BIGGLES ON THE HOME FRONT

by Captain W. E. Johns

XIV. WEARY WORK (Pages 169 – 177)

“It was nearly ten o’clock when Algy and Bertie cruised in their car into the quiet county town of Hertford. Without stopping they went on to Waterford, and deciding that it would look odd to abandon the car by the side of the road – it was obviously out of the question to leave it in the narrow lane that led to Gortons – parked it under the big tree outside the village café. From there they proceeded on foot”. They went past the lane that led to Gortons to avoid meeting the Daimler with someone in it who would remember seeing one of them before and wonder what they were doing. Laxter would have remembered Algy from the crash. Bertie was seen when he was treed by the Alsatians. They went on a little way, then later left the road and following the hedgerows made for the far end of the landing ground with the object of approaching the hangar from inside the wood, from the point farthest from the house. They were agreed that it would be better to watch the hangar than the house itself, for if Biggles and Ginger were still there, and free to move about, they would, without the slightest doubt, walk along to the hangar to inspect the aircraft, if not to test it. The guard dogs made a near approach to the house a risky if not dangerous undertaking. “We can be pretty sure of this,” said Algy. “If neither Biggles nor Ginger shows up at the hangar all day we can reckon that they’re under restraint”. They come upon an oak which has been wind-blown against another to form a tangle of interlacing branches to which the sloping trunk gave easy access. The elevated position offered by the branches were reasonably safe, even from the dogs. Both Algy and Bertie find perches in the tree then settle down for what they thought might be a long wait. However, for this they were prepared. Which was just as well, for thus it turned out to be. The morning wore on. The conditions remained unchanged. With the scene losing its novelty time began to drag. However, at about twelve noon, the two men in overalls, presumably air mechanics, whom Bertie had seen on his previous visit, appeared from the direction of the house. With them was the gardener type with the Alsatians. Algy looked at Bertie and grimaced. “Those confounded dogs are a menace,” he returned. “Are you telling me?” returned Bertie, with some warmth. “Jolly good thing we weren’t on the ground”. As the dogs move away, Algy decides to have a closer look at the house and climbs down to do so. The doors and windows are closed and although he looks at every window in turn, it was with a feeling of frustration that he returned to Bertie in the tree to report back “Not a sign”. Algy then joins Bertie “in the less strenuous occupation of transferring his sandwiches from his pocket to his stomach”. Algy says “Biggles may be playing his own game, but surely he must realize how we are bound to feel about it. The trouble is, Gaskin has the thing in hand, and if we butt in prematurely we may upset his applecart as well as our own”. The afternoon drags on and at about five, Laxter appears with the mechanics and the Auster is bought out. “Chocks were put under the wheels”. Laxter starts the engine and tests the controls. He switches off and jumps down. He is heard to say “She’s all right”. Algy says the machine is going to be used and Biggles isn’t going to fly it or he’d have been along to run her up. “I can’t see him flying a strange machine without first satisfying himself that it’s okay. He wouldn’t take Laxter’s word for it”. “What sticks in my mind is why, if Biggles isn’t to fly the machine, did they bring him here”. More time passes and the sun sinks into the horizon. Bertie and Algy hear the Daimler drive off. They guess the thieves are off to steal jewels. Algy tells Bertie “The idea was for Gaskin to let them all come back to the house before jumping on them, so that he could rope in the Count. But whatever Gaskin does,” concluded Algy grimly, “I’m not letting that plane leave here tonight”. “Jolly good,” said Bertie. “Somewhere, not far away, an owl hooted, as if it might have been in derision”.