BIGGLES FLIES AGAIN

by W. E. Johns

II. THE MAID AND THE MOUNTAINS (Pages 33 – 49)

Biggles is sitting on the patio of the Hotel Guibert in La Paz. A month has elapsed since landing on the Pacific side of the South American continent. “For a fortnight they had flown Mr. Hollinger to various points of the compass on business before he departed, profuse in thanks, to the Sea Dream, which was lying at anchor off Pisco”. Biggles then decided to visit “Wilks” of 287 Squadron, R.F.C., who is now a pilot-instructor to the Bolivian Air Force and they flew to Alto de la Paz to meet him. Here they learn that a criminal called Estaban Martinez has kidnapped the President’s daughter, Consuelo Guardia who “has the reputation of being the most beautiful girl in Spanish America”. He is demanding a ransom of two hundred and fifty thousand bolivianos. Wilks says that Estaban is one big brigand chief and is believed to be hiding out behind Mount Illimani. The following morning, Wilkinson marks out on a map “an oblong-shaped area roughly twenty miles long by ten miles deep” where it is generally supposed that Estaban’s estancia is. Biggles, knowing they still have plenty of unexposed photographic plates, decides to go and photograph the area. Alto La Paz is situated fourteen thousand feet above sea level, so Smyth is left behind to lighten the load. Their aircraft comes under fire but all they see are grazing llamas. Back at the aerodrome, they develop and print the plates and assemble a single photograph of the whole area. Noticing small tracks, Biggles speculates that Estaban and his friends are where a rock overhangs a canyon. Biggles comes up with a plan and borrows a parachute from Wilks. That night, Algy flies the “Vandal” and Biggles parachutes into the area. To the right lay the lake. (The plateau was wrapped in profound darkness and merged into the mountains, whose razor-like peaks, hard cut against the sky, encircled him - is the illustration opposite page 42). Biggles puts on a poncho and makes his way towards the canyon and sees lights coming from buildings. As there are no sentries, Biggles approaches one building and sees a man and a girl. “The man was talking of ransom and the unpleasant consequences that would follow the refusal of her father to pay”. Biggles walks into the room with his gun and tells the man “One sound, senor, and you die”. He then tells the girl he is taking her home and he says he will kill the man, who is Estaban Martinez, unless he comes with them. Biggles takes them to the lake where they have to wait more than two hours until daybreak. Algy comes in to land at daybreak just as riders appear from the canyon. Consuelo gets on board and Estaban is given the choice of going with them or being shot. He chooses to go. As they take off several bullets strike the machine and “one ripped through the instrument board and the altimeter flew to pieces in a shower of splinters and broken glass”. Arriving back at Wilks aerodrome, Algy asks for coffee for four. Biggles says make it three. “Estaban won’t need any”. “He got his head in the way of one of those slugs as we crossed the range, Go and give the President a ring, Wilks, he must be anxious about his daughter”.