The Mosquito Coast

The rain finally comes, torrential and unrelenting. The Fox shelters inside their ramshackle house, the might and destruction of the storm outside overwhelming. Risking his life, Mr. Haddy appears at the Fox settlement, poling and rowing his boat in the downpour to bring the family spark plugs and a can of gas for the outboard motor. Careful to only contact Charlie, who tries to invite him inside to shelter himself from the storm, Mr. Haddy refuses on the grounds that Allie is inside, and gives the precious resources to him. “You a good boy for true, Charlie,” Mr. Haddy tells him (303). Mr. Haddy insists that Charlie tell his father that Charlie found the supplies. He is afraid of what Allie will do if he learns Mr. Haddy is helping them.

As Charlie helps him push off in the boat, Mr. Haddy reiterates his warnings about the rising of the water. Their failing attempt at a garden is waterlogged the following morning, and Jerry continues to campaign for a departure. The twins threaten to tell Allie that Jerry has said he hates him. As the water keeps rising, a frustrated Allie reveals that their hut functions as a floating barge, and he presents the working outboard, repaired with “found” resources, just in time to cast the hut off like a houseboat before the dwelling sinks entirely.