SERGEANT BIGGLESWORTH C.I.D.

by Captain W. E. Johns

VIII. BIGGLES FOLLOWS ON (Pages 77 - 86)

"On the ground, all was tragedy and disaster". The pilots have both been shot through the head. The wireless operator is dead, the jewel courier is dying and one of the passengers is badly wounded. The steward and four other passengers are still alive and tell the story of what has happened - much as expected. The two villains gained access to the cockpit and shot the crew. They then shot the courier and a passenger who resisted. They then altered the course of the sea plane, landed and ran it onto the beach. Biggles tells Algy to take the Mosquito and fly the wounded passenger back to Alex and arrangs a relief plane to pick up the rest of the passengers and to bring a working party of mechanics and petrol. Algy returns with the traffic manager and when the relief plane arrives, the mechanics fix the Spur. Biggles decides to take Ginger and go in the Mosquito and fly down to the oasis at El Zufra as the Renkells headed in that direction. He tells Algy and Bertie to follow on when the Spur is fixed. Biggles intends to shoot up the Renkells so they stay there. It's a 400 mile trip and as they arrive, Biggles sees a lame camel at the oasis. He flies around but there is no sign of the aircraft, there do appear to be two dead Arabs, however. Biggles lands to find out what is happening just as the camel is blown to pieces. They have landed in a mine field! The plane is damaged in the explosion and Biggles and Ginger are now stranded - with Algy and Bertie due to land later. Biggles decides to walk to the oasis in the footsteps of the camel and then take his chances for the last fifty yards. He walks this final distance casually as if out for an evening stroll and Ginger holds his breath knowing that every step may well be his last.