The Shell and the Glasses

           Piggyeyedtheadvancingfigurecarefully.Nowadayshesometimesfoundthathesawmoreclearlyifheremovedhisglassesandshiftedtheonelenstotheothereye;buteventhroughthegoodeye,afterwhathadhappened,RalphremainedunmistakablyRalph.Hecamenowoutofthecoconuttrees,limping,dirty,withdeadleaveshangingfromhisshockofyellowhair.Oneeyewasaslitinhispuffycheekandagreatscabhadformedonhisrightknee.Hepausedforamomentandpeeredatthefigureontheplatform.

           "Piggy?Areyoutheonlyoneleft?"

           "There’ssomelittluns."

           "Theydon’tcount.Nobiguns?"

           "Oh—Samneric.They’recollectingwood."

           "Nobodyelse?"

           "NotthatIknowof."

           Ralphclimbedontotheplatformcarefully.Thecoarsegrasswasstillwornawaywheretheassemblyusedtosit;thefragilewhiteconchstillgleamedbythepolishedseat.Ralphsatdowninthegrassfacingthechief’sseatandtheconch.Piggykneltathisleft,andforalongminutetherewassilence.

           AtlastRalphclearedhisthroatandwhisperedsomething.

           Piggywhisperedback.

           "Whatyousay?"