10 Biggles Air Ace by W E Johns

Author:W E Johns [Johns, W E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-06-06T09:08:42+00:00

IV

By the end of a fortnight Taggart had increased his score to three enemy aircraft shot down, and his name was being mentioned as a pilot of great promise. On the other hand Lissy, far from scoring a victory, had not yet fired a shot at a German machine. He had crossed the Lines several times with Biggles on offensive patrols, but it had so happened that they had not encountered enemy machines on any one occasion. When he was not flying on patrol he was usually in the air on target practice, or making himself master of his machine. His effeminate appearance, combined with his quiet, serious manner, often made him a subject for mirth, and two or three times Biggles himself had been ragged about his pupil.

After the last occasion on which this occurred, he took Lissy by the arm and led him out on to the veranda. “Look, laddie,” he said quietly; “you’ll soon have to be doing something about it.”

Lissy nodded. “Yes,” he said slowly. “l was thinking that. I’m afraid I’m letting you down.”

“I’m not worrying about that,” Biggles told him quickly, “but these fellows here - and the 187 crowd for that matter - well, they’re just the best lads in the world, but they don’t understand. Only one thing counts with them - the ability to get Huns. Nothing else matters, and when you get right down to the brass tacks, they’re quite right. That’s what we’re here for. You are perfectly all right to go over the Lines by yourself now, but suppose we both go out together this afternoon and have a look round.”

“But you’ve done one show to-day,” protested Lissy. “I wasn’t on it, but I don’t see why you should give up your free afternoon to try to help me.”

“That’s all right. Suppose we leave the ground in half an hour?”

“It’s very kind of you to offer,” replied the other, and walked off towards the sheds.

Five minutes later Biggles glanced up casually as a Camel took off and zoomed over the hedge on the far side of the aerodrome.

He shaded his eyes with his hand to see more clearly and then sprang to his feet. “Algy,” he cried, “is that a K on the nose of that machine, or can’t I see straight?”

“Yes,” answered Algy, “it’s K. Looks like Lissy is going off on his own.”

“It does,” snapped Biggles and hurried to the telephone.

“Who’s that just taken off`?” he asked the flight-sergeant in charge at the hangars.

“Mr. Lissy, sir,” was the reply.

Biggles slammed down the receiver and picked up his flying-kit.

“Where are you going?” asked Algy with interest.

“I shall have to go and see what that young blighter’s up to.”

“Just a minute, I’ll come with you.”

In a few minutes the two Camels were in the air, flying in the direction taken by the lone machine. At first they could not see it, but when Biggles finally made it out, it was far away over German territory, and heading in still farther.

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