BIGGLES DELIVERS THE GOODS

by Captain W. E. Johns

XI. GINGER GETS A SHOCK (Pages 91 - 99)

At 8.00 pm, "Biggles inspected his coloured commandos and expressed himself satisfied". With a score of men (20) in the Lotus launch, they go to attack the "Sumatran". Taffy and Ferocity and the entire native population of the island, more than 100 men, watch them go. They get to the "Sumatran" just as she is weighing anchor and getting ready to go. Biggles pirates pour over the side of the ship and take it in a blood bath. Biggles says "I have a feeling things will be a bit messy downstairs". "War is always a messy business, my friend, no matter where it is; and the parang is no more barbarous than the bomb, the tank or the flame thrower, such as the civilized peoples of Europe use," said Li Chi stiffly, with emphasis on the word civilized". Ginger takes over the radio room and gets Li Chi to interpret signals. One is from the commander of a Japanese destroyer flotilla and reports that he has found a British Gosling aircraft adrift on the water at a point about 300 miles east of Mergui and taken the pilot prisoner. Ginger realises this must be Algy. The flotilla is proceeding to Victoria Point where it is due to arrive tomorrow afternoon. The ship is steered towards Elephant Island and the Lotus follows.