Captain W.E. Johns - Biggles Fails to Return

Contents

1 Where is Biggles?

2 The Reasonable Plan

3 The Road to Monte Carlo

4 The Writing on the Wal

5 Bertie Meets a Friend

6 Strange Encounters

7 Good Samaritans

8 Jocks Bar

9 The Girl in the Blue Shawl

10 Shattering News

11 The Cats of Castil on

12 Bertie Picks a Lemon

13 Pilgrimage to Peil e

14 Au Bon Cuisine

15 Conference at Castil on

16 Biggles Takes Over

17 Plan for Escape

18 How the Rendezvous Was Kept

19 Farewel to France

Flight Lieutenant Algy Lacey, D.F.C., looked up as Flying Officer Ginger Hebblethwaite entered the squadron office and saluted.

Hel o, Gingersit down, invited Algy in a dul voice.

Ginger groped for a chairgroped because his eyes were on Algys face. It was pale, and wore such an expression as he had never before seen on it.

Whats happened? he asked wonderingly.

Before Algy could answer there was an interruption from the door. It was opened, and the effeminate face of Flight Lieutenant Lord Bertie

Lissie grinned a greeting into the room.

What cheer, how goes it, and al that? he murmured.

Algy did not smile. Stop fooling. Either come in or push off, he said curtly.

Bertie threw a glance at Ginger and came in.

I wasnt going to mention this to you, Bertie, but as youre here you might as wel listen to what I have to say, resumed Algy.

Go ahead, said Ginger impatiently. Whats on your mind?

Im very much afraid that something serious has happened to Biggles.

There was silence while the clock on the mantelpiece ticked out ten seconds and threw them into the past.

Is thisofficial? asked Ginger.

No.

Then what put the idea into your head?

This, answered Algy, picking up a flimsy, buff-coloured slip of paper that lay on his desk. Im promoted to Squadron Leader with effect from to-day, and... I am now in command of this squadron.

Which can only mean that Biggles isnt coming back? breathed Ginger.

Thats how I figure it.

And you had no suspicion, before this order came in, that

Yes and no, broke in Algy. That is to say, I was not consciously alarmed, but as soon as I read that chit I knew that I had been uneasy in my mind for some days. Now, looking back, I can remember several things which make me wonder why I wasnt suspicious before.

But here, I say, you know, I thought Biggles was on leave? put in Bertie, polishing his eyeglass briskly.

So did we al , returned Algy quietly. That, of course, is what we were intended to think.

Bertie thrust his hands into his pockets. Biggles isnt the sort of chap to push off to another unit without letting us know what was in the wind, he declared.

Let us, suggested Algy, consider the factsas Biggles would say. Here they are, as I remember them, starting from the beginning. Last Thursday week Biggles had a phone cal from the Air Ministry.

There was nothing strange about that. I was in the office at the time and I thought nothing of it. When Biggles hung up he said to meI remember his words distinctlyTake care of things til I get back.

I said Okay. Of course, that has happened so many times before that I supposed it was just routine.

Biggles didnt get back that night til after dinner. He seemed sort of preoccupied, and I said to him, Is everything al right? He said, Of coursewhy not?

Algy paused to light a cigarette with fingers that were trembling slightly.

The next morningthat is, on the Fridayhe surprised me by saying that he was taking the week-end off. I was surprised because, as you know, he rarely goes away. He has nowhere particular to go, and he has more than once told me that he would as soon be on the station as anywhere.

And you think this business starts from that time?

remarked Ginger.

Im sure of it. Biggles can be a pretty good actor when he likes, and there was nothing in his manner to suggest that anything serious was afoot. He tidied up his desk, and said he hoped to be back on Mondaythat is, last Monday as ever was. We need have no doubt that when he said that he meant it. He hoped to be back. In other words, he would have been back last Monday if the thingwhatever it was

had gone off al right. When he went away he looked at me with that funny little smile of his and said, Take care of things, old boy. Being rather slow in the uptake, I saw nothing significant about that at the time, but now I can see that it implied he was not sure that he was coming back.

Ginger nodded. That fits in with how he behaved with me. Normal y, hes a most undemonstrative bloke, but he shook hands with me and gave me a spot of fatherly advice. I wondered a bit at the time, but, like you, I didnt attach any particular importance to it.

It wasnt until after hed gone, continued Algy,

that I discovered that hed left the station without leaving an address or telephone number. Knowing what a stickler he is for regulations, it isnt like him to break them himself by going off without leaving word where he could be found in case of emergency. That was the last weve seen of him. I didnt think anything of it until Wednesday, when I had to ring up Forty Squadron. It was their guest night, and Biggles was to be guest of honour. He had accepted the invitation. Biggles doesnt accept invitations and then not turn up. When he accepted that one you can bet your life he intended to be there; and the fact that he didnt turn up, or even ring up, means that he couldnt make it. It must have been something serious to stop him. I began to wonder what he could be up to. Yesterday I was definitely worried, but when be up to. Yesterday I was definitely worried, but when this Group order came in this morning, posting me to the command of the squadron, it hit me like a ton of bricks. To sum up, I suspect the Ministry asked Biggles to do a job, a job from which there was a good chance he wouldnt come back. He went.

Whatever the job was, it came unstuck. He didnt get back. It takes a bit of swal owing, but there it is. Its no use blinking at facts, but the shock has rather knocked me off my pins. I thought youd better know, but dont say anything to the othersyet.

Ginger spoke. If the Air Ministry has given you the squadron they must know he isnt coming back.

Algy nodded. Im afraid youre right.

Bertie stepped into the conversation. But that doesnt make senseif you see what I mean? If the Ministry knows that something has happened to Biggles his name would be in the current casualty list

kil ed, missing, prisoner, or something.

That depends on what sort of job it was, argued Algy. The Ministry might know the truth, but it might suit them to say nothing.

But that isnt good enough, protested Ginger hotly. We cant let Biggles fade out... just like that.

He snapped his fingers.

What can we do about it?

Theres one man whol know the facts.

You meanAir Commodore Raymond, of Intel igence?

Yes.

He wont tel us anything.

Wont he, by thunder! snorted Ginger. After al the sticky shows weve done for him, and the risks weve taken for his department, he cant treat us like this.

Are you going to tel him that? asked Algy sarcastical y.

I certainly am.

But its against orders to go direct to the Air Ministryyou know that.

Orders or no orders, Im going to the Air House,

declared Ginger. Theyre glad enough to see us when theyre stuck with something they cant untangle; they cant shut the door when they dont want to see us. Oh, no, they cant get away with that.

Im going to see the Air Commodore if I have to tear the place down brick by brick until I get to him. Is he a man or is he a skunk? I say, if hes a man hel see us, and come clean.