BIGGLES DELIVERS THE GOODS

by Captain W. E. Johns

XVIII. LI CHI COMES BACK (Pages 153 - 160)

Still at the Japanese base, Biggles tells Algy he knew he was there but he knew nothing about the head chopping otherwise he would have been there earlier. "The fellow must be an absolute swine". Looking out to the estuary, the Japanese destroyers has all "taken on a queer sort of list". The Japanese have also collected together native craft, kabangs, for their planned attack on Elephant Island. Biggles gets Ayert and his natives to knock the bottoms out of the native boats. The Japanese prisoner tries to escape only to be torn apart by Ayert and his men. Ayert assembles his men to leave. Their casualties have been light, five men missing and several wounded, although they behaved merely like "children who are stung by nettles". Biggles and his men head back for the Lotus. The men are making a lot of noise and much to Biggles disgust, they have a head for a trophy. It is the head of the spy, Pamboo. Ayert steers the Lotus back to their base but on arriving at the little cove where the Lotus had its berth, they nearly collide with the "Sumatran". It is assumed the ship is in Japanese hands but Biggles is hailed by Li Chi. The ship that had met the "Sumatran" at sea was the Lochavon Castle, an armed merchantman, out from Perth, West Australia. She was there to take over their rubber and proceed direct to England with it. Li Chi has come back for another load of rubber. Biggles says "If we can shift another thousand tons of rubber we shall be half way home. We could never have got the job finished otherwise." Biggles gives Li Chi an account of their raid on Victoria Point. Biggles says that Tamashoa will be really sore and they can expect to be attacked by land, sea or air - perhaps a combined operation.