I heard the shrill ululation and then a boy flew out onto the beach. A whole group of boys followed. They all had painted faces except for the boy in the front who stood there and looked at me and then I spoke,
"Who's the leader here"
The boy quickly answered, "I am."
Another boy stepped out but then quickly returned to his group Cowering behind some of the other boys. I started to talk to the boy in the front again.
"It looks like you boys were having a war or something," I said.
"Yes we were," he replied very seriously.
"No casualties I hope."
"Only two," he replied.
I was stunned. I couldn't visualize British school boys killing each other. They were a bunch of savages. We got them on the boat and I began to talk with the boy in the front of the group whose name I later found out was Ralph. We started to talk and he elaborated on what had happened during his time on the island. Ralph was very helpful on the ship and quickly learned how to sail and was soon heaving anchors and doing other chores on the boat. When we returned to England he went back to his family and wrote me every week.