The mutants accept the goods offered by the exiles.
The mutants dutifully record the information the exiles share. They are reluctant to share more information about themselves. They are sensitive about the details of their lab, in particular.
They invite the exiles aboard the riverboat to rest and shelter from the rain, eating lunch, while they wait for the people to show up to fix the power plant. Just in time, too, as the rain is beginning to pick up.

(OC: fast-forward to the power plant fixers show up?)