BIGGLES FOLLOWS ON

by Captain W. E. Johns

VIII. A RIDE IN THE COUNTRY (Pages 95 – 104)

The cart is stopped and searched. Whilst this happens Biggles and Ginger climb the fence and get clear under cover of darkness. They wait nearby, at a crossroads, hoping to pick up the cart as it moves on. As the cart passes by, Biggles and Ginger climb on the back and hide under sacks. Luckily, they are not seen. One or two hours pass and the beat of the hooves stop. “The driver said not a word, but pointed with his whip to the right-hand side of the road”. Biggles and Ginger get out and the cart goes on its way. Biggles notes that it is now twenty past midnight. They climb a gate and get into a field and hide in the dark by the side of the hedge. Ginger tells Biggles “I was a bit worried when I heard that bloke tell von Stalhein that he was having all possible landing-grounds watched. I was afraid they might have included this one”. Hardly have the words left his lips when a motor vehicle arrives with four men and a driver. They get out and put stakes and wire across the field to trap any landing aircraft. When they finish, they go and wait by the gate. Approaching from the other side of the field, in the darkness, Biggles cuts the wire and removes it as best he can. Their plane arrives and Gingers used the torch to signal their position to it. The plane lands, whilst the men at the gate wait for it to somersault on the wire. It is Algy flying the Proctor with Bertie onboard as well. Biggles and Ginger get in the plane. A searchlight is shined at them and a machine-gun starts firing. Algy takes off and the “Proctor zoomed like a rocket”. Biggles instructs Algy to make for the nearest German frontier, which would be in the American Zone. Biggles explains that Ross is on his way to China, but at the moment he is in the Soviet Zone of Berlin. An hour later the Proctor lands at Frankfurt. The park for the night and then fly on to the international airport at Berlin.