BIGGLES FLIES NORTH

by Captain W. E. Johns

XII. A ONE SIDED DUEL (Pages 135 – 145)

Ginger is thunderstruck – but he realises there is just as much reason for McBain to come searching for Sarton and Chicot, as for Wilks and Algy to come looking for them. The plane flies down and it is McBain himself who thrusts a machine gun out of the side window of the control cabin and strafes them. Angus lets out “a stream of belligerent imprecations”. McBain drops a can of petrol with the cap off near the Jupiter and tries to set fire to it, but the snow and ice prevent the flames spreading to the aircraft. Another attempt to do this is foiled by Biggles pulling the can clear. The attack stops when another aircraft arrives – “It’s Algy!” says Biggles. The Weinkel flies straight towards Algy in the Rockheed and attacks him. Biggles and Ginger watch the duel helplessly. As the planes pass near they can see Wilks at the controls of the Rockheed. The port wing of the Rockheed is damaged and Algy has to climb out onto the starboard wing, lying flat, to counter balance it. This helps, but the Rockheed still crash lands and Algy is flung clear. The Weinkel flies off to the south. Algy has landed in snow, which has broken his fall, so he is only winded and Wilks has a cut to the forehead and a slightly sprained wrist but otherwise they are both all right. Angus suggests they return to his shack as if it starts to snow they may have a job to make it. Biggles has an idea. If they jack up the Jupiter and put the skis on it, instead of the wheels and transfer the petrol from the crashed Rockheed to the Jupiter, they can fly back. Ginger will have to find the bullet hole in the Jupiter and mend it. Biggles says “It’s a race against time now”.