Part 4 (2/2)

'The Dornier 's coming this way,' observed Algy from the tarpaulin.

Biggles joined him. 'You're right,' he said.

'He's coming lower, too. I'm afraid he's spotted the oil-yes, by gosh, he has. He's coming right down to have a closer look at it. If he follows it to this rock we're sunk.' He stepped back as the Dornier suddenly dived towards the cove. The roar of its engines vibrated through the cave.

'He 's going to circle the island,' declared Gin-ger, with alarm in his voice.

'If the wireless operator starts tapping out a message about the oil there'll be a destroyer here in a brace of shakes,' muttered Biggles. 'Even if he doesn't signal he 's bound to report it when he gets back, which will mean the same thing. They are bound to send some sort of boat out to see where the oil is coming from. I'm afraid we've got to stop this chap getting back.' He turned and ran along the catwalk to where the Willie-Willie was moored. 'Briny, get that tarpaulin down!' he yelled as he cast off.

The others had followed him along the catwalk. 'I'm coming!' shouted Algy, jumping into his machine.

'Please yourself ; the more there are of us the better chance we shall have of getting him.

Once we show ourselves we've got to get him.'

Biggles's final words were drowned in the roar of his engine, and the Willie-Willie surged towards the entrance. To Briny, who was dragging back the tarpaulin, he shouted, 'Where is he ?'

'Round the other side of the rock, sir,' bawled Briny.

'Which way did he go ?'

'Round to the left.'

Biggles waited for no more ; he shoved the throttle open and the Willie-Willie tore across the cove in a cloud of spray. Another moment and it was off the water, banking steeply to the left.

Biggles's object was, of course, to come up behind the German 'plane, which he a.s.sumed-from the information Briny had given him-was still circling the island in a left-hand direction. He was, therefore, unprepared for what happened next. Actually, Briny's information had been correct, but what he could not be expected to know was that the Dornier had turned about on the far side of the island and was now coming back to-wards him. The result was that Biggles, rounding the towering black shoulder of the central ma.s.s, nearly collided with him. Both pilots saw each other at the same moment ; both banked vertically, and in a split second had raced past each other in opposite directions, before there was even time to think of shooting.

With a grunt of annoyance Biggles dragged the Willie-Willie round in its own length, and tore along after the Dornier, just in time to see Algy's machine whirl into sight, and nearly meet the Dornier head on, as he had done.

The enemy pilot-wisely, perhaps, seeing that he was outnumbered-put his nose down for speed and streaked away to the south with the two British machines in hot pursuit.

As he roared low over the cove Biggles glanced down, and seeing no sign of Ginger's machine, wondered where it was. An instant later he knew, for it suddenly flashed into sight across the Dor-nier's bows. There was a streak of tracer bullets, and then the Dornier went on, apparently unaffected.

What had happened was this. In his desperate haste to get off Ginger had not thought of asking Briny which way the Boche had gone, so instead of turning to the left like the others, he had turned to the right, and in so doing had actually done what the others had intended doing. He had found him-self behind the Dornier-in fact, behind all three machines ; but as they had dived he found himself above them, and was thus able to use his superior height to gain speed and intercept the machine with the black crosses on its wings. He had managed to get in a short burst of fire at it, but his shooting had been hurried, and it was with chagrin that he saw the Dornier proceed on its way, ap-parently untouched by his bullets. All he could do was join in the pursuit with the others.

Biggles had no doubts about overhauling the Dornier, for their machines were built for speed whereas the flying-boat was designed primarily for coastal reconnaissance. And since it was soon ap-parent that they were, in fact, catching it, he had little doubt as to the ultimate result. What upset him was the thought that at that very moment the German wireless operator might be tapping out, as fast as he could, the circ.u.mstances of the combat-with, of course, the position of the secret base.

The German pilot did all that he could do against three opponents, as did his gunner, who, facing the pursuers, made things very uncom-fortable for them. But he could not shoot in three directions at once, for Biggles and Algy were old hands at the game. At a signal from Biggles they separated to press their attack from different direc-tions. Algy, coming within range, opened fire, drawing the gunner's fire upon himself and so giving Biggles a clear field.

The end came suddenly. Biggles swooped like a hawk and poured in a long decisive burst. He held his fire until collision seemed inevitable and then zoomed high, turning on the top of the zoom to see the result of his attack. Not that he had much doubt as to what it would be. With eight guns pouring out bullets at a rate of a thousand rounds a minute, the Boche must have been riddled.

