BIGGLES FLIES NORTH

by Captain W. E. Johns

XV. UNDER ARREST (Pages 162 – 172)

The following morning, Biggles sends Smyth to the village to do some shopping. Biggles decides to put Mose’s “poke” somewhere safe before they hand it over to the authorities for transmission to Mose’s daughter and says they better tell Delaney about it when they see him. Wilks hides it in a secret cavity under his office floor, made for valuables. Ginger goes off to make coffee when Delaney comes out of McBain’s hangar and comes over to Arctic Airways. Delaney is followed by McBain and Ferroni. Delaney is carrying a carbine and has a suspicious manner which makes Biggles experience a twinge of uneasiness. Delaney says that when the Moose Creek gold boxes were opened at Edmonton, they were filled with lead. The mystery is that the seals on the boxes were not broken. As Delaney searches Arctic Airways, he stamps on a hollow board and finds Wilks’s secret locker. “Oh, yes – I forgot – there is some gold in there” says Biggles quickly. “I was waiting for you to come along to tell you about it,” said Biggles, “realising with dismay how thin the story sounded”. Finding Mose’s doeskin “poke” with his initials on it. Delaney whips out his revolver and, although Biggles tries to explain that they got it from Angus, Biggles, Algy and Wilks are all arrested on suspicion of murdering him. (Whipping out his revolver, he covered the three airmen menacingly - is the illustration on page 169). McBain, who is with Delaney, asks “Where’s the kid?” referring to Ginger. Ginger had, of course, been absent, making the coffee. They hear the engines of the Jupiter start and Delaney, McBain and Ferroni all run out and open fire with their revolvers in an effort to stop Ginger taking off. “You kill that kid and it will be the worst day’s work you’ve ever done!” shouts Biggles furiously. The Jupiter takes off and Biggles, Algy and Wilks are marched off to town.