BIGGLES AND THE PENITENT THIEF

by Captain W. E. Johns

14. CAMPBELL CALLS THE TUNE (Pages 120 – 127)

“We left Bertie gazing in astonishment and not without some slight alarm, at the extraordinary apparition that had appeared from the bushes to confront him”. When the man says he is Campbell, “Bertie nearly dropped his eyeglass” and tells the man “But you’re supposed to be dead”. “Do I look dead” asks Campbell. “No, but if you’ll pardon me for saying so, you look as if you’ve been having a jolly good try”. Campbell explains he has met and spoken with Ginger and asks “You are Bertie, aren’t you?” Bertie confirms he is. Campbell asks if he got any food from the boat and Bertie says he did. “What about that big buck Negro?” Bertie says he didn’t make any trouble. Bertie asks Campbell “What’s the idea of that cudgel you’re carrying?” “I’m going to knock Raulstein’s block off if I can get close enough to him” is the reply. Ginger returns and meets up with both men. He tells them “There’s a row going on in the cabin. The whole gang seems to be there. Biggles is on his own with them”. Bertie confirms that he has burnt the gang’s boat. The gang had gone past earlier but neither Tommy “nor the black lad” was with them when they came back, so they must have been left somewhere. Bertie asks if they should look for Tommy or make for the cabin to support Biggles. Ginger replies “While we’re talking he may be murdered. That goes for Tommy, too”. Ginger spoke urgently, agitated. Campbell asks if he can have a gun and Bertie tells him that they don’t go around shooting people. Suddenly, they hear the sound of running and heavy breathing and they see Tommy. He gasps a cry of relief when he sees them as he is being chased. “There was no time for more, for the Negro now appeared, cursing as he ran”. Bertie tells the man to “trot along back the way you came and save yourself a lot of trouble”. The man “must have decided that discretion was more sensible than valour” for he turns and leaves. Tommy explains he was going to be tied to a tree but he bolted. Campbell again asks to be given a gun, “Because this land happens to be my property”. Ginger gives him his gun. Bertie slips off to get the food he has hidden and returns with the sack. They then all then go to the cabin. At the door, Campbell stops and raises a hand. Very slowly Campbell raises the wooden latch, he opens the door an inch, then moving fast, he strides inside and raps out “Drop those guns”. Caught with their backs towards him, the three villains drop their guns. Bertie picks them up and hands two to Ginger. Raulstein looks at Campbell and says “So it’s you”. “Yes, you murdering swine, it’s me,” Campbell said through his teeth. “Make one wrong move, just one, and that’ll be all the excuse I need to fill your dirty hide with lead”. Biggles says he is glad to see them and asks “Who’s the new boy?” and Ginger tells him “Angus Campbell”. Biggles says the atmosphere will be much sweeter without the three crooks and Angus tells them to get out. One of the Americans protests that they have nowhere to go and Raulstein asks what are they going to eat, but they are met with no sympathy and file slowly from the room. “Shut the door behind you,” requested Biggles. The door slammed. Biggles looked round and smiled. “Great work,” he said.