BIGGLES GOES TO SCHOOL

by Captain W. E. Johns

XIV. RETRIBUTION (Pages 180 - 193)

The Headmaster had been in touch with the police in view of Biggles’ story the night before and P.C. Grimble had been sent to Foxley Wood to watch out for the boys and make sure they came to no harm. The Headmaster decides to confine all boys to the school precincts for their safety. Time passes and Biggles is interviewed by the police several times in the Headmaster's study. There is a warrant out for Dunnage's arrest but Biggles still feels that Dunnage is always round the next corner waiting for him. As the end of term and the Christmas holidays approach (again, this must be Christmas 1913) the Head lifts the ban on condition that boys should stay together, on the road and not go far. The Head advised Biggles not to leave the school. However as time passed, precautions were relaxed and the school drifted back to its old way of life. Hervey and Brickwell, having been kept out of trouble made overtures of friendliness on every possible occasion. Biggles accepted the olive branch and not only spoke to them but sometimes walked with them discussing the situation. One day Hervey asks Biggles where he and Smith used to hide from them. Biggles tells Hervey about their cave and together with Smith and Brickwell they go to see it. Mrs. Grant is not there. Biggles is shocked to see at the entrance to the cave the distinctive boot print made by Dunnage's boot. Smith and Brickwell go to get the police whilst Biggles and Hervey keep watch in a place above the entrance to the cave. Three police officers arrive, the Inspector, Sergeant and Police Constable Grimble. The Sergeant and then the Inspector call out to Dunnage to surrender. The crack of a twig gets Biggles attention and he sees Dunnage just below the position where Biggles is. Dunnage has his gun at the ready. How he got out of the cave, Biggles has no idea - unless it was through the small tunnel they had never explored. Biggles pushes the rock behind he was hiding down on Dunnage and this knocks him down and alerts the police to his presence. "Before he could get to his feet, the police, who had, of course, also heard the crash, were on him, and although he fought like a madman, using the most horrible language, he had no chance. A truncheon rose and fell, and presently the murderer was lying on his back with handcuffs on his wrists". A week later the school broke up for the Christmas holidays and Biggles returned to his Uncle for the festive season. A month later, (January 1914?) at the county jail, Michael Dunnage paid the penalty demanded by the law for wilful murder. Siggins was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment for his part in the affair. Biggles received a letter from the Lord-Lieutenant of the County thanking him for the part he had played in bringing the murderer to justice and congratulating him on the courage he had displayed at the critical moment. “The rifle Dunnage carried was loaded, said the Lord-Lieutenant, and had it not been for Biggles’ presence of mind, one, at least, of the police officers would certainly have been shot”. “As far as Biggles was concerned, the most important thing of all – as he told his uncle - was that he could return to school with an easy mind”.

Just out of interest, I once read this book over the two days, Sunday 23rd October 2011 and Monday 24th October 2011, at Pitchroy (pronounced "pit-croy") in Scotland. I read it in the very room where it was written by W. E. Johns, some sixty years earlier, starting at 4.00 am, which was the time that Johns used to get up to start to write. He wrote between 4.00 am and 8.30 am.