BIGGLES GOES TO WAR

by Captain W. E. Johns

XX. BACKS TO THE WALL (Pages 240 – 249)

Biggles has spent most of the night sitting on the edge of the table. He is deadly tired but does not feel inclined to spend time sleeping when he could be thinking of some plan of escape. Algy is sat on the bench. Algy wonders what the dickens Ginger is doing and says he always did hate the hour of dawn, ever since he was dragged out to fly before it was light in the old days in France. Vilmsky arrives at the cell with a party of soldiers, “Gentlemen, the time has come”. Biggles and Algy have their hands bound. They are offered blindfolds but Biggles says “Forget it – I always like to see where I am going”. They are marched to a grim-looking courtyard and stood against a wall on the far side. Biggles glances at the sky and the first flush of dawn. “If Ginger is going to do the rescue act, he hasn’t much time left,” he observed calmly. The firing squad bring their rifles to the “ready” position. Biggles hears an aeroplane approaching, flying so low that its wheels skim the battlements of the fort. Something white flutters down and strikes the ground not ten yards from the firing party. (Vilmsky threw a startled glance upwards, almost as if he feared attack - is the illustration on page 247). Vilmsky goes to get the item, removing string and a weight and reads a note. Vilmsky tells Biggles and Algy “You are fortunate, I have an order from General Bethstein countermanding the sentence until he arrives. In the meantime, you will return to your cell”. They are returned to their cell and untied. Biggles guesses Ginger was in the aeroplane. An anxious half-hour follows and then the cell door opens and Ginger bursts in. With him are the Count and Ludwig and several soldiers in uniforms they had not previously seen. “Hello, everybody,” cried Biggles. “You don’t know how pleased I am to see you”.