by W E Johns
“Dry land would suit me better as a flood would make things more difficult for my people.”
“Very well, sir, I’ll leave it to you,” decided Biggles. “I take it that if I turn up here in an aircraft I shall find some sort of landing field available?”
“I’ll see to it,” promised the major. “There’s just one other matter—a detail.” Addressing Li Chi he went on. “I have here several Chinese and Lascars, the crew of a ship sunk by the enemy in the Gulf of Siam, on the other side of the Isthmus. Reaching the shore they fled inland and eventually reached Shansie in a famished condition. They are not very happy here. I think they would prefer to do something more active, apart from which they are rather a drain on our resources. If you are going to take the launch it would seem to provide an opportunity for them to get out.”
“I could find work for them,” promised Li Chi. “How many are there?”
“Sixteen—mostly greasers and stokers—engine-room crew, so I understand.”
“All right. With the approval of Squadron Leader Bigglesworth, if these men will put themselves under my orders, they may come.”
“Good. I shall be glad to get rid of them. They’re an ugly-looking crowd.”
“And now I have a request to make,” went on Li Chi. “My fellows on Elephant Island are short of rifles. What about those we have captured today from the Japanese? Do you want them or may I have them?”
“Take them by all means,” offered the major. “I certainly don’t want them here. I don’t want anything left about that might tell Japanese visitors what became of the men who arrived today.”
At this juncture Ayert returned, with Malong the overseer. They looked well satisfied with themselves. The survivors of the enemy force, they asserted, had been disposed of—although they did not put it like that. Their description of the final scene was lurid—a trifle too lurid, Ginger thought. Ayert was informed of the arrangements, and approved them.
“When do you intend to start?” the major asked Biggles.
“The sooner the better.”
“You’ll stay for lunch, of course? It will take some little time to load up the rubber.”
“Thanks,” accepted Biggles.
“Then let us get the work in hand,” said Major Marling briskly.
Two hours later the Lotus cast off with the kabang in tow and headed downstream carrying fifty tons of fine crepe rubber, and the sixteen survivors of the ship that had been sunk in the Gulf of Siam. They were, Biggles remarked to Ginger, as tough-looking a pack of pirates as he had ever seen in one place. “No wonder the major wanted to get rid of them,” he concluded, smiling.
Li Chi, who overheard this remark, surprised Ginger by observing, casually, that in his opinion they were pirates. He smiled at Ginger’s expression and added: “Oh yes, there are still plenty of pirates in the China Seas.”
“Better keep them away from those Japanese rifles,” said Biggles seriously.
“Don’t worry about that,” returned Li Chi easily. “These fellows will do as I tell them. If there is any trouble I’ll let Ayert loose among them with his parang.” He walked over to the wheel which was being handled in a businesslike way by his ferocious-looking bosun.
Biggles smiled faintly as he lit a cigarette. “We seem to have landed among some nice people,” he remarked to Ginger.
“The fellow I’m sorry for is Prince Lalla,” replied Ginger. “I had a long talk with him after lunch. Nice lad. He’s burning to get into the war. It’s a pretty lonely sort of life for a chap of his age, stuck up here at the back of beyond.”
Biggles nodded, watching the monotonous river banks slide by. “So I imagine,” he murmured.
Suddenly Ginger laughed quietly.
“What’s funny?” inquired Biggles.
“Us,” answered Ginger. “The things we do. To most people at home this part of the globe is now a place as inaccessible as the moon, crawling with Japanese scum; yet here we are, right in the middle of it, cruising along as if the country and the launch belonged to us.”
“As a matter of fact they do,” returned Biggles dryly. “The Japs only borrowed them for a little while—a loan for which they’ll have to pay a heavy rate of interest.”
After that they fell silent. The afternoon passed. The river rolled on, unchanging. The jungle steamed. The sun sank. Twilight dimmed the scene. The refugee crew disposed themselves in the bows, looking like heaps of dirty linen. Fireflies danced along the fringe of trees. The Lotus thrust its blunt nose into the stream, parting the turgid water. Biggles stood by the rail, smoking, deep in thought. Ginger lay down on the hard deck and fell asleep.
