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.
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