Rules are set down, and Ralph becomes chief. There is no one else on the island but the young boys. Jack decides to create a hunting team.
Ralph calls another assembly. Several rules are made up, such as "only who holds the conch may speak." Some littl'un with a birthmark on his face tells about a "beastie" that he saw somewhere on the island. The general consensus from the others is that there is no such thing, and it must be his imagination. Ralph then suggests making a signal fire, which would be necessary if they want to be rescued. The boys scramble off to gather wood to build a fire. They don’t know how to fire it and Ralph gets idea to use Piggy's specs to make fire by the sunlight. They were not careful, however, and soon the fire is engulfing half the forest near the mountain. The little boy with the birthmark is noticed to be missing.
Jack is busy tracking a pig, when he arrives at the beach where Simon and Ralph are constructing huts. Ralph complains no other boys are helping them with their shelters, but Jack cannot see the necessity of other things, and says that hunting is more important; this expands into another argument between Ralph and Jack. Ralph presses that keeping the signal fire is much more important than hunting. Jack disagrees, and they start to dislike each other. Ignoring other boys’ fussing Simon picks fruit for the littl'uns and makes his way into the jungle finding a clearing. He climbs onto a mat of creepers, and remains there. He likes this tranquil place.
Roger is spoiling sand structures made by littl'uns, and throwing rocks at boys. Jack calls Roger away, asking him to paint his face for hunting pigs. Smoke from a ship is spotted in the distance. The fire was out, so the ship didn’t see them. Jack and his hunters come proudly carrying their first kill, trying to share their excitement with Ralph. When Ralph yells that a ship passed them by and no fire was going. Hunters are sorry but Jack urges that hunting is the most important. In the ensuing fight, Jack punches Piggy a breaks his specs. Finally, the fire is lit again, the pig is roasted, and everyone eats. Hunters dance for the first time.
Ralph calls another assembly and mentions that work isn't done, and rules aren't followed. He tries to convince the boys that the fire is the most important thing. All the little children, are afraid of a Beast, which they still believe in. Jack says that he's been everywhere, and there is no beast, and Piggy says that a beast can't exist in a world with science.