The girls learned to fend for themselves through their bush skills, but there were times when food was scarce and they needed assistance. There was also a Mardu man who provided them with matches and food. Mrs Flanagan gave the children a place to stay out of the rain, food and warm clothes. These people and others who helped the mixed-race children gave them supplies and food, but as soon as the children were out of sight they called the Moore River Native Settlement to report where they had last seen the sisters. These people thought it would be beneficial to the children if they called the police to come and get them. They believed that the children would rather return to the settlement than die or get lost on the journey. I believe the people who helped the children on their journey home represent the Australian Government. Both the government and the people in the story believed they were truly doing the right thing by bringing them into a separate civilization for a change