CHAPTER IX
AYERT GOES ASHORE
GINGER awoke—or, rather, was awakened—by a low murmur of voices. He got to his feet to find Biggles, Li Chi and Ayert, in earnest conversation. The murmur of their voices was the only sound. The engine had stopped. The Lotus drifted with barely perceptible movement on a sluggish tide, through grey wraiths of river mist.
“What’s happened ?” asked Ginger, suspecting a new development.
“We don’t quite know,” replied Biggles. “A little while ago a radio somewhere on board started buzzing out Morse. Li Chi found the instrument in a cabinet in the cabin. We should have guessed that there would be one on board. Li Chi picked up a signal from Victoria Point recalling the Lotus to base.”
“What have you done about it?”
“Li Chi acknowledged the signal—it was all he could do.”
“Then there’s no harm done?”
“We’re not sure about that. Listening, Li Chi has picked up other signals. As they stand they are vague, but it seems that some sort of operation is in progress near Japanese headquarters at Victoria Point. We shall have to pass near the place on the way out.”
“Then we may see something.”
“The enemy may see us, too, and that’s something we want to avoid. We were just discussing the advisability of sending Ayert ashore to find out just what is going on. We are not far from the estuary. Ayert says he can get the information from the Chinese labourers’ quarters. Moreover, he might learn the location of enemy posts on the river banks. It would be useful to know that because it would enable us to set a course to keep clear of them.”
Ginger looked at his watch and saw that it was just three o’clock. “What does Li Chi think?”
“He’s in favour of Ayert going ashore.”
“We’ve nothing to lose by the delay, provided Ayert doesn’t take too long over his reconnaissance,” observed Ginger.
“We must be across the strait before dawn.” Biggles spoke briefly to Li Chi, with the result that the engine was started, and as the Lotus moved her nose was turned towards the northern bank. Ayert dropped overboard, waded ashore and disappeared in the mist.
The others waited, listening; but no sound came. To Ginger it was a tedious vigil. He was tired ; the river mist was dank and chill and the mosquitoes were vicious. Ayert was away about an hour. He returned silently, as he had departed. Ignoring the others he spoke swiftly and at some length to Li Chi. It was evident from his manner that the information he had to convey was urgent and important, and Ginger fidgeted with impatience as he waited to learn what it was. Li Chi, his hands thrust in voluminous sleeves, translated.
“I am to blame,” he began, with acid hostility. “I should have taken the head from the shoulders of that misbegotten cur.”
“Who are you talking about?” asked Biggles, somewhat taken aback by his unusual tone of voice.
“Pamboo. He is swaggering about with the enemy, having told them all he knows. Ayert got the news from some coolies who were on night work.”
“How much has Pamboo told them—that’s the point?” inquired Biggles.
“As you thought, he was responsible for the raid on Shansie. He has told them that I am hiding on Elephant Island, where British officers have now arrived in an aeroplane.”
“I suppose there’s no doubt about th
is?”
“None whatever. Victoria Point is buzzing with the news. The natives, of course, are hoping that the British are about to deliver an attack to drive out the Japs. This is not all. It is known that the sawmill is working and that I am building a new junk to take away a large store of rubber which I have collected.”
“In short,” murmured Biggles, “the skunk has spilled the entire can of beans?”
“I should have removed the intestines from the despicable creature,” grated Li Chi.
“You may still have an opportunity,” remarked Biggles dispassionately.
“I doubt it,” was the reply. “Our entire scheme is torn wide open.”
“Fiddlesticks,” snapped Biggles. “I’m afraid the trouble with you Chinese is, your fatalistic philosophy induces you to give up too easily.”
