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ng over him。 Just where the steep ascent of the mountain began； he stopped。 Maurice was only a few yards behind him。
〃Piggy's specs！〃 shouted Ralph。 〃If the fire's all out； well need them…〃
He stopped shouting and swayed on his feet。 Piggy was only just visible； bumbling up from the beach。 Ralphlooked at the horizon； then up to the mountain。 Was it better to fetch Piggy's glasses； or would the ship have gone？ Or if they climbed on； supposing the fire was all out； and they had to watch Piggy crawling nearer and the ship sinking under the horizon？ Balanced on a high peak of need； agonized by indecision； Ralph cried out：
〃Oh God； oh God！〃
Simon； struggling with bushes； caught his breath。 His face was twisted。 Ralph blundered on； savaging himself； as the wisp of smoke moved on。
The fire was dead。 They saw that straight away； saw what they had really known down on the beach when the smoke of home had beckoned。 The fire was out； smokeless and dead； the watchers were gone。 A pile of unused fuel lay ready。
Ralph turned to the sea。 The horizon stretched； impersonal once more； barren of all but the faintest trace of smoke。 Ralph ran stumbling along the rocks； saved himself on the edge of the pink cliff； and screamed at the ship。
〃e back！ e back！〃
He ran backwards and forwards along the cliff； his face always to the sea； and his voice rose insanely。
〃e back！ e back！〃
Simon and Maurice arrived。 Ralph looked at them with unwinking eyes。 Simon turned away； smearing the water from his cheeks。 Ralph reached inside himself for the worst word he knew。
〃They let the bloody fire go out。〃
He looked down the unfriendly side of the mountain。 Piggy arrived； out of breath and whimpering like a littlun。 Ralph clenched his fist and went very red。 The intent…ness of his gaze； the bitterness of his voice； pointed for him。
〃There they are。〃
A procession had appeared； far down among the pink stones that lay near the water's edge。 Some of the boys wore black caps but otherwise they were almost naked。 They lifted sticks in the air together whenever they came to an easy patch。 They were chanting； something to do with the bundle that the errant twins carried so carefully。 Ralph picked out Jack easily； even at that distance； tall； red…haired； and inevitably leading the procession。
Simon looked now； from Ralph to Jack； as he had looked from Ralph to the horizon； and what he saw seemed to make him afraid。 Ralph said nothing more； but waited while the procession came nearer。 The chant was audible but at that distance still wordless。 Behind Jack walked the twins； carrying a great stake on their shoulders。 The gutted carcass of a pig swung from the stake； swinging heavily as the twins toiled over the uneven ground。 The pigs head hung down with gaping neck and seemed to search for something on the ground。 At last the words of the chant floated up to them； across the bowl of blackened wood and ashes。
〃Kill the pig。 Cut her throat。 Spill her blood。〃
Yet as the words became audible； the procession reached the steepest part of the mountain； and in a minute or two the chant had died away。 Piggy sniveled and Simon shushed him quickly as though he had spoken too loudly in church。
Jack； his face smeared with clays； reached the top first and hailed Ralph excitedly； with lifted spear。
〃Look！ We've killed a pig…we stole up on them…we got in a circle…〃
Voices broke in from the hunters。
〃We got in a circle…〃
〃We crept up…〃
The pig squealed…〃
The twins stood with the pig swinging between them； dropping black gouts on the rock。 They seemed to share one wide； ecstatic grin。 Jack had too many things to tell Ralph at once。 Instead； he danced a step or two； then remembered his dignity and stood still； grinning。 He noticed blood on his hands and grimaced distastefully； looked for something on which to clean them； then wiped them on his shorts and laughed。
Ralph spoke。
〃You let the fire go out。〃
Jack checked； vaguely irritated by this irrelevance but too happy to let it worry him。
〃We can light the fire again。 You should have been with us； Ralph。 We had a smashing time。 The twins got knocked over…〃
〃We hit the pig…〃
〃…I fell on top…〃
〃I cut the pig's throat；〃 said Jack； proudly； and yet twitched as he said it。 〃Can I borrow yours； Ralph； to make a nick in the hilt？〃
The boys chattered and danced。 The twins continued to grin。
There was lashings of blood；〃 said Jack； laughing and shuddering； 〃you should have seen it！〃
〃We'll go hunting every day…〃
Ralph spoke again； hoarsely。 He had not moved。
〃You let the fire go out。〃
This repetition made Jack uneasy。 He looked at the twins and then back at Ralph。
〃We had to have them in the hunt；〃 he said； 〃or there wouldn't have been enough for a ring。〃
He flushed； conscious of a fault。
〃The fire's only been out an hour or two。 We can light up again…〃
He noticed Ralph's scarred nakedness； and the sombre silence of all four of them。 He sought； charitable in his happiness； to include them in the thing that had happened。 His mind was crowded with memories； memories of the knowledge that had e to them when they closed in on the struggling pig； knowledge that they had outwitted a living thing； imposed their will upon it； taken away its life like a long satisfying drink。
He spread his arms wide。
〃You should have seen the blood！〃
The hunters were more silent now； but at this they buzzed again。 Ralph flung back his hair。 One arm pointed at the empty horizon。 His voice was loud and savage； and struck them into silence。
〃There was a ship。〃
Jack； faced at once with too many awful implications； ducked away from them。 He laid a hand on the pig and drew his knife。 Ralph brought his arm down； fist clenched； and his voice shook。
〃There was a ship。 Out there。 You said you'd keep the fire going and you let it out！〃 He took a step toward Jack； who turned and faced him。
〃They might have seen us。 We might have gone home…〃
This was too bitter for Piggy； who forgot his timidity in the agony of his loss。 He began to cry out； shrilly：
〃You and your blood； Jack Merridew！ You and your hunting！ We might have gone home…〃
Ralph pushed Piggy to one side。
〃I was chief； and you were going to do what I said。 You talk。 But you can't even build huts…then you go off hunting and let out the fire…〃
He turned away； silent for a moment。 Then his voice came again on a peak of feeling。
〃There was a ship…〃
One of the smaller hunters began to wail。 The dismal truth was filtering through to everybody。 Jack went very red as he hacked and pulled at the pig。
〃The job was too much。 We needed everyone。〃
Ralph turned。
〃You could have had everyone when the shelters were finished。 But you had to hunt…〃
〃We needed meat。〃
Jack stood up as he said this； the bloodied knife in his hand。 The two boys faced each other。 There was the brilliant world of hunting； tactics； fierce exhilaration； skill； and there was the world of longing and baffled mon…sense。 Jack transferred the knife to his left hand and smudged blood over his forehead as he pushed down the plastered hair。
Piggy began again。
〃You didn't ought to have let that fire out。 Yo