WORRALS IN THE WILDS

 

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

XIII.       A HOPELESS DAWN  (Pages 135 – 143)

 

“The retreat from the Ovambo kraal was made without discovery or alarm”. However, it is a ten mile trek to Hansvelt where the Kingfisher aircraft awaits to take them to safety.  Encumbered by an unconscious man and a prisoner, Ooma, they can’t travel fast and they know that soon their escape will be discovered.  Worrals has been told the Junkers is also at Hansvelt and she realises that the first person back there will win as they can sabotage the others aircraft.  Worrals thinks the journey will take three hours with Bill but alone she could do it in half the time.  Taking Frecks automatic pistol, she goes on ahead leaving the others to follow.  At Dick’s suggestion she also takes one of “Ingoona’s boys”, a man called N’swena, as he knows the country.  They both set off at a steady trot.  Their journey is comparatively uneventful but when they are within sight of Hansvelt, Worrals can see and smell a fire.  Then the Junkers engine starts up.  Worrals watches at N’swena runs towards it and he is shot down and killed by Gronk.  The Junkers takes off leaving Worrals with the burnt out remains of their Kingfisher aircraft.  She sits down on a bank.  “On the face of it there was nothing she could do”.  Worrals watches the glorious African dawn breaking.