BIGGLES FLIES NORTH

by Captain W. E. Johns

IV. AT THE THREE STAR SALOON (Pages 50 – 65)

After a two mile walk across rough uncultivated country they find the Three Star Saloon lighted by several paraffin lamps. McBain and his gang are there at one of the tables. Biggles hands a list of supplies in and orders a Bovril to drink whilst they wait. Ginger orders a malted milk. Ginger wanders around to kill time and overhears a trapper say a name. Ginger believes the name is Wilkinson – although it is “pronounced Wilkson by the man who uttered it”. The trapper, whose name is Mose, was saying that he had a message for Wilkinson from Angus, the man who sold him the land at Fort Beaver, and he needed to go to the aerodrome. Mose says that Angus forgot to give Wilkinson the transfer to his property. Ginger introduces himself as a friend of Captain Wilkinson’s and that he will pass on the message. Ginger asks where Angus is and he is told that Angus is as Muskeg Bend on the south corner of Eskimo Island. Mose and Angus are working a claim there and Mose has returned for supplies to keep them going through the winter. Ginger’s conversation is overheard by an Indian with McBain’s party. Ginger brings Biggles over and Biggles establishes that Angus is about fifteen hundred miles away, due north of Moose Creek. Biggles offers to fly Mose up as they are going to Moose Creek and they could fly him on to the claim. He agrees to meet Mose at the aerodrome at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Biggles returns to the bar to drink his Bovril and McBain shoots the cup with his revolver which he then puts on the bar. Everyone backs away. Biggles asks for another Bovril. Biggles shots McBain’s revolver along the bar and also shoots his bottle of whisky. McBain advances on Biggles but the barman pulls a heavy Colt revolver to prevent trouble. (Very slowly he began creeping along besides the bar - is the illustration on page 61). “That’s enough, Brindle,” he said harshly. “I ain’t taking sides, but you asked for what you got …… yer ain’t bustin’ up my bar while I’m here”. McBain “called him by an obscene name”. Biggles turns around and sees that Ginger is covering McBain’s friends with his automatic to keep them out of it. Delaney, the police constable arrives, having heard the shooting and he has a carbine in his hands. (A carbine, from the French ‘carabine’, is a long gun firearm but with a shorter barrel than a standard rifle). Delaney asks who started it. Mose tells the policeman that McBain shot Biggles drink. Delaney tells Biggles and McBain that if there is any more shooting between the two of them, he will take away their fire-arms certificates. The situation defused, Biggles and Ginger take their supplies and hurry back to the aerodrome.