BIGGLES
LEARNS TO FLY
by W. E. Johns
7.
THE LAUGHING SPY! (Pages 113 -
127)
(First published in the Modern Boy on
26th May 1934 – Issue 329)
(This
was ‘Biggles’ Special Mission’ (Chapter 11) & ‘The Decoy’ (Chapter 12) in the
original “Boy’s Friend Library” first edition and ‘Special Mission’ (Chapter 8)
in the 1955 revised edition)
Biggles is asked to report to Major
Paynter, his C.O. and he is introduced to Major (not Colonel) Raymond of Wing
Command. (Interesting continuity situation here.
The character of Colonel Raymond – is a regular in the Biggles stories
and he was originally introduced in the second ever Biggles story – called “The
Packet” – originally published in the May 1932 issue of ‘Popular Flying’ and
subsequently published as the second story in the first Biggles book ‘The
Camels are Coming’. In that story he is
not described as being from Wing but “from a higher command”. However, that story was set when Biggles was
at 266 Squadron. This story, set at 169
Squadron pre-dates the 266 Squadron stories.
That means that Biggles is meeting ‘Major’ Raymond for the first time in
this story. So why don’t they know each
other when Biggles meets ‘Colonel’ Raymond at 266 Squadron?). With Major Raymond is “a round-faced,
cheerful-looking civilian in a black coat and bowler hat”. Biggles is asked to fly this man, a Frenchman
and a Secret Service agent (or spy) to the German side of the lines and to drop
him at “a suitable spot”. Biggles will
then be asked to go and collect him when his mission is over. Biggles agrees to go. Biggles is told to tell no one other than his
flight-commander, Mapleton. A few
evenings later, Raymond is present to see Biggles and the spy off. Raymond tells Biggles “He’s going to dynamite
a bridge over the Aisne”. Biggles
suggests waiting for the spy whilst he does it but that is not thought to be a
good idea. Biggles shakes hands with the
spy. “It is an honour to know you,”
Biggles said. And he meant it”. Biggles takes an instant liking to the
Frenchman. Biggles flies the man to a
pre-planned field between two roads and a railway line and he takes off again
leaving the spy to do his work. He
returns to his aerodrome without incident.
“It had all been absurdly easy, and the reaction left him with a curious
feeling of elation – a joyful sensation that the enemy had been
outwitted”. At 5.00 am, the next morning
Biggles has to fly back to go and get the Frenchman. Arriving at the field at the first flush of
dawn, Biggles sees mounted enemy troops – Uhlans. Biggles concludes the Frenchman is not there
so there is no point in landing, but then a figure bursts from the edge of the
field and waves his arms. Biggles
immediately decides that he has to land to rescue the man. “Then a remarkable thing happened”. Another man runs out into the field and this
man is wearing a black coat and bowler hat.
Biggles is close enough to recognise him as the French spy. The first man had been a decoy to entice
Biggles to land. The real spy runs over
to this decoy and shoots him. The spy
“had exposed himself to warn his flying partner, even at the expense of his own
life”. Biggles is now more determined
than ever to save the Frenchman and he lands his aircraft. The Frenchman jumps in the front cockpit head
first and Biggles takes off under heavy fire.
Back at base, Major Raymond is waiting and the spy reports successfully
blowing up the bridge. The Frenchman
says to Biggles it was “Just a little excitement to – how you say? – warm the
blood”. “Warm the blood!” exclaimed
Biggles. “When I want to do that I’ll do it in front of the mess-room fire, thanks! Your sort of warm jolly well gets me
overheated!”