled the spear with all his strength. From the pig-run came the quick, hard patter of hoofs, a castanet sound, seductive, maddeningthe promise of meat. He rushed out of the undergrowth and snatched up his spear. The pattering of pigs trotters died away in the distance.
Jack stood there, streaming with sweat, streaked with brown earth, stained by all the vicissitudes of a days hunting. Swearing, he turned off the trail and pushed his way through until the forest opened a little and instead of bald trunks supporting a dark roof there were light grey trunks and crowns of feathery palm. Beyond these was the glitter of the sea and he could hear voices. Ralph was standing by a contraption of palm trunks and leaves, a rude shelter that faced the lagoon and seemed very near to falling down. He did not notice when Jack spoke.
Got any water?
Ralph looked up, frowning, from the complication of leaves. He did not notice Jack even when he saw him.
I said have you got any water? Im thirsty. Ralph withdrew his attention from the shelter and realized Jack with a start.
Oh, hullo. Water? There by the tree. Ought to be some left.
Jack took up a coconut shell that brimmed with fresh water from among a group that was arranged in the shade, and drank. The water splashed over his chin and neck and chest.
He breathed noisily when he had finished.
Needed that.
Simon spoke from inside the shelter.
Up a bit.
Ralph turned to the shelter and lifted a branch with a whole tiling of leaves.
The leaves came apart and fluttered down. Simons contrite face appeared in the hole.
Sorry.
Ralph surveyed the wreck with distaste.
Never get it done.
He flung himself down at Jacks feet. Simon remained, looking out of the hole in the shelter. Once down, Ralph explained.
Been working for days now. And look!
Two shelters were in position, but shaky. This one was a ruin.
And they keep running off. You remember the meeting? How everyone was going to work hard until the shelters were finished?
Except me and my hunters
Except the hunters. Well, the littluns are
He gesticulated, sought for a word.
Theyre hopeless. The older ones arent much better. Dyou see? All day Ive been working with Simon. No one else. Theyre off bathing, or eating, or playing.
Simon poked his head out carefully.
Youre chief. You tell em off.
Ralph lay flat and looked up at the palm trees and the sky.
Meetings. Dont we love meetings? Every day. Twice a day. We talk. He got on one elbow. I bet if I blew the conch this minute, theyd come running. Then wed be, you know, very solemn, and someone would say we ought to build a jet, or a submarine, or a TV set. When the meeting was over theyd work for five minutes, then wander off or go hunting.
Jack flushed.
We want meat.
Well, we havent got any yet. And we want shelters. Besides, the rest of your hunters came back hours ago. Theyve been swimming.
I went on, said Jack. I let them go. I had to go on. I
He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him up.
I went on. I thought, by myself
The madness came into his eyes again.
I thought I mightkill.
But you didnt.
I thought I might.
Some hidden passion vibrated in Ralphs voice.
But you havent yet.
His invitation might have passed as casual, were it not for the undertone.
You wouldnt care to help with the shelters, I suppose?
We want meat
And we dont get it.
Now the antagonism was audible.
But I shall! Next time! Ive got to get a barb on this spear! We wounded a pig and the spear fell out. If we could only make barbs
We need shelters.
Suddenly Jack shouted in rage.
Are you accusing?
All Im saying is weve worked dashed hard. Thats all.
They were both red in the face and found looking at each other difficult. Ralph rolled on his stomach and began to play with the grass.
If it rains like when we dropped in well need shelters all right. And then another thing. We need shelters because of the
He paused for a moment and they both pushed their anger away. Then he went on with the safe, changed subject.
Youve noticed, havent you?
Jack put down his spear and squatted.
Noticed what?
Well. Theyre frightened.
He rolled over and peered into Jacks fierce, dirty face.
I mean the way things are. They dream. You can hear em. Have you been awake at night?
Jack shook his head.
They talk and scream. The littluns. Even some of the others. As if
As if it wasnt a good island.
Astonished at the interruption, they looked up at Simons serious face.
As if, said Simon, the beastie, the beastie or the snake-thing, was real. Remember?
The two older boys flinched when they heard the shameful syllable. Snakes were not mentioned now, were not mentionable.
As if this wasnt a good island, said Ralph slowly. Yes, thats right.
Jack sat up and stretched out his legs.
Theyre batty.
Crackers. Remember when we went exploring? They grinned at each other, remembering the glamour of the first day. Ralph went on.
So we need shelters as a sort of
Home.
Thats right.
Jack drew up his legs, clasped his knees, and frowned in an effort to attain clarity.
All the samein the forest. I mean when youre hunting, not when youre getting fruit, of course, but when youre on your own
He paused for a moment, not sure if Ralph would take him seriously.
Go on.
If youre hunting sometimes you catch yourself feeling as if He flushed suddenly.
Theres nothing in it of course. Just a feeling. But you can feel as if youre not hunting, but being hunted, as if somethings behind you all the time in the jungle.
They were silent again: Simon intent, Ralph incredulous and faintly indignant. He sat up, rubbing one shoulder with a dirty hand.
Well, I dont know.
Jack leapt to his feet and spoke very quickly.
Thats how you can feel in the forest. Of course theres nothing in it. Onlyonly
He took a few rapid steps toward the beach, then came back.
Only I know how they feel. See? Thats all.
The best thing we can do is get ourselves rescued.
Jack had to think for a moment before he could remember what rescue was.
Rescue? Yes, of course! All the same, Id like to catch a pig first He snatched up his spear and dashed it into the ground. The opaque, mad look came into his eyes again. Ralph looked at him critically through his tangle of fair hair.
So long as your hunters remember the fire
You and your fire!
The two boys trotted down the beach, and, turning at the waters edge, looked back at the pink mountain. The trickle of smoke sketched a chalky line up the solid blue of the sky, wavered high up and faded. Ralph frowned.