BIGGLES IN THE SOUTH SEAS

by Captain W. E. Johns

III. GINGER HAS A FRIGHT (Pages 50 – 62)

On arrival back at Vaitie, they find that Sandy is much improved but worried that Castanelli has got hold of Shell-Breaker, presumably after hearing the gossip about Sandy’s rescue. Namu says that Castanelli has bought a diving-suit off a trader named Sing Hoo as that is where Namu sells his copra. (Copra is the dried meat or kernel of the coconut, which is the fruit of the coconut palm. Coconut oil is extracted from it). Biggles wonders what Shell-Breaker has told Castanelli, if anything. Ginger says they can still get to the island first as they have their aircraft and they take off and fly to Rutuona and go to the local village. Ginger says it is like a Paradise. Sandy says “A hundred years ago there were more than ten thousand people on this island; now there aren’t more than two hundred. The rest have died from the diseases white men have brought”. The arrival of the Scud creates a minor sensation. Biggles is introduced to Chief Roaring Wave. Several young men in the village are weary of the newcomers. Biggles tells Sandy to tell the Chief they will get Shell-Breaker back. The Chief says that everything on the island is theirs. “He means it, too” said Sandy. They see a pretty girl of about fifteen years of age, her name is Full Moon, Shell-Breaker’s girlfriend. She was with him when Sandy was picked up. Biggles is expecting Castanelli to arrive, as they saw a schooner when flying over and it might be his. Biggles says they need to get some food ashore. “We’d better bring a few presents for the Chief too”. They stay in a ‘house’ provided by the Chief. Biggles asks Sandy how far away are they from “his” island and Sandy says twenty to thirty miles, not more. Ginger walks along the beach and Full Moon follows him to go fishing. In a gloomy cave nearby, there is a movement and Full Moon shouts “Feke”. Men run from the village, including Full Moon’s brother, and find and kill a huge Octopus with tentacles stretching out fourteen or fifteen feet in front of it. Full Moon says they will eat him. Ginger was nearly sick at the thought. He returns to their house. A tattooed warrior comes running down the hill and says “Atanelli, he come!” Sandy says he mean Castanelli.