His supposition was correct. The Dornier was roaring straight up like a rocketing pheasant ; for perhaps two seconds it hung on the top of its stall, its airscrews whirling ; then its nose whipped down in a spin from which it never recovered. Biggles watched it dispa.s.sionately, for he had seen the end of too many combats to be disturbed in his mind ; and he was too wise to take his eyes off his victim in case the spin was a ruse to deceive him. That the Dornier was not shamming, however, was con-firmed when, with its engine still racing, it plunged nose first into the sea. It disappeared from sight instantly and did not reappear ; only an ever widening circle of oil marked the spot where it had ended its fatal dive.

Cutting his engine, Biggles glided down, and circled for some minutes in case there should be a survivor, but it was soon clear that the crew had perished in the machine, so he turned towards the island, anxious to find out from Roy if the radio operator in the Dornier had succeeded in getting out a message.

A glance over his shoulder revealed the others taking up formation behind him, so he went on towards the base, now about six miles distant.

Before he was half-way there Algy had rushed up beside him, beckoning furiously and jabbing downwards with his gloved hand.

Looking down, Biggles saw the reason. Ginger was no longer in the formation ; he was gliding down towards the sea, which could only mean one thing-that he was having trouble with his engine.

They could not leave him, so Biggles throttled back and began circling down, at the same time throwing a worried glance at the sky, the colour of which promised a change in the weather. He watched Ginger put his machine down on the water, and from its jerky movements saw what he already suspected-that the sea was getting rough. However, he landed within hail of the Dingo. 'What 's wrong ?' he called.

Ginger stood up in his c.o.c.kpit, holding the edge to steady himself, for the machine was rocking dangerously. 'My engine has cut out,' he shouted. 'It began to splutter after they shot at me.'

Biggles taxied closer, while Algy continued to circle low overhead.

'What shall I do ?' asked Ginger.

Biggles thought swiftly. To make repairs on the water was obviously out of the question.

Had the sea been calm he would have dashed back to the base and sent the motor-boat out to tow the Dingo in, but low, ominous clouds were scudding across the sky and the sea was rising quickly. In the circ.u.mstances he decided to attempt to tow the Dingo in himself. 'Catch this line and make it fast!' he yelled, and swung his mooring-rope across the nose of the Dingo.

Ginger caught the line and made it fast to his axle strut, and scrambled back into his seat as Biggles started taxi-ing towards the base.

Before they had gone a quarter of a mile, how-ever, Biggles knew that they would never reach it, for the sea, now capped with vicious-looking white crests, was throwing both machines about in a manner that was definitely dangerous. A nasty cross-wind was dragging at the Dingo, and more than once brought it up short with a jerk on the tow-line that threatened to tear both machines to pieces.

He eased the throttle back, for the question of saving the Dingo had become of secondary im-portance ; it was now a matter of saving their lives, for he was by no means sure that he would be able to get the Willie-Willie off the water. 'Cut the tow-line!' he yelled. 'Get ready to jump. I'm coming round to pick you up.'

Ginger obeyed the orders unquestioningly, al-though he realized that they implied the loss of his machine. Climbing out of his seat, he clung to a float, waiting for Biggles to bring the Willie-Willie alongside.

It was no easy matter, for both machines were now tossing wildly, and should they be thrown together it would mean the end of them. Blipping his engine, Biggles brought the Willie-Willie nearer.

lump for it as I go past,' he shouted.

Ginger, balanced on the float, jumped for his life. But his weight, as he jumped, was sufficient to cause the Dingo to yaw violently, and instead of landing on Biggles's float, as he hoped, he landed short and disappeared under the water. His head broke the surface almost at once, and he clutched at the float. He managed to grasp it, and en-deavoured to drag himself on it, but the weight of his thick, water-soaked clothing held him back.

Seeing his plight, Biggles climbed out, and seizing him by the collar, gave him the a.s.sistance he needed. He then helped him into the rear scat.

There was still one more thing to be done. He dared not leave the Dingo floating derelict on the water, for not only would it certainly lead to inquiries, but it embodied features which German designers would no doubt be pleased to possess. So as soon as he was back in his c.o.c.kpit he reached for his signalling pistol, and was taking aim at the Dingo's petrol tank when Algy roared low overhead -so low that it was obvious he was trying to attract attention.

Biggles looked up, and saw Algy's gloved hand jabbing frantically towards the south-east. So occupied had he been with his task that he had paid no attention to the horizon ; now, looking in the direction indicated, he saw a sight that brought a scowl to his face.

Racing towards them through rain that was beginning to fall was a German destroyer.

CHAPTER VIII.

DISCOVERIES.

IT was typical of him that he finished what he had begun. He took quick aim and sent a flare into the Dingo's petrol tank. A tongue of flame spurted out. Satisfied that the destruction of the machine was a.s.sured, he pushed his throttle open. Simultaneously a spout of water leapt into the air about fifty yards in front. He had heard the scream of a sh.e.l.l, so he was in no doubt as to what it was. The destroyer, seeing that they were about to escape, had opened fire.

<script>