按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e pink bastion they had seen from the mountain…top。 The rock of the cliff was split and the top littered with great lumps that seemed to totter。
Behind Ralph the tall grass had filled with silent hunters。 Ralph looked at Jack。
〃You're a hunter。〃
Jack went red。
〃I know。 All right。 Something deep in Ralph spoke for him。〃
〃I'm chief。 I'll go。 Don t argue。〃
He turned to the others。
〃You。 Hide here。 Wait for me。〃
He found his voice tended either to disappear or to e out too loud。 He looked at Jack。
〃Do you…think？〃
Jack muttered。 I've been all over。 It must be here。〃
〃I see。〃
Simon mumbled confusedly： 〃I don't believe in the beast。〃
Ralph answered him politely； as if agreeing about the weather。
〃No。 1 suppose not。〃
His mouth was tight and pale。 He put back his hair very slowly。
〃Well。 So long。〃
He forced his feet to move until they had carried him out on to the neck of land。
He was surrounded on all sides by chasms of empty air。 There was nowhere to hide； even if one did not nave to go on。 He paused on the narrow neck and looked down。 Soon； in a matter of centuries； the sea would make an island of the castle。 On the right hand was the lagoon； troubled by the open sea； and on the left…
Ralph shuddered。 The lagoon had protected them from the Pacific： and for some reason only Jack had gone right down to the water on the other side。 Now he saw the landsman's view of the swell and it seemed like the breathing of some stupendous creature。 Slowly the waters sank among the rocks； revealing pink tables of granite； strange growths of coral； polyp； and weed。 Down； down； the waters went； whispering like the wind among the heads of the forest。 There was one flat rock there； spread like a table； and the waters sucking down on the four weedy sides made them seem like cliffs。 Then the sleeping leviathan breathed out； the waters rose； the weed streamed； and the water boiled over the table rock with a roar。 There was no sense of the passage of waves； only this minute…long fall and rise and fall。
Ralph turned away to the red cliff。 They were waiting behind him in the long grass； waiting to see what he would do。 He noticed that the sweat in his palm was cool now； realized with surprise that he did not really expect to meet any beast and didn't know what he would do about it if he did。
He saw that he could climb the cliff but this was not necessary。 The squareness of the rock allowed a sort of plinth round it； so mat to the right； over the lagoon； one could inch along a ledge and turn the corner out of sight。 It was easy going； and soon he was peering round the rock。
Nothing but what you might expect： pink； tumbled boulders with guano layered on them like icing； and a steep slope up to the shattered rocks that crowned the bastion。
A sound behind him made him turn。 Jack was edging along the ledge。
Couldn't let you do it on your own。〃
Ralph said nothing。 He led the way over the rocks； inspected a sort of half…cave that held nothing more terrible than a clutch of rotten eggs； and at last sat down； looking round him and tapping the rock with the butt of his spear。
Jack was excited。
〃What a place for a fort！〃
A column of spray wetted them。
〃No fresh water。〃
〃What's that then？〃
There was indeed a long green smudge half…way up the rock。 They climbed up and tasted the trickle of water。
〃You could keep a coconut shell there； filling all the time。〃
〃Not me。 This is a rotten place。〃
Side by side they scaled the last height to where the diminishing pile was crowned by the last broken rock。 Jack struck the near one with his fist and it grated slightly。
〃Do you remember…？〃
Consciousness of the bad times in between came to them both。 Jack talked quickly。
〃Shove a palm trunk under that and if an enemy came …look！〃
A hundred feet below them was the narrow causeway； then the stony ground； then the grass dotted with heads； and behind that the forest。
〃One heave；〃 cried Jack； exulting； 〃and…wheee…！〃
He made a sweeping movement with his hand。 Ralph looked toward the mountain。
〃What's the matter？〃
Ralph turned。
〃Why？〃
〃You were looking…I don't know why。〃
〃There's no signal now。 Nothing to show。〃
〃You're nuts on the signal。〃
The taut blue horizon encircled them； broken only by the mountain…top。
〃That's all we've got〃
He leaned his spear against the rocking stone and pushed back two handfuls of hair。
〃We'll have to go back and climb the mountain。 That's where they saw the beast。〃
〃The beast won't be there。〃
〃What else can we do？〃
The others； waiting in the grass； saw Jack and Ralph unharmed and broke cover into the sunlight。 They forgot the beast in the excitement of exploration。 They swarmed across the bridge and soon were climbing and shouting。 Ralph stood now； one hand against an enormous red block； a block large as a mill wheel that had been split off and hung； tottering。 Somberly he watched the mountain。 He clenched his fist and beat hammer…wise on the red wall at his right His lips were tightly pressed and his eyes yearned beneath the fringe of hair。
〃Smoke。〃
He sucked his bruised fist。
〃Jack！ e on。〃
But Jack was not there。 A knot of boys； making a great noise that he had not noticed； were heaving and pushing at a rock。 As he turned； the base cracked and the whole mass toppled into the sea so that； a thunderous plume of spray leapt half…way up the cliff。
〃Stop it！ Stop it！〃
His voice struck a silence among them。
〃Smoke。〃
A strange thing happened in his head。 Something flittered there in front of his mind like a bat's wing； obscuring his idea。
〃Smoke。〃
At once the ideas were back； and the anger。
〃We want smoke。 And you go wasting your time。 You roll rocks。〃
Roger shouted。
〃We've got plenty of time！〃
Ralph shook his head。
〃We'll go to…the mountain。〃
The clamor broke out。 Some of the boys wanted to go back to the beach。 Some wanted to roll more rocks。 The sun was bright and danger had faded with the darkness。
〃Jack。 The beast might be on the other side。 You can lead again。 You've been。〃
〃We could go by the shore。 There's fruit。〃
Bill came up to Ralph。
〃Why can't we stay here for a bit？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃Let's have a fort。〃
〃There's no food here；〃 said Ralph； 〃and no shelter。 Not much fresh water。〃
〃This would make a wizard fort〃
〃We can roll rocks…〃
〃Right onto the bridge…〃
〃I say we'll go on！〃 shouted Ralph furiously。 〃We've got to make certain。 We'll go now。〃
〃Let's stay here…〃
〃Back to the shelter…〃
〃I'm tired…〃
〃No！〃
Ralph struck the skin off his knuckles。 They did not seem to hurt。
〃I'm chief。 We've got to make certain。 Can't you see the mountain？ There's no signal showing。 There may be a ship out there。 Are you all off your rockers？〃
Mutinously； the boys fell silent or muttering。
Jack led the way down the rock and across the bridge。
CHAPTER SEVEN
Shadows and Tall Trees
The pig…run kept close to the jumble of rocks that lay down by the water on the other side and Ralph was content to follow Jack along it。 If you could shut your ears to the slow suck down of the sea and boil of the