“But wait until you’ve heard the rest,” returned Li Chi curtly. “The upshot of all this is, a Japanese landing is about to be made on Elephant Island. The force is being assembled at Victoria Point. A ship has been brought from Penang to take the troops over. It is already here.”
“A ship, eh? What sort of ship?”
“The Sumatran, a coastal supply vessel of a thousand tons. She carries guns fore and aft and has anti-aircraft deck armament. My friend, I’m afraid your long journey has been in vain.”
“When I’m ready to throw in the sponge I’ll let you know,” asserted Biggles evenly. “When is this assault timed to take place—today?”
“No, tomorrow night.”
“Not until tomorrow ! Why, that gives us plenty of time to do something about it. Where is this ship?”
“Lying in the channel about a mile off shore. I expect she’ll come in late tonight at high water to pick up the troops.”
“What time is high water?”
“Ten o’clock.”
Biggles thought for a little while. “That gives us nearly twenty hours. I think this ship, the Sumatran, would be very useful to us,” he observed.
Li Chi was for once startled from his Oriental calm. “You have a touch of fever, I think.”
“On the contrary, I’ve never felt better in my life,” declared Biggles lightly. “Tell me; you know these waters. What sort of crew would the Sumatran carry?”
“A Japanese crew, now, with Japanese officers, I expect.”
“How many?”
“Twenty, perhaps.” Li Chi regarded Biggles with suspicion not unmixed with apprehension. “If you tell me that you are going to try to sink the Sumatran I shall know that you are ill in the intestines.”
“Sink her! Good Lord, no! Not on your life. Incidentally, I have every reason to suppose that my intestines are in very good order. But it seems to me that we might employ the Sumatran to good purpose. There’s nothing like improving your position as occasion offers. We started with a kabang. We moved up a step when we took the launch. Obviously the next step is up the side of the Sumatran.”
“And so on to the Queen Mary?” Li Chi was getting sarcastic.
“If it suited my purpose—yes.”
“And what is your purpose?”
Biggles frowned. “Come, come, Li Chi. You haven’t forgotten that I was sent here to get rubber? I’ve no intention of going back without any.”
“At the rate you’re going it seems likely that you won’t go back at all.”
“There is always that risk, I admit,” admitted Biggles. “That’s what I’m paid for.”
Li Chi shrugged. “Proceed,” he invited helplessly. “I have taken risks in my time, but I perceive that our brains work in different grooves. What is your purpose with the Sumatran?”
“There are several purposes staring us in the face. First, if we take the ship we shall deny the enemy the use of it. Secondly, such a vessel might save my fellows an awful lot of work—as you may see in due course. And thirdly—and this is perhaps the most important—we shall hold up the proposed Japanese invasion of Elephant Island.”
“You still intend going on with the scheme, then?”
“I see no reason yet for abandoning it. It’s a pity that the Japs had to find out about us, but that was bound to happen sooner or later. The fact that it has happened sooner than we expected has merely put the clock forward. The automatic answer to that is, we must work faster. I’m thinking on those lines now. Things might be a lot worse. We do at least know what the enemy is doing. He might have taken us by surprise. As it is, by knowing his moves we should be able to forestall them.”
“But this is making it all very difficult.”
“From what I’ve seen of it, in war nothing is easy,” said Biggles.
“Are you going to attack the Sumatran now?”
“No. I’m not quite ready. We’ve plenty of time and there are things to be done at Elephant Island. Let’s get going or we shall have daylight on us. Getting back to the island is the first job. If we are challenged I shall leave it to you to do the talking.”
Li Chi touched Ayert on the arm and together they walked to the wheel. The engine came to life, and in another minute the launch was gliding through the mist towards the estuary. Ginger stood by the rail, staring towards the unseen shore. Biggles remained with him. For some time neither spoke.
“What do you really intend doing with the Sumatran?” asked Ginger softly, at last. “Grabbing her seems a pretty desperate scheme to me.”
