BIGGLES – SECRET AGENT

by Captain W. E. Johns

XII. FORESTALLED (Pages 186 – 201)

The car stops and the driver, a storm-trooper, gets out. Biggles, pistol at the ready, approaches the storm-trooper whilst Gingers approaches the car and looks into the surprised face of von Stalhein. “Keep your hands in front of you and keep ‘em still” snaps Ginger. A split second later two shots ring out. Biggles returns to the car and says “I’m sorry I had to shoot your man, von Stalhein. He shouldn’t have gone for his gun when he saw that I had mine already covering him”. Biggles disarms von Stalhein and sends him walking back up to the castle. Biggles jumps in the driving seat and tells the Beklinders that they are British agents. Ginger jumps in the front passenger seat and they drive off. Biggles tells Ginger that “First and foremost, we’ve got to get the Professor and his son out of the country”. “What about Algy?” asks Ginger. “That, for the moment, becomes a side-issue. We shall have to come back for him afterwards. He’ll understand that” says Biggles. Biggles’ plan is to get hold of Algy’s aircraft. Biggles hears the sound of a vehicle in pursuit and so runs the Beklinder’s car into the forest and abandons it. A big open car packed with storm-troopers tears past. Biggles plans to take his party on foot to the landing ground where Algy’s plane will be. Biggles tells Professor Beklinder his plan is to take an aeroplane by force and says he cannot jeopardize his life without his consent. Both, the Professor, and his son, who we learn is called Gustav, agree. The Professor says how much he appreciates what they are doing but Biggles stops him. “The British government looks after those who serve it” he says. They travel through the night to a wide strip of cultivated land inside the forest. A storm-trooper on a bicycle with two Alsatian dogs on leads rides past. Biggles and his group safely cross the open area and reach the top of a hill. They then hear an aero engine start up and see an aircraft take off. (The machine was in the air, heading eastwards - is the illustration on page 197). The Professor sinks down and buries his face in his hands saying “It’s hopeless now”. “Nothing is hopeless until you are dead – and buried” says Biggles. Biggles takes Ginger aside and formulates a new plan. He shows Ginger a field on a map and tells him to be there with the Beklinders at twenty past twelve precisely. It is currently nearly ten o’clock. If Biggles isn’t there by twelve-thirty, Ginger can reckon he won’t be coming and he should then make for the French frontier with the Beklinders. Ginger says that until it is time to go, they can hide in the vault in the churchyard. With that, Biggles leaves the group. Ginger asks the Beklinders to follow him.