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“We mustn't let anything happen to Piggy, must we?”
Ralph tapped his teeth with the dirty point of Eric's spear.
“If we go across—”
He glanced round him.
“Someone's got to go across the island and tell Piggy we’ll be back after dark.”
Bill spoke, unbelieving.
“Through the forest by himself? Now?”
“We can't spare more than one.”
Simon pushed his way to Ralph's elbow.
“I’ll go if you like. I don't mind, honestly.”
Before Ralph had time to reply, he smiled quickly, turned and climbed into the forest
Ralph looked back at Jack, seeing him, infuriatingly, for the first time.
“Jack—that time you went the whole way to the castle rock.”
Jack glowered.
“Yes?”
“You came alone part of this shore—below the mountain, beyond there.”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
“I found a pig-run. It went for miles.”
“So the pig-run must be somewhere in there.”
Ralph nodded. He pointed at the forest
Everybody agreed, sagely.
“All right then. We’ll smash a way through till we find the pig-run.”
He took a step and halted.
“Wait a minute though! Where does the pig-run go to?”
“The mountain,” said Jack, “I told you. He sneered. “Don't you want to go to the mountain?”
Ralph sighed, sensing the rising antagonism, understanding that this was how Jack felt as soon as he ceased to lead.
“I was thinking of the light. We'll be stumbling about.”
“We were going to look for the beast.”
“There won't be enough light.”
“I don't mind going, said Jack hotly. “Ill go when we get there. Won't you? Would you rather go back to the shelters and tell Piggy?”
Now it was Ralph's turn to flush but he spoke despairingly, out of the new understanding that Piggy had given him.
“Why do you hate me?”
The boys stirred uneasily, as though something indecent had been said. The silence lengthened.
Ralph, still hot and hurt, turned away first.
“Come on.”
He led the way and set himself as by right to hack at the tangles. Jack brought up the rear, displaced and brooding.
The pig-track was a dark tunnel, for the sun was sliding quickly toward the edge of the world and in the forest shadows were never-far to seek. The track was broad and beaten and they ran along at a swift trot, Then the roof of leaves broke up and they halted, breathing quickly, looking at the few stars that pricked round the head of the mountain.
“There you are.”
The boys peered at each other doubtfully. Ralph made a decision.
“We’ll go straight across to the platform and climb tomorrow.”
They murmured agreement; but Jack was standing by his shoulder.
“If you're frightened of course—”
Ralph turned on him.
“Who went first on the castle rock?”
“I went too. And that was daylight.”
“All right. Who wants to climb the mountain now?”
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