BIGGLES GOES TO WAR

by Captain W. E. Johns

VII. ON THIN ICE (Pages 77 – 85)

Biggles tells everyone not to speak. A hammering on the door is followed by a voice saying “Major Bigglesworth! General Bethstein to see you!” Biggles stalls by saying he is not quite ready to receive visitors and asks the General to go down and wait in the dining-room where he will join him in a few minutes. On being told that what the General has to say cannot be said in a public room, Biggles asks him to wait in the room next door and he will send Lieutenant Lacey to entertain him. Algy takes the General next door and Biggles is then able to get the Princess and her servant out. Biggles goes to meet the General who insists on going to Biggles’ room and asks if he can smell perfume when he gets there. Biggles says it is his bath salts – a special brand from Paris. The General says he wants to speak in confidence and he won’t mince matters. He asks his staff-officer, Menkhoff, to lock the door. The General says their presence in Maltovia causes him anxiety as it is highly dangerous. “I want no trouble with the British. If your government learn that you are here it might be bad for Maltovia”. “From what I can see of things, it would be worse for Maltovia if we were not here,” returned Biggles imperturbably. “Suppose you were killed; what should we tell the British Foreign Office?”. “Why tell them anything?”. “They would demand an explanation”. Biggles explains “They already have it. Before leaving England, I deposited a document at my bank. In the event of anything happening to us the manager will forward it to the Foreign Secretary. It is a full explanation and completely exonerates Maltovia”. (Other than saying it might be bad for Grusse, the exchange about them being killed and the letter are not in the ‘Modern Boy’ original version). The General says Biggles comes under his orders but Biggles insists that under his contract with Count Stanhauser, he, Biggles, is the sole commander of the Maltovian Air Force and that is countersigned by Princess Mariana. Biggles tells the General of his plans for tomorrow, to get their landmarks fixed and take photographs of the advanced Lovitznian positions. The General leaves and Biggles confirms to Algy he has no intention of carrying out the plans he has told the General. He will wait for any Lovitznian aircraft to attack his conspicuous hangar and then shoot them down. They all go for dinner.