BIGGLES IN THE SOUTH SEAS

by Captain W. E. Johns

XV. TRAPPED! (Pages 224 – 234)

For nearly an hour Ginger and Full Moon sit on the ledge in the grotto. He is worried about Castanelli’s next move, but she is sitting with her feet dangling in the water “apparently quite content, her simple mind oblivious to danger”. Suddenly, a brown hand closes around her ankle and the mop head of one of Castanelli’s islanders breaks the surface. Full Moon screams and Ginger “snatched up Full Moon’s knife, and without the slightest hesitation drove it down with all the strength of his arm into the brown shoulder”. Full Moon then grabs a piece of coral larger than a coconut and hits the man over the head. The islander’s body goes limp and sinks in the blue water. Ginger “knew that he himself would have hesitated to do what she had done – deliberately kill the man. Another islander swims in and sees the body of his colleague and leaves quickly. “They know where we are now” says Ginger. There is a lengthy delay, then a violent explosion and pieces of coral begin dropping from the roof. Ginger guesses that Castanelli is using dynamite. They can’t swim out of the grotto without being shot. There is another violent explosion and this time parts of the wall cave in and a large portion of the roof breaks away and crashes down into the grotto, leaving a hole the size of a dining-room table. Daylight pours in. Castanelli’s head appears over the edge and he orders them to come out. Ginger says they will stay there. Castanelli lights another stick of dynamite and throws it down. Ginger catches it and hurls it back. (Like a cricketer taking a catch he jumped forward - is the illustration on page 233). There is a terrific explosion. Ginger can hear shouts outside but does not know what is happening. Most of the roof of the grotto has now disappeared. Ginger suggests they try to get out and Full Moon lets out a blood-curdling yell and climbs up the wall towards the open air. Fearing what Castanelli might do when she gets to the top, Ginger has no choice but to follow her.