BIGGLES IN THE UNDERWORLD

by Captain W. E. Johns

10. STILL ON THE TRAIL (Pages 106 – 115)

Biggles headed for home via the hospital at Repford. The doctor is out so Biggles gets permission from the Matron to speak briefly with Caine. Biggles says to Caine, “It’s about a number written on a telephone directory at the farm. It’s T.E. 79791. Does that mean anything to you?” Caine’s answer came without hesitation. “Not a thing”. They both conclude it must have been written by Lazor, who had come to use the farm as if it was his own home, much to Caine’s annoyance. Biggles asks whose idea it was to have a camouflaged hangar and Caine confirms it was Lazor’s. Biggles asks Caine “Why did you tell me you’d been chucked out of the R.A.F? You were discharged on medical grounds. Defective vision. I wouldn’t call that being chucked out”. Caine said there was nothing wrong with his sight. Faking a discharge was an easy way to get out of the Service. He left to make more money with the help of Lazor. Biggles and Bertie leave. Bertie asks Biggles how he is going to find out who owns the phone number. Biggles says he will ring it when they get back to Scotland Yard. This is what he does. The telephone operator confirms that the letters T.E. are for Podbury, Surrey. When the call is answered, Biggles says “Sorry; I must have got the wrong number” and hangs up. He tells the others that the phone number is that of Podbury Flying Club. Biggles recalls calling there once when he was running short of petrol and dropped in for a fill-up. Ginger checks the records and sees the club was registered on August 5^th 1964. (I wonder why Johns picked this particular date? It’s a Wednesday. It probably has some significance to Johns. The only thing of any significance that happened in the world as far as I can see, was Mel Brooks married Anne Bancroft on this date). The General Manager is Kendrick Seaton-Thompson, RAF Retired and the club has two Auster Aiglets, One Piper Club but no Moth aircraft. Biggles says “I’m going to Podbury right away. We’ve no time to lose. The Sheikh must know this Tommy pretty well, or he wouldn’t call him by his Christian name”. Biggles says if the Sheikh didn’t know the number of the club, he would ask the operator to get it. He would then jot it down on the nearest paper available. In this case it was the phone book. “I’ve done the same thing myself”. “Obviously the Sheikh wanted to get in touch with somebody at the club”. “It may have been this fellow Tommy”. “Tommy is the man I want to see. I’d also like to see his logbook. If it’s been properly kept it should tell us how often he’s been to the farm, and how many times he’s had the Sheikh for a passenger”. Biggles says he is going to Podbury right away. “How about a snack first?” pleaded Bertie. “You may be a bally camel, but I’m not. I’m wobbling on my pines for lack of nourishment”. Biggles says Bertie had better stay and he will take Ginger with him. Rather than drive down in a police car, which might set people wondering, they will fly down. Biggles tells Algy and Bertie to take it in turns having a meal so that the phone is constantly manned. He may need to ring up with something urgent. “Come on, Ginger. Let’s go”.