Richard had landed; he waved a greeting to his friends as they ran towards the ’plane. He was a little surprised at the excitement they displayed, gesticulating as they ran. The roar of his own engine downed the noise of the other; he had taken out his cigarette-case and was just about to light up when Rex reached him.
“Great stuff, Richard,” he shouted. “But it’ll be a mighty near thing. Can you take us all?”
“Don’t be silly — one at a time.”
“Holy mike, man, don’t you see the Bolshies are on your tail?” Rex pointed upwards.
Richard looked up, and saw, for the first time, the air-liner slowly descending in great sweeps above his head.
“Good God! I had no idea. Look here — the ’plane’s only built for two — she’ll never carry five!”
“She’s just got to! If one of us stays behind he’ll be bumped off for sure!”
“I do not come with you,” said Valeria Petrovna.
“But you must,” exclaimed Simon, seizing her arm.
The Soviet machine was at less than five hundred feet now.