BIGGLES AND THE NOBLE LORD

by Captain W. E. Johns

14. SURPRISES (Pages 123 – 130)

“It will be remembered that we left Biggles and Algy in the wood overlooking the chateau watching the departure of Marcel”. Algy wants to do something but Biggles asks “Do what, exactly?” Algy says to Biggles “It isn’t like you to just sit on your backside and do nothing”. “The circumstances are unusual,” Biggles pointed out. “There’s something in the old saying, when in doubt do nothing”. Biggles says they have no proof that Bertie and Ginger are in the chateau and questions how they would find them in what must be a labyrinth of rooms and corridors. Biggles thinks their best plan is to lie low and watch for something to happen, if it does they might see an opportunity for action. Biggles suggests Algy goes into the village for food if he is bored and he can bring Biggles back some sandwiches. Algy leaves, but in a matter of minutes he is back. He has found not just one of Ginger’s paper planes, but two of them. On one of them is written “S.O.S. Urgent. Top turret west wing”. On the other it is written “ B and G” for Bertie and Ginger. Biggles says that as they are in France, they can’t act without Marcel. They need to get him back. Algy is sent to go to the station in Marcel’s car to see if he is still there. If all else fails, he can phone his headquarters in France. “Say we need him here immediately. It’s vital”. Algy departs at the double. Biggles remains on watch and night falls. Biggles can see the top room in the west turret and he notices the light being blocked by shadow. When the process repeats, he realises the long and short exposures were the dots and dashes of the Morse Code. The message is Mayday. Once the signal changes to S.O.S. Biggles wishes he could signal back. He then remembers the Auster should have a torch in the pocket of the cockpit. Hoping he has time to fetch it before Algy returns, Biggles goes to the Auster and gets the torch only to be confronted by the village police officer who had being keeping the Auster under observation. Biggles explains that two British police officers are being held prisoner in the chateau. They were making signals to which Biggles wishes to reply. Biggles make it clear that he was a police officer, although he did not wear a uniform. The gendarme goes with Biggles to where Biggles is hoping to meet Algy. Biggles explains he is trying to contact Monsieur Brissac from Paris. The gendarme explains that he knows of a secret passage into the chateau, which he refers to as a passage souterrain (underground passage). The gendarme leads the way into the heart of the wood where the undergrowth was thick and shows Biggles the exit. “It is hidden by some stones. It is old and wet and dirty, with things that live in the dark. But they do not bite”. Biggles decides to wait for Algy’s return and he returns to the chateau to signal to Bertie and Ginger with the torch. There is no response. The gendarme says he will stay to help and tells Biggles his name is Antoine Charlot. “Biggles made a mental note of it and returned the compliment by giving his own”.