BIGGLES AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

by Captain W. E. Johns

16. STRANGER THAN FICTION (Pages 171 – 181)

“Biggles was wrong. At least in one respect. When he awoke the following morning – or rather, when he was awakened by Algy – to another fine day, it was to see the dhow, sail furled, riding at anchor in the middle of the lagoon. He was surprised because the sea outside had not yet really settled”. “While they were having their coffee, and ration of Quaker Oats with condensed milk (Quaker Oaks had a Biggles linked advertising campaign in the 1960s), their mainstay on long hauls where no fresh food was available, it was also revealed that Biggles had been mistaken when he had said the dhow was not likely to have a second lifeboat. It had; a rough-looking dinghy; for they now saw it put on the water with the apparent intention of taking a party ashore. Five Arabs come ashore but they completely ignore Biggles and Algy and their aircraft. The set off for the far end of the island. “They’re going to have a surprise of considerable dimensions when they find their hashish gone and Ali looking like a stuck pig,” murmured Biggles. “If we’re going to have any trouble that’s when it will come. Let’s carry on”. They go to the landing strip and remove the obstructions that might have made landing dangerous. “This done they went on to the Nissen huts to do a more disagreeable task. Algy fetched the spade from the unused hut where they had seen it and they set to work to dig a grave. Fortunately, the ground being sandy, no great effort was needed”. There was no purpose in digging deep and they had finished when the Arabs returned. The leader of the Arabs speaks with Biggles. “You English mans?” he challenged harshly. “Yes, English,” Biggles answered calmly. “Why you kill Ali?” Biggles slowly explains that they didn’t kill Ali. It was “your man who came ashore”. Biggles explains that Ali killed Collingwood for “money in box” and the man who came ashore sees the money and kills Ali. He was swimming in the lagoon with the box and “Meets shark. You see this”. “Biggles spoke simply the more easily to be understood”. “It is not to be supposed that this extraordinary conversation was conducted as easily as it may appear. It was accompanied by gestures, pauses and translations into Arabic for the benefit of those who apparently knew no English. The men crowded round, staring, sometimes uncomprehendingly. The chief never took his eyes from Biggles’ face”. “Why you come here?” he asked suspiciously. “We look for lost plane” said Biggles. “Think here on island perhaps. You understand? Plane. Lost”. Biggles says they are going to bury Collingwood and then go home. “So far, Algy noticed, neither hemp nor hashish had been mentioned. No doubt the Arab thought it wise to keep off the subject and Biggles certainly had no reason to mention it”. The Arabs go to look at Collingwood’s body in the hut. The Arab chief returns to ask Biggles “Now you go home? No come back?” Biggles confirms that is the case. The Arabs leave and Biggles and Algy put Collingwood’s body, still in its blanket in the grave. “Biggles uttered the few words of the burial service that he could remember. The grave was filled in and they returned in sombre silence to the aircraft”. The Arabs are back on board their dhow. Biggles and Algy can’t take off with the dhow in the middle of the lagoon. Biggles says to Algy that if he had mentioned the opal, it might have been a temptation to the Arabs to “bump them off” and then look for the source of the opal. “They won’t trouble to dig for money”. They watch the Arabs scull about the lagoon with a line and in due course they catch the shark that killed their comrade. “A winch pulled it up and it fell inboard, whereupon men with axes proceeded to dispatch it. When it was dead there was a pause as they all gathered round it. Suddenly there was a great shout of triumph”. “By thunder! I believe they’ve got it,” cried Biggles. The Arabs have found the money box with the opals in it. The dhow then sets sail and approachs the gap in the reef. “But just as it put its bows into the open sea it met one of the big swells that still occasionally rolled up. It was thrown back, and from where they stood Biggles and Algy could hear the splintering of timbers as it struck the side of the gap”. Another wave throws it again against the outer reef and the dhow sinks. “Now what about it?” cried Algy. “This’ll teach ‘em to meddle with opal – dead men’s opal at that”. Biggles says “Let’s go. These Arabs will have to take care of themselves. We can report what’s happened when we get home. A vessel of some sort can be sent to take any survivors off the island”. They take off and set the machine on a course for Calcutta. Five hours later it was on the airport, taxiing to the parking bay.