BIGGLES GOES TO SCHOOL

by Captain W. E. Johns

X. ON THE MAT (Pages 127 - 141)

A special assembly of the school is called and the Headmaster, with Sir Colin Markland, addresses the boys. He asks any boys who were in Foxley Wood yesterday to stand up. Only Biggles stands up. Called up and questioned in front of the school, Biggles explains what he was doing and what he saw. However, he won't name the two boys. To do that would be to sneak. The school is dismissed and Biggles is spoken to privately by Sir Colin, who says he believes his account as it ties in with what the gamekeeper, Mr. Barnes has told him. Sir Colin tells Biggles to go and apologise to Mr. Barnes that afternoon. Afterwards, Hervey and Brickwell speak with Biggles to find out if he sneaked on them. He says he hasn't, but if he hears of them being in Foxley Wood again, or poaching anywhere else, he will go and tell the Head everything he knows. That afternoon, Biggles goes to Mr. Barnes cottage to apologise to him and finds him to be far nicer than his reputation. They discuss game keeping, which Biggles is familiar with, as his Uncle has a large estate as well. Biggles had counted the birds going to roost in Foxley Wood the night before and said there were forty-seven. Barnes says at the start of the nesting season there were a hundred. Three days ago when Barnes last counted them, there were fifty-one. Barnes asks Biggles to be his under-keeper and help him keep an eye on things. "You catch these poachers for me and we'll call it quits about this 'ere trespassing". "An hour later Biggles walked back to school treading on air, as the saying is". "He little guessed how short-lived the friendship was to be”.