THE BLACK PERIL

by W. E. Johns

XVI. A ONE-SIDED FIGHT (Pages 206 – 216)

When the hour for their departure arrives, our heroes have their passports returned and are taken by motor car through a side entrance to a concrete wharf where their plane awaits them. The Vandal is intact and undamaged. Biggles tells Smyth to “take a quick look round and see that nothing has been tampered with, and make sure the tanks are full”. The sky is just turning grey as they cast off the mooring rope and take off. The noise was appalling in the restricted area. As they pull forward they come under fire. A weather-stained tramp, with the Russian hammer-and-sickle ensign tries to block their path but they manage to take off over it, missing the foremast by inches. “Closish” says Biggles to Algy. For the next hour there appears to be no sign of pursuit. The day wears on and then Algy points out four aeroplanes behind them; the one in front is unmistakably Blackbeard’s and they are gaining. In due course the pursuing machines catch up and open fire with their machine-guns. (One of the machines had out distanced the others, and, gathering altitude, was now coming down on his tail – is the illustration opposite page 210). Biggles eyes narrowed. “You dirty dog,” he thought, “you’d shoot at an unarmed machine, would you?” Biggles uses all of his war flying skills to dodge being hit. “He knew it was only postponing the end, for such manoeuvres could not go on indefinitely, and he could not hope to be successful every time”. Something makes Biggles look up and six Royal Air Force Nimrods appear (these are 1934 biplanes, not to be confused with later more modern RAF Nimrods). In the distance Biggles can see an aircraft carrier. Hesterley had said he would do anything he could do to ensure their safety. Blackbeard’s plane and the other three enemy planes all turn and make for home. The Nimrods make no effort to pursue them. Eventually the English coast appears. The Nimrods stay with them until the estuary of the Thames. Half an hour later, Biggles lands at Hendon. An N.C.O. is waiting. “Major Bigglesworth, sir?” he asks. “Would you be good enough to come with me, sir – to the Air Ministry? I have a car waiting”. Biggles tells Algy to take Smyth and Ginger along to his rooms and he will join them as soon as he can get away.