We left Dick about to be cast as "fish" in the bad guys’ popular "shooting in a barrel" drama. There was no way he could’ve escaped short of his friends turning up and rescuing him.

Hurrah for Dick’s friends.

Dick is pulled out of the wet hole and praised by the press for stumbling into danger and letting his colleagues do the work.

That ends that bit of the adventure. It was swell.

The next chapter begins with Dick entertaining two gentlemen. One asks if Dick has found Gordon and Dick says no. His acting is so good I can’t tell if he’s playing for time while trying to work out why his brother is siding with the enemy or if he’s decided to play Dick as a cretin who failed to recognise his own flesh and blood just because he’s changed his hair colour.

Dick gets a phone call – a lady is going to be calling on him. He tells the idiot and the small boy and they tart themselves up. Because you never know – she might be into bumbling retards or the under tens.

The lady arrives – she’s worried about her father. He’s an aviation expert and is designing the fastest plane in the world. She’s worried someone might be after his secrets. Dick tells her she’s worrying her pretty little head over nothing.

Meanwhile, Moloch and the fat spy from a miscellaneous European country are discussing plans stolen from the aforementioned lady’s father’s laboratory.

The European is getting bolshy so the Lame One stumbles in to put him in his place. Has one man ever shaped the fashions of a decade so completely as the Lame One?

The sinister Gordon arrives – he’s planning to steal the super plane. His delivery is flatter than Retick’s but at least the sinister Gordon can blame foreign glands for his performance.

This is what it’s all about – the super plane.

The girl’s father turns out to be a generic man. He’s going to hand the plans over to the government after the final test flight. And – shock of horrors – the test pilot is his daughter. Everyone is astonished.

She takes off with Dick on board. Everyone is jealous.

Dangnabbit – there’s a baddie on board too.

A fight breaks out.

The plane lands safely.

The villain is carted away. There is nothing to see here. Excitement averted.

Back at Dick’s place, the government have arrived to take possession of the generic old man’s secret plans.

Has Dick run mad?

No he hasn’t! They are the Spider’s men. They bash Dick and steal the generic old man.

The sidekick tries to stop them but ends up with nothing but dirty trousers and a dislodged hat.

I know I make mock from time to time but ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The sidekick’s trousers – Dick declares – aren’t merely dirty. They have mud on them. Mud from the car. Mud from the car which proves where the car has been and I’m SICK OF DICK WORKING EVERYTHING OUT FROM SPECS OF DIRT AND SPLASHES OF OIL. He’s not a scientist – he’s a second rate puncher of bad guys with enough luck and timing to avoid being killed every week.

Dick has phoned the weather bureau to find out where it has been raining. Because mud comes from soil plus water. Luckily, it has only rained on one hotel in the entire district. Or something. I’m still not happy and my objectivity is suffering.

Naturally, Dick flies to the hotel. What better plan than to take the top secret plane with them as they hunt the people trying to steal it. There is literally no way that can’t be a good idea.

The generic old man is held prisoner by the Spider Ring.

He’s refusing to translate his secret plans. Gordon threatens to write to the old man’s daughter. This is enough to break his will and make him cooperate.

Dick has crept round the outside of the building and leaps through an open window. A fight breaks out.

Dick wins!

They escape in the super plane. Gordon sends the Lame Plane in pursuit.

Despite being the fastest plane in the world, the fastest plane in the world doesn’t manage to escape. Instead they are hit by gun fire and fall with smoky inevitability towards the unforgiving ground.

Yes – this is how out of control the plane is.

So they manage to take off again then.