THE CRUISE OF THE CONDOR

by W. E. Johns

III. RUNNING THE GAUNTLET (Pages 41 – 47)

At 10.00 pm Biggles climbs out of the kitchen window before the moon comes up. He decides to go without a gun. “Even if there is a rough house, I can’t very well use a gun; the police court proceedings would put the tin hat on the whole affair right away. If I happened to kill a Brazilian, it would hardly do to go to Brazil afterwards; I expect they’d make it pretty warm for me” says Biggles. Hiding in the shrubbery, Biggles is alerted by a cracking twig to a man who shoots at him. “Acting with the speed of light, he brought his fist up with a vicious jab into the pit of the man’s stomach”. Another bullet is fired at Biggles. “Like old times” he found time to mutter to himself as he broke through the far side of the bushes and sprinted along the edge. Biggles gets away to the nearest village. Back at the house, Algy and Dickpa see the enemy advancing on them. Algy fires an elephant gun from the bedroom. “Listen out there!” called Algy crisply. “I’m giving you fair warning that the first man who puts foot within twenty yards of this house will get a dose of hot lead”. Algy tells Dickpa that he will be glad when the week is up.