BIGGLES AND THE PENITENT THIEF

by Captain W. E. Johns

10. RAULSTEIN GIVES THE ORDERS (Pages 86 – 92)

Raulstein moved slowly forward. “Ah! so there you are, Tommy,” he said smoothly. “I thought I’d find you here. What you want to run away for? You might have got yourself hurt. These friends of mine are liable to act hasty like. Nice little party you have here, I see”. Raulstein comes into the room and is followed by his two companions, all carrying guns. Ginger noted that Raulstein lined up with the description Tommy had given of him. “Swarthy, black-haired and dark-eyed, with a suave, ingratiating manner, he was typical of many Levantines”. (Levantine indicates that a person is native to the region of the Levant, an area that includes the modern-day countries of Syria, parts of South-Eastern Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel). “The other two might have stepped out of a Hollywood gangster film. Both were small, slim, pale, poker-faced, cold-eyed, with tight-fitting over-smart clothes and florid neckties. One wore a felt hat with the brim snapped down in front; the other a peaked yachting cap”. Biggles tells Tommy not to talk to them but leave it to Biggles. Raulstein asks who Biggles is and Biggles says “You’ll find out”. After a brief exchange of words, Raulstein asks Tommy if he’s been talking. “I’ve told the police all I know, if that’s what you want to know”, stated Tommy, boldly, but perhaps stupidly. A spasm of anger distorts Raulstein’s face and he raises his revolver as if he intended shooting Tommy on the spot. “Why, you dirty little rat,” he rasped furiously. “I’ll – ” “Calling him names, or shooting him, won’t get you anywhere,” cut in Biggles. Biggles tells the two men with Raulstein they must be crazy to think they will get a cut (of the jewels) as Raulstein has already knocked off two men to keep them out. Raulstein says Biggles is lying. One American asks Biggles if he is a cop and Biggles replies “You might call me that”. Raulstein says Tommy is going with them. Biggles shrugged and lit a cigarette. “I’m not in a position to prevent you from taking him with you by force; but mark my words, if any harm comes to him, I’ll see you pay for it”. Biggles tells Tommy “You better go with them”, knowing it was bound to come to that in the end. The three men leave with Tommy and Raulstein says “Anyone who tries to leave this hut will get what’s coming to him”. As the door closed behind them, Bertie and Ginger looked at Biggles in surprise, almost with consternation. “You let them take him,” accused Ginger incredulously. “What else could I do?” replies Biggles. “To have tried to keep him here would have meant a gun battle, in which case we’d certainly have got the worst of it. Already holding us covered, they would probably have killed all of us once they started. We know Raulstein thinks nothing of murder”. Biggles says they won’t kill tommy as he is “the only goose on the island that might be able to lay golden eggs!” Bertie is hungry and says “these stiffs must have a boat”. He plans to find it and get something to eat. Biggles warns him that Raulstein said he was posting a guard to knock off anyone who tries to leave the cabin. Bertie doesn’t believe it. Bertie suggests that if there is no shooting when he leaves, Ginger could “totter down to the landing ground and be on the spot ready to meet Fraser when the fog packs up. Someone ought to be there to give him the gen about what goes on here”. Bertie takes out his automatic pistol then goes to the door, opens it and goes out, closing the door behind him. “There, I’m afraid, goes poor old Bertie,” Ginger said in a melancholy voice. They listened for the expected gunshots. None came. Ginger breathed again.