WORRALS OF THE ISLANDS

by Captain W. E. Johns

V. A VISIT AND A VISITOR (Pages 57 – 70)

The following day, leaving Harry to look after the camp, Worrals and Frecks go to examine the figures that were drawn for Harry on the island where he was. They “were still there, just as Harry had described them. There was nothing else; just the nine golliwog figures and an arrow pointing. Worrals took a compass bearing of the direction indicated”. They then continue their search of islands as before. Finishing square D they return to Harry at their base. After lunch they start work on searching square E and then return to base for the evening. Later they hear and see an aerial dog-fight take place and a Japanese aircraft makes a forced landing on the island where Worrals and Frecks has established their base. It lands on the seaward side of the causeway. Worrals and her party lie low hoping the Japanese can fix their plane and leave. However one of the crew spots some fish left by Harry when fishing and then comes inland and sees their plane. Worrals and Harry open fire and Frecks joins in. Two out of three of the Japanese are killed in the shoot-out but the third escapes into the mangrove swamp on the other side of the island. The Japanese plane is sunk in the brief battle. The tide comes up, bringing with it the crocodiles, keeping the Japanese airman on his side of the island and later, during the night, the silence is shattered by a terrible scream. “I should say that Jap stepped on something which wasn’t what he thought it was” says Harry. After a moment Worrals answered: “I don’t want to appear callous, but if he had it may save us a lot of trouble”.