Part 8 (1/2)

'Which way does it lie ?'

The man pointed. 'Over there. That's the German coast, but the sandbank on the other side is nearer, I think. If you're going to swim to it you'd better start.'

'Why-is there any hurry 2'

The man was looking past Biggles at something beyond him, and turning to see what it was, Biggles saw the drifter, the existence of which he had completely forgotten. It was moving dead slow through the water picking up survivors ; its boats had been lowered and were doing the same thing. He had no desire to be picked up, for he had a shrewd idea of what that would mean in the end-particularly after the sinking of the Leipzig by one of his machines. He preferred to take his chance on the sandbank, or even the mainland, where, if he was found, he might pa.s.s as a survivor of the ill-fated s.h.i.+p until he could make plans to escape. There was always a chance that he might be able to steal a small boat and get back to Bergen Mt.

'Thanks,' he told the German gratefully, and struck off into the darkness.

'Lebewohl! Good luck!' called the German after him.

For some time Biggles did not look back, but devoted himself to getting clear of the danger zone, the position of which he could judge roughly by the frequent hails of men still in the water as they tried to attract the attention of the rescuers. There was no moon, but in the light of the stars he could just make out the dark hull of the drifter. But of the Leipzig there was no sign. In a vague sort of way he wondered what had happened to von Stalhein, but he soon dismissed him from his mind, for the water was cold, and although he was a strong swimmer, he knew that if he did not soon reach land he might succ.u.mb to exposure. So settling down to a steady breast stroke, which he knew from experience he could keep up for a long time, he struck out in the direction in which, according to the sailor, the sandbank lay. At present he could not see it; not that he expected to, for it was too dark to see far. It was disconcerting, this swimming through the darkness towards an unseen objective, for should he miss it his position would be hopeless ; at least, from what he had seen of the Baltic while flying over it, he would not have given much for his chance of being picked up by a s.h.i.+p.

An hour later he was still swimming, but not so strongly, for his body was fast becoming numb from the cold, and he dare not float to rest himself, as he could have done had the water been warmer. Shortly afterwards, however, he found it imperative to change his stroke, and in doing so he heard the sound which he had been hoping to hear-the measured beat of surf on the sandy sh.o.r.e.

With a prayer of thankfulness he struck out with renewed vigour, and a few minutes later found him staggering through shallow water to the beach. Not until he had crawled up on the sand did he realize how far he was spent; but even then what he feared most was that he might collapse from cold, for the night air was chilly. So with the object of restoring his circulation by the only means available, he set off at a jog-trot along the lonely beach, which seemed to stretch to infinity in front of him. He was deadly tired, but still he ran on, deriving some comfort from the warmth that his exercise was producing.

How far he ran he did not know. Nor did he care. He only knew that he seemed to have been running for hours when just ahead he observed some fairly high sand-dunes, and towards these he directed his steps, hoping to find shelter where he could take a breather.

Breaking into a sprint to satisfy himself that he still had it in him, he dashed round the foot of the first dune, and collided with stunning force with somebody coming the other way.

Tired as he was he was unable to keep his balance, and after a final stumble, in which he caught a glimpse of a dark human form, he plunged headlong into the loose sand.

Quick as he was getting on his feet, the other was quicker, and he went over backwards again with a gloved hand pressed savagely over his mouth. Gripping his a.s.sailant with his hands, and doubling his knees under him, he endeavoured to fling him off, but only succeeded in causing them both to roll over and over down the sloping sand.

They arrived at the bottom with Biggles underneath. He saw an arm raised to strike. The b.u.t.t end of a revolver showed for an instant against the sky, and he clutched at it desperately. His a.s.sailant sought to free his arm, but just as furiously Biggles held on to it. Then came the end. But it was not the end Biggles expected, for, the struggle coming on top of his previous exertions, he was on the point of collapse.

It came when his opponent suddenly shouted, 'Hi! Briny! Help!'

Algy,' gasped Biggles weakly. 'Get off my chest, you maniac!'

CHAPTER XIII.

AN ALARMING DISCOVERY.

THE pressure on Biggles's chest relaxed with amazing prompt.i.tude.

Algy was incapable of speech, and for a while he could only yammer foolishly. 'What are you doing here ?' he managed to get out at last.

Biggles lay flat on his back, panting heavily. 'What do you think ? Making sand-castles with my little spade and bucket? What are you playing at, anyway ?'

