BIGGLES 'FAILS TO RETURN'

By Captain W. E. Johns

XV. CONFERENCE AT CASTILLON (Pages 174 - 186)

Dawn arrives and so does Ginger with Henri. Henri is in a bad way and the Princess rebandages his head wound. She says he needs rest and a doctor. Biggles says the Princess isn't Italian. She is Sicilian and so is Mario. After breakfast our heroes are alerted by the sound of 12 Italian Savoia flying-boats passing overhead. They come down towards Monaco. "Now if only we could get hold of one of those babies ...." says Biggles. Mario is sent to get his ambulance and he then takes Bertie, Ginger and Biggles back to Monaco to explore the possibilities of stealing one of the flying boats. When they arrive they find a crowd around a notice. It says there is a 10,000 franc reward to anyone submitting information which would lead to the arrest of Henri Ducoste, described as a rebel and a de Gaulleist. If Henri was not delivered within 24 hours, his mother and sister would be arrested as hostages and summarily shot. The notice was signed by Signor Gregori Gordino, prefect of the special police.