THE BLACK PERIL

by W. E. Johns

IX. GINGER STRIKES (Pages 123 – 136)

When Biggles comes round it is dark. He finds himself in a deep gully but under a trestle bridge, “which may have accounted for his not having been seen by the men operating the trucks”. Climbing to the top, Biggles sets to finding his way out and getting back to the Vandal where he feels sure Ginger will be. Biggles has to go through the camp and “with the precision of long experience in reconnaissance, Biggles made a mental note of everything he could see, hangars, workshops, test benches and the like”. Biggles decides it is better to just walk confidently through the camp. If he is challenged he will just have to make a bolt for the forest. In due course, three men appear around the corner and one is Blackbeard. Biggles has to hide in a doorway and finds the door open. He eventually hides in a cupboard in an office. The three men come into the office and one of them is Darton, who wants to talk in English. Biggles is able to hear him cursing “Biggleston – or whatever his name is ….. if I could get my hands on that smug faced ……..” The door to Biggles cupboard swings open and Biggles finds himself facing the three men. “I wonder if you could obliged me with a cigarette? Biggles asked Blackbeard quietly. “I lost my case you know”. The situation looks desperate until a voice from the window tells the three men to stick their hands up otherwise “I’ll drop the first man who moves!” It’s Ginger. Darton swings up his revolver and Ginger shots him square in the chest. Biggles snatches up the fallen man’s revolver and dives through the window into the street. Both Biggles and Ginger run for the trees. Ginger is horrified that he may have killed someone. “I felt awful – I didn’t know it was loaded”. “Well, he asked for what he got so I shouldn’t worry about it,” replied Biggles shortly. “He would have shot you, anyway”. Ginger has with him a case of documents that he has found in one of the huts after seeing men talking there. He had been looking in the windows of huts with lights on when by chance he came across Biggles. “I’ll buy you an aeroplane one of these days for pulling me out of that scrape” says Biggles. They make their way back to the forest glade where the Vandal landed but to their surprise they find it has gone. “This is something I didn’t bargain for,” said Biggles quietly.