After the three boys--Ralph, Jack, and --return from their exploration, Ralph explains to the rest of the boys that they are indeed on an uninhabited island. tells the boys about the need for hunters and the story of the that they encountered.

Realizing that there needs to be order, tells the boys that there needs to be rules when speaking. The boy who holds the is the only one allowed to talk. And the only one who is allowed to interrupt is .

takes the and is upset because nobody is allowing to say what is most important. tells the boys that nobody knows they are there. tells the boys that that is true, but the island is terrific and they will have a good time while they wait to be rescued.

Jack asks if anyone else has found anything. No one speaks, but a little boy of about years of age comes up. He timidly takes the and speaks. He asks what is going to be done about the snake-thing; he later calls it a . The boys laughed at first, but later they sense some fear. tries to make everyone comfortable by telling them that an island couldn’t have a .

suggests that making a will help get the boys rescued. yells, “Follow me,” and the boys rashly run up to the top of the and gather dried wood to start a . is the last to make it up the . When he arrives, the boys are trying to figure out how to make . Ralph doesn’t know how, and he stupidly asks if anyone has a . , on the other, figures out he can use ’s .

The boys discover that the was no good because there was only flame, no . A boy suggests putting a green branch on the next time. is outraged and grabs the and tries to speak. He thinks it was stupid to build a fire haphazardly and not to think about building for the evening. He says that it gets cold at night on the island. While is talking, the boys realize that they have accidentally set the island on . makes Ralph realize that some of the younger boys probably are because of the fire.