BIGGLES' SECOND CASE

by Captain W. E. Johns

XVII. CLEAN-UP ON KERGUELEN (Pages 177 - 187)

Two men fall in the attack and the remaining six take cover. Biggles can't afford to wait for them to come out so he decides to land and take them on. Unfortunately, Biggles lands on the thick scum of a bog and if it breaks they have had it. Biggles decides they have to get out to lighten the weight. Biggles gets out first and makes it to safe ground. He is followed by Bertie and then Ginger, but Ginger makes a rush for it and his feet go through the scum. Biggles and Bertie manage to haul him out of the stinking coal-black mud. Algy then manages to take off safely, with a view to fetching the Norwegians. Biggles, Bertie and Ginger then set off in a direction that will cut von Schonbeck's men off. A gun battle ensures and a further two Germans are bought down. "That leaves four" says Biggles, "Apparently von Schonbeck intends to fight it to a finish. Well, that suits me". Algy returns and lands with a harsh splintering crash. He and his party advance on the Germans and so does Biggles and his party. A minor battle rages without casulties and then a German stands up to surrender. A figure rises up behind him and shoots him down. "Nazis usually end by shooting each other," said Biggles. The figure flees, it is von Schonbeck and he is heading toward the bog. Biggles follows, shouting warnings but the only response is gunfire. Suddenly, von Schonbeck stumbles and falls and with a horrid sort of plop his disappears into the bog. "Where is he?" asks Ginger. "He's had it," answered Biggles laconically. Behind the gold boxes are found the remaining two Germans, dead. "It's all over", says Biggles.