BIGGLES ON THE HOME FRONT

by Captain W. E. Johns

VI. A DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER (Pages 76 – 86)

“Ginger knew from experience that at such moments as this Biggles was at his best. However acute the shock his self-possession could rise to the occasion. Whether this was a natural attribute, or the result of having his reactions sharpened at an early age by air combat, he did not know. The present instance was no exception”. Biggles smiled in incredulity and amusement. “You heard what?” he queried. “I was told you’d joined the police”. “Who told you that?” “Tug Carrington”. (Tug Carrington was a member of Biggles WW2 “666” Squadron who appeared regularly in a number of WW2 books from “Spitfire Parade (1941) to Biggles Delivers the Goods (1946). He last appeared in Biggles Hunts Big Game (1948). There has been no mention of him between 1948 and this book in 1957). “I ran into him one day in Piccadilly – oh, it must have been best part of twelve months ago”. Biggles made a gesture of disdain. “Oh, Tug. He always did get things tangled up. It’s true that at that time the police had a certain interest in me; but ask yourself; can you see me standing in the middle of the road directing the traffic?” “I must say that takes a bit of imagination,” was the laughing reply. “But here, meet a friend of mine, Verney Laxter”. “I fancy we’ve met before, somewhere,” said Laxter, in a curious voice, as they shook hands. “I was thinking the same thing,” returned Biggles blandly, and went on to introduce Ginger. “Meet one of the old crowd, Bill Reverley, better known as Rev,” he said, and Ginger shook hands with the man who had called Biggles by name, and in so doing, he feared, dropped a brick that was likely to have some awkward repercussions, even though Biggles was doing his best to gloss the matter over. Laxter asks what Biggles is doing there. “We dropped in for a bite of food,” answered Biggles, truthfully, adding that they are not staying there. Biggles and Ginger feel obliged to have a drink before they can leave. Reverley says to Laxter “If you need a man who really knows how to handle a flying-machine, here he is” indicating Biggles. Biggles asks Laxter if he is still flying. “What gave you the idea I’m a pilot?” he asks. Biggles smiled faintly. “If you don’t want to be associated with aviation you’d better stop wearing that tie”. It seemed to Ginger that for a moment Laxter looked startled. However, he went on. “Why did you ask me if I was still flying?” “Oh, I just wondered if you knew of anyone looking for a spare pilot,” Biggles answered casually, as if the suggestion was of no real importance. Reverley stepped in again. “Laxter runs an exclusive little flying club not far from here”. Laxter frowned, as if he would rather this piece of information had not been divulged. Biggles and Ginger go to leave. Laxter asks Biggles “You still at the same place, if I want to contact you?” “Yes. We shall be there for a day or two, I expect. We don’t stay anywhere very long,” Biggles added meaningly. Laxter says “I understood your name was Walls”. “It’s as good as any, and an easy one to remember,” averred Biggles, smoothly. “Why did Rev call you Biggles?” Reverley answered for himself. “That was his nickname in the Service. Everyone called him that. In fact, I’ve never heard him called anything else”. With that Biggles and Ginger leave. Outside is the Daimler, CYM 618. Back at their car Biggles says “Phew! That was a facer if you like. I hope I didn’t show it but I felt like going through the floor when Laxter walked in. And as if that wasn’t bad enough Rev Reverley must blurt out my name – or half of it”. “Does he know the rest of it?” “He may, or he may not. You heard what he said”. Biggles says Reverley was a Pathfinder in the war. (An RAF Pathfinder was a member of an elite, highly specialized group within Royal Air Force Bomber Command during World War II, tasked with leading bombing raids by marking targets with flares and acting as guides for the main bomber force to improve bombing accuracy). Biggles thinks he is an instructor at one of the clubs now, possibly at the South Wessex. Ginger says “It begins to look more and more as if Gaskin’s hunch about aviation coming into the picture wasn’t far off the mark”. Biggles thinks that what Rev said implies that Laxter is looking for a pilot. “Rev would never have suggested that I’d join a show that wasn’t straight”. They drive back to London. Biggles decides to look in at the Barn. They park the car in a garage for the night. At the Barn, Norman is standing alone at the bar. “Where have you been?” demanded Norman belligerently. He “had evidently taken more drink than was wise”. Norman talks about what happened to “Stony” and says “I had arranged to take him where he’d have been as snug as a bug in a rug”. Norman asks what Biggles is doing there and if he has come to “Smarm round that clot Gaskin again”. “I don’t smarm round anybody,” stated Biggles coldly. “He got your money back for you last night so why get steamed up about him? “If that’s the mood you’re in you can go on swilling whisky by yourself. Take my tip and lay off. You’re talking too much. I’m going. Come on, Ginger. They go to Victoria station where Biggles rings Algy at “their communal home in Mount Street”. Berties answers. Biggles arranges to meet them both at nine of clock the following morning in the refreshment room at Victoria and he tells Bertie to bring a map of Hertfordshire and a car.