BIGGLES
– SECRET AGENT
by Captain W.
E. Johns
II. WAYS
AND MEANS (Pages
25 – 38)
Biggles says that assuming they take on
the proposition they shall have to work out how to go about it. “Knowing that failure could have only one
ending we should go to any lengths – any lengths – to prevent it. In other words, knowing that our opponents
would not hesitate to kill us, I should not hesitate to proceed on the same
principle”. Biggles says they will need
a four-seater aircraft and Ginger suggests a Wessex “Student” (another of Johns’ fictional aircraft). They decide to operate from a small aerodrome
in Northern France, glide over the frontier with Algy flying the plane and
Biggles and Ginger will parachute into Lucrania. To get out, Algy would have to come over at
prearranged times and watch for light signals, such as red to keep away and
green to come and fetch them. Biggles
has taken a tracing of a map of Unterhamstadt district and there is a castle
which makes a conspicuous landmark.
Biggles identifies a large grazing area some four miles due north of the
village that will suit their purposes.
They will arrive in Unterhamstadt and pretend to be tourists, wearing
shorts and carrying rucksacks. There is
only one hotel and Biggles says they will have only
seven days to do the job as every Saturday details of the names of tourists are
sent to police head-quarters. The
Lucranian Chief of Secret Police is Erich von Stalhein, their old enemy. “That oily-tongued swine?” exclaims Algy in a
hard voice. Biggles says “There is
nothing oily about von Stalhein.
Acid-tongued, if you like. And
why a swine? Be fair. The man serves his country as we try to serve
ours. Apart from which he is the most
efficient German I have ever met. Had be
been in command of German Intelligence in the Near East during the last war I
should now be a handful of mouldering earth under the desert sand. He knew I was a fake – but his boss didn’t
believe him. He was brilliant and only I
know how lucky I was to beat him. We ran
into him again in that gold racket”. (There are footnotes referring to Biggles’
first encounter with von Stalhien in BIGGLES FLIES EAST and his last
encounter with him in BIGGLES & CO). Biggles says “Personally, I have a sneaking
regard for him; and, if we knew the truth, he probably feels the same about
us”. Ginger asks why don’t they use
false names but that means fake passports and that might arouse suspicion. As themselves they might be tourists, but
with fake passports they would be treated as spies and the Germans probably
have photos of them in their records.
They decide to take a carrier pigeon to send a message home and discuss
what supplies they will need. Biggles
shows them all a photograph of Beklinder to memorise as they can’t take it with
them. He then goes to ring Raymond to
say they will go.