Oh, I'm just collecting pretty pebbles for the kids to play marbles with,' replied Algy. 'As a matter of fact, I'm on my way to blow up the dump.'

'Dump ? What' dump ?'

Ah! Of course, I forgot, you don't know about that. Briny found a dump.'

'Briny ? Where is Briny ? What's he been doing ? Am I going crazy or are you ? You talk as if he'd found a dump kicking about on the beach.'

As if in answer to the questions, Briny himself charged round the dune, swinging a rifle in a most dangerous manner.

'Be careful what you're doing with that thing, you fool,' snapped Biggles irritably, for what with shock and fatigue he was in no mood to be polite.

Briny stopped with ludicrous suddenness, the rifle poised. Then, slowly, it dropped to the ground. 'Luv a duck, sir, if it ain't the C.O.,' he gasped. 'What have you been doing, sir, if I may make so free as to ask ?'

'Riding round the front in a hansom cab with Hitler,' grated Biggles with bitter sarcasm. '

It's time we stopped asking fool questions and got this thing straightened out,' he added with a change of tone. 'I'll start. I found the motor-boat, but was captured by von Stalhein in a drifter and arrived on the Leipzig just as somebody was thoughtful enough to sling a mouldy in her ribs. I jumped into the sea and swam here. That's all.'

I slung the mouldy,' admitted Algy.

'Thanks. You'll never sling a better one as long as you live,' declared Biggles. tell you why later on.'

I found Briny stranded on this sandbank,' explained Algy. 'On the way back to the base we found the remains of your machine, so thinking you were a gonner I went mad dog. I had a crack at the Leipzig first. Then I went home for a time-bomb. Oh, I forgot to say that when I picked up Briny here we found a dump-a sort of Hun naval store. We were going to blow it up when I ran into you. I brought Briny along to guard the machine while I did the dirty work.'

I see. That explains things,' said Biggles, rising stiffly to his feet. 'Somebody will have to lend me a jacket. I'm cold. I've been swimming for an hour or more in this peris.h.i.+ng ditch.'

Briny took off the flying jacket he was wearing and pa.s.sed it over. 'I remember once ' he began.

'Then forget it,' cut in Biggles, putting on the coat. 'And now, if somebody would be kind enough to take me home, I should like to warm my tootsies by the stove.'

'What about the dump ?' asked Algy. 'I've got the time-bomb here.'

'You can stick it in a crab hole or play hop-scotch with it for all I care. I don't feel like fooling about any dumps, and I've heard all the explosions I want for one day. Let's get back. I'll send Ginger to attend to the dump.'

'You won't,' replied Algy promptly.

'Why not?'

'He's missing.'

'Missing! Since when ?'

'n.o.body 's seen him since we took off early this morning.'

Is the spare machine still in the cave ?'

'Yes.'

'Then he must be on the island somewhere. Suffering Mike! What sort of a squadron have I got ? What does the young a.s.s think he's at-a picnic ?'

'When you find him you can ask him.'

Biggles thought for a moment. He was not seriously upset about Ginger, for if the Platypus was still at its moorings it was obvious that he could not be far away, for the simple reason that he had no means of leaving the base. It struck him, however, that if the dump was to be destroyed, now was the time to do it, for it seemed certain that the Germans would cause a search to be made for him, and the sandbank, being the land nearest to where the Leipzig was sunk, would be one of the first places they would look at. He decided, therefore, that if anything was to be done about the dump, now was the best time, for to return later might result in an encounter with a search party sent out to look for him. Indeed, he was only too well aware of how dangerous their whole project had already become. It was, in fact, precarious, now that von Stalhein knew they were operating in the district-a.s.suming that he had survived the Leipzig disaster. He knew the German well enough to know that, actuated as he was by personal motives as well as those of patriotism, he would not rest until he had located their base; and it could be only a question of time before he examined Bergen Ait. The fact that the islet was supposed to be the property of a neutral state would weigh little with a man as thorough and relentless as Erich von Stalhein. However, he refrained from depressing the others by communicating to them these disconcerting thoughts.

All right,' he said at last, 'I'll tell you what we'll do. For the three of us to try to squeeze into the machine is going to be a difficult business, particularly as I'm not dressed for what you might call skylarking. Algy, suppose you take Briny home and then come straight back bringing my spare kit with you. You ought to make the round trip inside an hour. I'll get everything ready here for the big bang the moment you return. That seems to be the easiest way.'