BIGGLES IN THE BALTIC

by Captain W. E. Johns

III. FIRST ORDERS (Pages 29 – 35)

The following morning Briny tries to tell an anecdote but is cut short by Biggles “Never mind about that now”. Biggles orders that some tarpaulins are fixed up over the entrance of the cave so that no one can see any reflection of their lights. Briny comes by with some fish he has caught and tries to tell another anecdote but Biggles cuts him off with “Keep the story for a dull evening”. Briny wears a weather-soiled cape and Algy speculates that he must sleep in it as he has never seen him without it. Roy gives Biggles a signal and after decoding it, Biggles says they do their first show tonight. (‘We do our first show to-night,’ he said at last, looking up at the others - is the illustration on page 33). The objective is an ammunition dump on the south side of the Kiel canal. Biggles decides they will go over at twenty thousand feet, cut their engines fifteen miles away and glide over to attack. Biggles will go first, followed by Algy then Ginger. On return, Smyth can signal three flashes with a green light as an all-clear signal. At 8.30 pm they go and have some food before setting off on their mission.