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He paused for a moment.

“I’ve been alone. By myself I went, thinking what's what I know what we need. An assembly to put things straight And first of all, I'm speaking.”

He paused for a moment and automatically pushed back his hair. Piggy tiptoed to the triangle, his ineffectual protest made, and joined the others.

Ralph went on.

“We have lots of assemblies. Everybody enjoys speaking and being together. We decide things. But they don't get done. We were going to have water brought from the stream and left in those coconut shells under fresh leaves. So it was, for a few days. Now there's no water. The shells are dry. People drink from the river.”

There was a murmur of assent.

“Not that there's anything wrong with drinking from the river. I mean I'd sooner have water from that place—you know, the pool where the waterfall is—than out of an old coconut shell. Only we said we'd have the water brought And now not There were only two full shells there this afternoon.”

He licked his lips.

“Then there's huts. Shelters.”

The murmur swelled again and died away.

“You mostly sleep in shelters. Tonight, except for Sam-neric up by the fire, you'll all sleep there. Who built the shelters?”

Clamor rose at once. Everyone had built the shelters. Ralph had to wave the conch once more.

“Wait a minute! I mean, who built all three? We all built the first one, four of us the second one, and me 'n Simon built the last one over there. That's why it's so tottery. No. Don't laugh. That shelter might fall down if the rain comes back. We'll need those shelters then.”

He paused and cleared his throat.

“There's another thing. We chose those rocks right along beyond the bathing pool as a lavatory. That was sensible too. The tide cleans the place up. You littluns know about that.”

There were sniggers here and there and swift glances.

“Now people seem to use anywhere. Even near the shelters and the platform. You littluns, when you're getting fruit; if you're taken short—”

The assembly roared.

“I said if you're taken short you keep away from the fruit. That's dirty.”

Laughter rose again.

“I said that's dirty!”

He plucked at his stiff, grey shirt.

“That's realty dirty. If you're taken short you go right along the beach to the rocks. See?”

Piggy held out his hands for the conch but Ralph shook his head. This speech was planned, point by point.

“We've all got to use the rocks again. This place is getting dirty.” He paused. The assembly, sensing a crisis, was tensely expectant. “And then: about the fire.”

Ralph let out his spare breath with a little gasp that was echoed by his audience. Jack started to chip a piece of wood with his knife and whispered something to Robert, who looked away.

“The fire is the most important thing on the island. How can we ever be rescued except by luck, if we don't keep a fire going? Is a fire too much for us to make?”