Fresh wood was placed upon the fire, and Grenfell and the mate joined the family circle around the blaze.

“Do you kill much game here on the island?” asked Doctor Grenfell.

“One gull is all I gets today,” announced the man.  “They bides too far out.  I has no shot.  I uses pebbles for shot, and ’tis hard to hit un with pebbles.  ’Tis wonderful hard to knock un down with no shot.”

“What have you to eat?” inquired the Doctor.  “Have you any provisions on hand?”

“All us has is the gull,” the man glanced toward the limp bird.  “We eats berries.”

“’Tis the Gover’me’t’s place to give us things,” broke in the woman in a high key.  “The Gov’me’t don’t give us no flour and nothin’.”

“It’s snowing and the berries will soon be covered,” suggested Grenfell.  “You can’t live without something to eat and now winter is coming you’ll need a house to live in.  You haven’t even a tent.”

“Us would make out and the Gover’me’t gave us a bit o’ flour and tea and some clodin’ (clothing),” harped the woman.  “The Gover’me’t don’t give un to us.  The Gover’me’t folks don’t care what becomes o’ we.”

“How are you going to take care of these children this winter?” asked Grenfell.  “You can’t feed them and without clothing they’ll freeze.  Let us take them with us.  We’ll give them plenty to eat and clothe them well.”

“Don’t be sayin’ now you’ll let un go!” broke in the mother in a high voice, turning to the man, who stood mute.  “Don’t be givin’ away your own flesh and blood now!  Don’t let un go.”

“You can’t keep yourselves and these children alive through the winter.  Some of you will starve or freeze,” persisted Grenfell.  “Suppose you let us have the two young lads and the little maid.  We’ll take good care of them and we’ll give you some clothing we have aboard the vessel, and some flour and tea to start you.”

“And a bit o’ shot for my gun?” asked the man, showing interest.

“Don’t be givin’ away your own flesh and blood!” interjected the woman in the same high key. “‘Tis the Gov’me’t’s place to be givin’ us what we needs, clodin’ and grub too.”

“I’ll let you have one o’ th’ lads and you lets me have a bit o’ shot,” the man compromised.

The sympathetic mate, with no intention of giving the man an opportunity to change his mind, seized the naked boy nearest him, tucked the lad, kicking and struggling, under one arm, and started for the boat, but upon Doctor Grenfell’s suggestion waited, with the lad still under his arm, for developments.

In the beginning, to be sure, Doctor Grenfell had intended to issue supplies to the man, whether or no.  But no matter how much or what supplies were issued there was no doubt these people would be reduced to severe suffering before summer came again.  He wished to save the children from want, and to give them a chance to make good in the world as he believed they would with opportunity.