BIGGLES GOES TO SCHOOL

by Captain W. E. Johns

IV. A DAY TO REMEMBER (Pages 44 - 55)

The Saturday following the Battle of the Conkers was memorable for Biggles as he saw his first aeroplane. During class a boy rushes in and shouts "Head says everyone can go out and look at the aeroplane!" The Head thinks it is an old boy, Morris, who is now a Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps. Morris lands on the cricket field. Biggles says to Smith "It must be wonderful to be able to do that". When asked by Smith if he'd go up if he had a chance, Biggles replies "I can't think of anything I'd like to do more". Biggles "was not to know, on that sunny autumn morning, how much of his life he was to spend doing what then seemed an impossible attainment". Later that same day a dancing bear belonging to an Indian escapes and causes fear and panic. Biggles goes into town and finds the road to town deserted. He buys threepenny worth of stale buns and soon finds the brown bear, with a pole dangling from its muzzle. Biggles feeds the bear the buns and saves it from being shot. When asked by the Headmaster what he thinks he's doing he says "I'm rescuing it from a crowd of bloodthirsty humans". The bear's Indian owner arrives to claim it and everyone returns to school. The day ends, however, on a tragic note. After evening prayers the Head announces "Those of you who knew Morris, or saw his aeroplane this morning, will be sorry to learn that he was killed shortly after leaving us when his aeroplane fell out of control into a wood". Biggles however, says he would still go up if he had the chance.