"Hullo."
Squirming a little, more conscious of his filthy appearance, Ralph answered shyly. "Hullo"
The officer nodded, as if a question. had been answered.
"Are there any adults-any grown ups with you?"
Dumbly, Ralph shook his head. He turned a half pace on the sand. A semicircle of little boys, their bodies striped with coloured clay, sharp sticks in their hands, was standing on the beach making no noise at all.
"Fun and games " said the officer.
The fire reached the coconut palms by the beach and swallowed them noisily. The officer grinned cheerfully at Ralph.
"We saw your smoke. What have you been doing? Having a war or something?"
Ralph nodded. The officer inspected the little scarecrow in front of him. The kid needed a bath, haircut, a nose wipe and a good deal of ointment.
"Nobody killed, I hope? Any dead bodies?"
"Only two, and they've gone."
The officer leaned down and looked closely at Ralph.
"Two? Killed?
Ralph nodded again. Behind him, the whole island was shuddering with flames. The officer knew, as a rule, when people were telling the truth. He whistled softly. Other boys were appearing now. One of them came close to officer and looked up.
"I'm, I'm -
Question 1: How does Ralph respond when the officer addresses him?
Answer: Ralph responds shyly with a hesitant "Hullo," indicating his discomfort and self-consciousness.
Question 2: What question does the officer ask Ralph regarding the presence of adults or grown-ups?
Answer: The officer asks Ralph if there are any adults or grown-ups with them, to which Ralph responds by shaking his head, indicating the absence of adults.
Question 3: How does the officer react to the sight of the little boys with sharp sticks on the beach?
Answer: The officer refers to the boys' presence as "fun and games," showing a light-hearted attitude despite the serious situation.
Question 4: What does the officer inquire about upon seeing the smoke, and how does Ralph respond?
Answer: The officer asks what they have been doing, suggesting they might have been having a war. Ralph confirms this by nodding.
Question 5: How does the officer react upon learning about the deaths on the island?
Answer: The officer leans down and looks closely at Ralph, showing surprise and concern upon hearing about the deaths. He also whistles softly, indicating his shock.
Question 6: Describe the officer's reaction to the situation on the island as more boys appear?
Answer: As more boys appear, the officer's reaction suggests a deepening realization of the seriousness of the situation, as indicated by his close inspection of Ralph and his interaction with the other boys.