Biggles Works It Out by W E Johns

Author:W E Johns [Johns, W E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Adventure
Published: 2011-08-15T19:38:55+00:00

X

A TRIP TO REMEMBER

ALGY’S state of mind as he listened to this illuminating conversation can be more easily imagined than described. His brain raced in an effort to keep up with it. He knew, now, all that Biggles wanted to know—and more. Yet how, he wondered feverishly, was this knowledge to be applied. How could he get the information to Biggles in time for it to be of any use? Speed was vital. If von Stalhein went to Nice Airport and made inquiries about the Auster it would not take him long to discover that he, not Bertie, had parked it there. He would then know definitely that Biggles was on the trail, and would naturally tell the Count everything, with the result that the leaders, if not the whole crook outfit, would scatter, or fly to an unknown hide-out.

But the overwhelming factor that governed the situation was Bertie’s deadly peril. By a casual remark, almost in the nature of a fluke, von Stalhein had learned that he was at El Asile. Algy was in no doubt as to what Canton intended to do. He was going to El Asile—for this was the place obviously meant by “the other side”—and when he got there he would shoot Bertie forthwith—or kill him somehow. Bertie, unprepared for anything of the sort, wouldn’t have a chance. Even if he did escape the initial attack, he would have no hope of getting away, for the waterless desert was a more effective barrier than would have been stone walls or iron bars.

Algy would have liked time to think, but time, at that moment, was a commodity in short supply. He saw that whatever he decided to do would have to be done at once, for the men were already on the move. Once Canton was in the air there could be no stopping him. Bertie would be as good as dead. Could that be prevented, and if so, how?

Algy first considered making off in the Douglas. But that, he saw very soon, was useless. It would tell the men that they had been traced, and perhaps all to no purpose, for it would not prevent Canton from flying out to El Asile in another machine. Von Stalhein might be in radio communication with El Asile, in which case he would certainly warn the people there to be on their guard. The thought of radio worried Algy not a little. His second idea was to wait until Groot and Luis had gone off in the car and then hold up von Stalhein and Canton at the muzzle of his automatic. This thought was induced by the fact that the mechanics, having refuelled the Douglas, were returning to their quarters, so they would not have to be dealt with. But he saw that this was no use either. What if the machine went off before the van departed? Algy’s head spun with the speed of these thoughts. In the end he saw that there was only one certain way of preventing Canton from carrying out his intention.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.