BIGGLES ON THE HOME FRONT

by Captain W. E. Johns

IX. ALGY SPEAKS HIS MIND (Pages 109 – 121)

“Algy had dropped Bertie at the junction of the lane that led to Gortons having arranged that whoever finished first should wait for the other at a tea-shop in Waterford village. He had some trouble in locating the crash, which he learned had occurred on the Woodhall estate, a park embracing many miles of ground”. The crash site lay beside a small group of oaks about a hundred yards from the road, and he saw that the machine must have struck one of them, for a big branch had been snapped off short. The machine was no more than a charred skeleton. Obviously having taken fire and burnt itself out. “The spectators included a policeman, one or two men who were obviously estate workers, three small boys and a man in a town suit who was giving orders to an R.A.F. sergeant as he probed about in the wreckage”. Algy guessed the man was from the Air Ministry and showed him his police pass. The man says the body was identified from letters in his pocket. The body was found thirty yards away from the burnt plane. “He either jumped or was thrown clear when the machine struck”. The cause of death was multiple injuries, including a broken neck. “The sort of thing one would expect of a body hitting the ground when it was travelling as fast as that”. The Air Ministry man says fire destroyed any evidence there might have been. He wonders why the pilot jumped when his best chance was to stay with the machine and let it take the worst of the shock of the crash. The Accidents inspector says they are just leaving and he and his assistant depart by car. Algy speaks to the policeman who tells him that Mr. Spriggs found the crash and fetched him. The crash must have been early as the plane was pretty well burnt out and the body cold when found. Algy studies the crash and a slant of wind brings a strange smell to his nostrils. Examining the wreckage, Algy wonders why the engine had been so hot. It was some distance away from the burnt out cowling. He concludes it must have been red hot before it hit the ground. If the engine was on fire, it would explain why the pilot jumped rather remain in a machine that would become a mass of flame the instant it touched the ground. “In the same circumstances, reflected Algy, he would have done the same thing”. One by one the morbid spectators drifted away until only the policeman was left. The policeman then says they are coming to clean up the wreckage that afternoon. “Meantime, as there don’t seem to be much to do I’ll away home and have me dinner. Good morning, sir”. “Algy waited until the constable had collected his bicycle from the tree against which he had left it, and set off down the road; then he became busy”. (“Algy waited until the constable had collected his bicycle – see page 115” is the frontispiece illustration of the book). “From the head of the detached cylinder, with his penknife, he scraped some carbon deposit, collecting it in his handkerchief. He then went to the end of the broken exhaust pipe and did the same thing”. He also takes some black dust from a burst petrol tank. As he wrapped the handkerchief carefully and put it in his pocket the slam of a car door made him look up, and he saw that a black Daimler had been parked on the road behind his own car. The man who walked up to him fitted Biggles’ description of Laxter, but he no longer wore an R.A.F. tie, but a navy blue one with white spots. “But why, wondered Algy, had he come? Was it to examine something in particular or was he under the influence of that curious urge that is said to bring back a murderer to the scene of his crime. No matter. The bare fact that he had come was full of significance”. Laxter comments it is a nasty mess, then asks Algy what did he see him doing. “Are you from the Air Ministry Accidents department?” “No” says Algy. “They’ve just gone”. Laxter asks Algy what bought him there. “Call it curiosity” is Algy’s response. He asks Laxter the same and Laxter says “I was driving across the park and seeing that something had happened stopped to see what it was”. Algy surprises Laxter by saying the accident happened that morning, then asks “Why, yes. When did you think it happened – last night?” “I-I’d no idea when it happened,” declared Laxter. “I imagine the Air Ministry will decide this was just another accident,” prompted Laxter. “Why should they?” queried Algy, in an off-hand manner. “What else could it be?” “Sabotage, for instance” says Algy. Laxter then annoys Algy when he says “The pilot couldn’t have been much of a hand at his job to allow this to happen”. Algy tells Laxter “I happen to know he was a very able pilot. He was a friend of mine”. More words are exchanged. Algy says “I don’t think Reverley could have imagined what was to happen to him last night. You’ll agree with that, anyway?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” replied Laxter curtly. The return of the police officer put an end to a conversation that was becoming strained. Laxter looked at his watch. “I’ll get along,” he said. “I will, too,” decided Algy. Algy wonders if he has said too much. There is a uniformed chauffeur sitting in the Daimler and Laxter sits beside him and the car drives off. Algy follows it and sees it go towards Hertford, rather than Gortons. Its objective turned out to be the railway station. Laxter gets out and goes into the booking hall. The Daimler heads back to Waterford. Algy then goes to keep his appointment with Bertie. When he sees Bertie, he laughs at this appearance. “I had a bit of a do with a brace of Alsatians which ended with me doing the cat act up a tree”. Bertie asks Algy how he got on and he says that Laxter was there. “Did you shoot him?” Bertie asks. “No”. “Then you should have done”.