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."He's right off his course for shops.Give him a biscuit."Biggles took the suggestion seriously.He invited the monk to come nearer and gave him some biscuits.The man seemed delighted to have them.Another conversation followed."Believe it or not, he's making for the guest-house at Nan-hu," Biggles told Bertie."Tell him to remember us to the boys."The casual expression on Biggles' face changed."That's the brightest thing you've said for some time," he asserted."If he's going there he could take a message.Algy might as well know what's happened.If by any chance we can't get the pump to function, he will at least know where we are and how we're fixed.If we can't get back to him on time he'll understand why.It's no use him standing on the airstrip, if it turns out that we can't get back to Nan-hu."Bertie looked shocked."Can't get back? I say, go steady old boy.You're putting the wind up me.""Well, let's look at it like this," went on Biggles."If it should so happen that we can't get home, we shall have to try to get back to Nan-hu—somehow.It's no use sitting here for the rest of our lives.Algy will get in a flap if we don't turn up on time.This seems to be a heaven-sent opportunity to let him know what's happened.We can do no harm by sending a message.This chap is going to Nan-hu anyway.""True enough," agreed Bertie."I'll send Algy a note," asserted Biggles.He had another word with the monk.Then he tore a leaf from his notebook, wrote the message on it and handed it over.He also put the rest of his loose money into the man's bowl.They talked a little while longer while the monk finished his biscuits.He then went over to the shrine, spent a minute or two on his knees, had a drink and went on his way.Biggles and Bertie could hear the bell, a strange sound in the empty wilderness, for a long time."I told him if he met anyone on the way not to mention that we are here," said Biggles."Let's get on with the job."They resumed work.The sun was well down by the time Biggles was satisfied that they had at least done all that was possible.He made a test by running up the engines, and was well pleased to find that, as far as could be ascertained, everything was in order."Are we pushing off right away?" asked Bertie."I was just thinking about that," answered Biggles."If we take off now it means that we shall arrive back in Dacca in the dark.I'd rather get there in daylight, so that we can see what we're doing.""Fair enough," agreed Bertie."I don't see any need to hurry.I'm quite comfortable here." After a moment he went on, in a different tone of voice, as if an idea had struck him."Wait a minute, old boy.Why need we go back at all?"For a moment Biggles looked startled."If we're not going back until tomorrow we might as well hang on for another day or two; in fact, till it's time to go back for the boys— if you get my meaning," explained Bertie."What's the sense in waffling all the way back to Dacca just to turn the machine round and come back again? We've nothing to do there."Providing none of the local lads come along and start throwing their weight about we're more comfy her than roaring to and fro over those ghastly mountains After all, we can always push off if we have to—if you follow me."Biggles lit a cigarette."There's something in that he agreed."Let me think about it.""It's a corking idea," declared Bertie."Maybe," assented Biggles cautiously."What's against it, old boy? You tell me.You're better than I am at thinking things out.""It means an alteration of plan, that's all," answer Biggles."When an arrangement is made it's usually best for everyone to stick to it.To switch off at a tangent can be dangerous.""We could rattle over and see how the boys are getting on with the airstrip?" suggested Bertie, in support his idea."There's no need to do anything in a hurry.So let’s sit down and think about it," concluded Biggles, finding a seat in a shade cast by the wings.CHAPTER XI COUNTING THE HOURSAT the oasis, the bombshell effect of Biggles' message soon wore off, and while Ming resumed his post as sentry, and the others rested, Algy and Ginger discussed the implications of the message from all angles.Algy had told Ginger what had happened at Nan-hu during his absence, and Ginger in turn had narrated the story of the rescue of the prisoners.He also revealed what had happened to the Kirghiz.All this took time.Apart from the doubts about the completion of the original plan there were several other loose ends, as Algy' called them.There was, for example, this question of the Kirghiz who had fled when they learned that troops were at the oasis.Where had they gone? Would they come back? If they did not, what was to be done with their wounded comrade? Then there were the horses.Ginger put forward a suggestion that one of these might be used by someone willing to try to contact Biggles, if he was still at the place where he had forced-landed.The exact position could be ascertained from the monk, who was resting before going on to the Lake of the Crescent Moon, which he had said was the next stage of his journey.But Algy would not have this.For one thing he thought it was too dangerous, and secondly, there was hardly time for such a trip.They were now in the fifth day.The next dawn but one would see Biggles at Nan-hu if he was coming.When he failed to keep the appointment would be time enough to start looking for him.There was talk of using the radio, but this also was vetoed as being too dangerous.In any case it was by no means certain that they would be able to contact the aircraft while it was on the ground, even if it was still in the region.It was not worth the risk of being overheard by the ever-listening ears on the Red Highway decided Algy.A lengthy discussion resulted in nothing definite being settled.They had better get the airstrip finished advised Algy.That was the important thing.With more hands on the job this should not take long.There was only the final tidying up to be done, and the markers put out.He would get the ladies to make an inventory of the remaining stores in case they had to put themselves on rations.Not counting the wounded Kirghiz, there were now ten mouths to fill.They did not go into this in detail, but they were aware that even with rationing their food supply would not last long—another week at the outside.After that they would be faced with starvation, for what with raiding Kirghiz and Chinese troops the oasis had been pretty well skinned of fruit and vegetables, and it could produce nothing more until the next harvest.There could be no question of sending Ming or Feng to Tunhwang to buy food for the simple reason that no money in local currency was available.The conference ended on a note of doubt and indecision.Algy then got the work resumed on the airstrip and put in a request for the remaining food to be checked.Towards evening, Ritzen, who had stopped work several times to look at the sun, across which a thin veil appeared to have been drawn, said he did not like the look of the weather.He was afraid there was wind coming.The Gobi, he added, was notorious for its winds—a remark that did nothing to brighten the outlook."Of course, if the weather is going to turn sour on us that will throw the spanner in the works properly," Algy told Ginger gloomily.A little later, a fitful breeze, only slight as yet, moaned across the waste to support Ritzen's observation.Gentle though it was, it was sufficient to indicate what a real storm would be like.Little eddies of dust coiled along the ground and the dead tamarisk shrubs seemed to be whispering to each other of the ordeal to be faced.At sundown they were returning to the oasis, and had nearly reached the path, when Ming appeared, moving at a speed that could only mean one thing.Algy glanced at Ginger, then at Ritzen, who was walking with them."Now what?" he said irritably
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