“I don’t agree,” returned Biggles. “I reckon the ship is a gift from the gods and I’m going to accept it. The thing should be simple. Consider it. The Japs won’t be expecting trouble. Here, in home waters, they’ll hardly bother to keep watch, if I know anything about them. There should be plenty of tough fighters amongst Li Chi’s old crew on the island. Then, look at this bunch of cutthroat pirates we’ve got on board. Wait till I tell them that if they can get the Sumatran to India there will be a nice packet of prize money to share out—then watch their faces.”
“Did you say India?”
“You heard me. This ship’s a thousand-tonner. We’ll stuff her so full of rubber that she’ll bounce over the waves. If she can shift a thousand tons, that will be so much less for us to cart across the drink in the Liberators.”
“Phew! I didn’t think of that,” muttered Ginger. “But she’ll be spotted by enemy machines. They’re bound to look for her.”
“Exactly. That’s the snag—and, incidentally, why I didn’t attack right away,” said Biggles. “We might hide the Lotus at Elephant Island, but we couldn’t do that with the Sumatran, so for the moment she is better where she is. If we grab her soon after dark tonight we shall have the whole night in front of us to get her loaded and away on a course for India.”
“But when it gets light she’ll still be within range of enemy aircraft, and they’ll be looking for her,” Ginger pointed out.
“Fine. You’re keeping pace with the argument. But by that time I hope to have a brace of Lightnings on the spot to take care of any interference.”
“How are you going to get them here?”
“Algy and Bertie should be back by now. Someone will have to take the Gosling to India to fetch the Lightnings out.”
“That will be all right if the runway is far enough advanced for them to land on it.”
“It should be, from what Li Chi said about it. That’s another reason why I decided to leave the Sumatran where she is for the time being. I want to see how far they’ve got with the runway.”
“Lightnings won’t be able to escort the Sumatran all the way to India.”
“It shouldn’t be necessary. Whoever goes across in the Gosling can pass word to the Navy. They’ll send machines of the Fleet Air Arm out to watch her, and, I hope, a couple of destroyers to take her in.”
“Can we get mixed up with the Navy?”
“I don’t care who we get mixed up with as long as we get the rubber across,” declared Biggles. “I think the Navy will see it in that light, too. Hello—here we go.”
A voice had hailed from somewhere in the darkness
on the starboard side. Li Chi answered and a short conversation ensued. What was said neither Biggles nor Ginger knew, the talk being carried on presumably in Japanese. When it ended Li Chi joined them.
“What was all that about?” asked Biggles.
“Someone advised us to heave to until morning on account of the mist,” answered Li Chi.
“They identified us by the engine, I suppose?”
“They couldn’t do otherwise; the Lotus is the only craft up the river.”
Nothing more was said. Ginger stared into the gloom, wondering how Ayert found his way, for all that could be seen was an occasional vague glimpse of palm fronds against the sky. Odd sounds came from the river bank. Sometimes voices could be heard, but the Lotus was not challenged. She chugged on.
A slight to and fro rocking motion and a thinning of the mist told Ginger that they were leaving the estuary for the open sea; and he was just about to make a remark to this effect to Biggles when a huge grey shape loomed ahead. There was a sudden shout.
Ayert flung the wheel hard over, and the Lotus veered past a big ship lying at anchor with a narrow margin to spare. A stream of vituperation followed the launch as it held on its course.
“That must have been the Sumatran,” said Li Chi.
Biggles smiled. “We nearly boarded her before we were ready.”
“Ayert did not know her exact position,” explained Li Chi.
“He knows it now,” murmured Biggles.
The Lotus chugged on, rocking now as she rode a slight swell in the strait. The mist cleared. Stars appeared overhead with the Southern Cross gleaming. The dark bulk of the forest-clad hills of Elephant Island rose from the western horizon.
“Where are we making for?” Biggles asked Li Chi.
“There’s a sheltered cove on the far side that should suit us well,” was the answer. “The water runs deep so we can take her in close to the shore. It is where I am building the junk.”