BIGGLES AND THE PENITENT THIEF

by Captain W. E. Johns

7. THE PLAN (Pages 61 – 68)

Fraser arranges accommodation with Charley. Biggles asks Ginger to walk back to the airfield with Fraser to get their kit. Biggles, Bertie and Tommy sit in the saloon where Biggles calls for drinks and invites Charley to join them. Biggles asks Charley if he saw anything of Raulstein when he was there. “He’s a skunk. He stinks” says Charley. Raulstein had stayed there a week and borrowed twenty dollars off Charley, “which he forgot to pay back – and then slipped off without settling for his board and lodging, or the drinks he put on the slate at the bar”. Biggles tells Charley that Raulstein is wanted by the police and that he is a police officer. Raulstein had been bought there by Angus Campbell when he had to go to St. John’s on business. Raulstein wrote some letters to a friend in the States, who, he claimed would send him some money. One day he went out for a stroll and never came back. Charley wasn’t sorry to see him go. “Just a no-good bum, I reckon”. Charley mentions a person who may know something about Raulstein. “Joe Big Wood. He’s an Indian. Lives in a shack he built himself just out of town. Been here for years. Does odd jobs for anybody. He doesn’t miss much”. Biggles asks Charley what he thinks happened to Angus. Charley thinks he must have gone across to the island as his boat had gone. He was sure Angus wasn’t stuck on the island as they would have seen smoke from his fire in the cabin, and one of their cod fishers, Ed Blake, called there one day to make sure. There was no sign of Angus or his boat. Ginger returns with their kit bags and they all go up to their rooms to clean up after the long journey. Going down for their evening meal, they are joined by Jack Fraser. While relaxing over coffee, Biggles tells Jack the full story. “He did not excuse Tommy for what he had done, but hinted at the extenuating circumstances. He explained that Tommy was now trying to clear himself”. Fraser says “So you’ve really come to recover the jewellery?” Biggles says that and get track of Raulstein. If he is picked up in Canada, then Canada can deal with him for the murder of Darris as it happened there. Fraser offers to fly Biggles and his party across to Marten Island in the morning. They arrange to go up as soon after daylight as possible. Fraser thanks them for the meal “and for putting your cards on the table” and leaves. Charley then comes and tells them that he has had a word with Joe Big Wood and he was pretty sure he saw Raulstein leave Rankinton. He left on foot south towards the creek at the mouth of Little Fish River, where there is a small salmon canning factory. “A boat, a coaster, comes up from the south once a fortnight when the weather’s open, to bring in passengers and stores and take back anyone or anything wanting to go, mostly fish, furs and so on”. Cooper’s Creek is the name of the place and Charley confirms there is a Mountie stationed there with a radio. When Charley has gone, Biggles ask Tommy to make his way to the airfield, even though its dark, and ask Jack Fraser to contact the officer at Cooper’s Creek to ask him if Raulstein is there or has been seen there. Tommy would be able to give a description of him if need be. Tommy sets off. Biggles says to the others “I think we might all hit the hay”.