BIGGLES IN
BORNEO
By Captain W.
E. Johns
XIII. ADVENTURES ON THE RIVER (Pages 136 - 145)
The Cayman aircraft settles on an islet
with the Wong brothers recognise as being some two miles past their mill. Biggles sees a washed up
barge on the bank and goes to investigate.
When Ginger goes to speed up his return the plane floats away leaving
both Biggles and Ginger separated from the airplane. The petrol tank of the barge is half
full. "We're dong fine" says Biggles. "First we have a plane but not enough
petrol. Now we have petrol but no
plane". Biggles and Ginger do their
best to empty the barge so they can float down stream
after the plane. Biggles then starts the
engine to get more speed. On catching up
with the Cayman, they find it has been caught by a Japanese motor launch. Biggles rams the launch and it sinks like a
stone. He then floats past the
Cayman. Trying to stop and turn, Biggles
jams the barge into the flooded jungle, only to see the Cayman floating
past. Algy starts the engine on the
plane to get back to Biggles. Pulling
alongside the barge, Biggles confirms the Wong brothers are still with
him. "The Chinese always did think
we were a race of lunatics".