BIGGLES FOREIGN LEGIONNAIRE

by Captain W. E. Johns

VIII. A RINGS TELLS A TALE (Pages 87 – 99)

“On arrival at the barracks Biggles and Ginger were put on a charge, as they knew they would be, for not being in their quarters at “lights out”. This was not a serious offence, for it was a common occurrence, so the officer before whom they were taken was their own company commander, Marcel”. Marcel “listened to their explanation of how they had lost their way (knowing perfectly well that it was complete fabrication) and then gave them a dressing down in the sternest army tradition. He concluded by sentencing them both to ten days’ Confined to Barracks. This was the usual punishment for such a breach of discipline”. Later in the day as Marcel walked past them on the square he quickly asked “Where (an usual typo in the book – it should of course be “Were” – the error is corrected in all Armada paperback reprints of this book but surprisingly, it is still in the Red Fox edition of the story published in 1995 as they must have used the text of the original book) you in that plane?” and Biggles answered “Yes”. There was no time for more. Voudron was soon after them for further particulars and Biggles told him the truth. Voudron tells them “You’ll get your orders in due course, no doubt”. Days pass and Biggles expects Marcel to contact them. But they don’t even see him. Ginger wonders whether he has returned to Paris. On the fifth day, Voudron speaks to them again and asks if they know the way out of camp over the wall behind the kitchen. Biggles says they do, it was well known in the camp. Voudron tells them to go over the wall at midnight. They do so and are picked up by the car. Again, the windows are covered and after a twenty-minute drive they find themselves at the Villa Mimosa. They are taken to see Raban. “He was not alone. In an easy chair, placed just outside the radius of light and half turned away, sat an elderly man, smoking a cigar. All Ginger could really see of him was a beard, a bald head and dark glasses”. Raban asks them to tell him exactly what happened. He does not introduce the stranger or even refer to him. Biggles describes what happened step by step. Biggles says they searched Voss for a map but there was none. “Had we known where to find you we would have got in touch with you to let you know what had happened”. Raban says the death of Voss leaves them in urgent need of a pilot. Raban says tomorrow night, they will leave the camp again at midnight and be brought to see him again for their final instructions. They will then be taken to an airport “some distance from here” and flown to Alexandria. They are then both driven back to wall behind the camp kitchens. When alone, Biggles tells Ginger he is sure the mystery man present was Johann Klutz, chief operator for the armaments king, the late Julius Rothenburg. “His photograph was among those the Air Commodore dug out for us”. Biggles has read in the papers that tension on the Iraq-Persian frontier has flared up again and that “may explain why they’re hurrying us along, to do one of their dirty jobs in that … what are you staring at?” Ginger, who had been examining closely a small object that he held in the palm of his hand, looked up. “Marcel’s ring,” he answered in a strained voice. Ginger says it is the signet ring that Marcel always wore on the little finger of his left hand. He found it in the car. “When I got in my hand slipped behind the seat. There was something there. I could feel it was a ring, but I’ve only just had a chance to look at it”. Biggles says Ginger is right. Marcel must have been in the car. Ginger thinks they have killed him but Biggles thinks they may be holding him. “If they killed him they’d learn nothing”. Biggles says they need to go back to the Villa Mimosa to try and locate Marcel. They do so. “Over the wall,” whispered Biggles. (“Over the wall”, whispered Biggles is the illustration opposite page 96). “Behind them, suddenly, a leaf rustled. Biggles spun round. “Okay, it’s me,” breathed a voice. The speaker was Algy”. “So you got my letter,” said Biggles, who then tells Algy that Marcel is missing. Algy says he has been there since yesterday evening. Both Algy and Bertie have been to Paris to have a word with Captain Joudrier and have then arrived posing as casual tourists. Joudrier has come with them. Biggles says “I feel that if Marcel is alive he’ll still be alive at this time tomorrow night, so we shall lose nothing by waiting twenty-four hours. We’re to come back here tomorrow midnight for final orders, tickets and civvie clothes”. Biggles tells Algy that when Raban’s car leaves after midnight tomorrow, they should be in it. Joudrier can then raid the place and rescue Marcel, if he is there. Algy and Bertie can then go to the airport, which Biggles concludes will almost certainly be the one at Algiers and get on the plane with them, obviously pretending not to know them. If no word gets into the newspapers the rest of the gang won’t know. Biggles tells Algy what he knows about the gang so far, including the fact that he thinks Johann Klutz is in the house. Biggles says that now Algy is there he won’t look around as he doesn’t want to risk upsetting everything. Algy mentions that a Greek oil magnate named Nestor Janescu was on the Air-Commodore’s list and that his yacht, Silvanus, has arrived at Alex. “As you look like going there I thought it worth mentioning”. Biggles and Ginger leave Algy watching the Villa and set off back to their camp.