Biggles Fails to Return

"Which reminds me," said Algy, addressing Biggles. "Do you really feel up to this show tonight? You haven't been on your feet very long."

Biggles Fails to Return

"Yes, it seems perfectly straightforward," agreed Algy. "You've landed yourself, as usual, with the dirty end of the stick."

Biggles Fails to Return

"Why this sudden passion for good behavior?" sneered Algy.

Biggles Fails to Return

"Okay, Romeo," submitted Algy, grinning.

Biggles Fails to Return

"Are you kidding about feeling all right?" asked Algy suspiciously.

Biggles Fails to Return

Algy went first. A dozen steps brought him to the bottom, into a bare, oblong cellar. There was only one piece of furniture, a wooden bedstead, on which a bed of dried herbs had been arranged. On it lay a man, a man whose emaciated face was half covered by a fortnight's stubble of beard. But the eyes that he turned on the visitors were clear. He was clad in an old boiler suit, but an R.A.F. uniform lay on the floor beside him. Algy stopped. His heart appeared to seize up. "Great heavens!" he breathed. "Biggles!"

Biggles Fails to Return

Bertie nearly dropped his guitar in astonishment. "Here, I say, that's a leading question. No, I am not the Honorable Lacey, but he is not far from here. Mario, I think, has gone to fetch him. Ah--here he is."

Biggles Fails to Return

The princess laughed quietly. "Are you by any chance the Honorable Lacey?"

Biggles Fails to Return

Algy was after him in a flash. He did not know who the man was, and he bore him no ill will, but he was not prepared to have knives thrown at him--at least, not without knowing what it was all about. Had the man not stumbled and fallen among the loose rocks it is unlikely that he would have caught him. The fellow was up again in a moment, but the brief delay had been his undoing. Before he could get into his stride Algy was covering him with his automatic. Even so, he was prepared to be reasonable.

Biggles Fails to Return

It was after four when the Sospel bus, its radiator spurting steam, drew in. Algy got a seat, but gave it up to an old woman with a basket of vegetables.

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A lorry had broken down, and the driver was working--not very cleverly--on the engine. Algy gave him a hand, and finding a fault in the ignition, put it right.

Biggles Fails to Return

Algy answered. "I don't know, except that we are going to find out what happened to Biggles. If the thing was the other way around, do you suppose he'd be content to sit here knowing that we were stuck in enemy country? Not on your life!"

Biggles Fails to Return

"You didn't take that view when you were trying to rescue the princess," returned Algy shortly. "Frankly, I don't care two hoots about her, because I've never seen her and I'm never likely to; but Biggles happens to be my best friend. Apart from which, he is one of the most valuable officers in the service."

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"This is more than a personal matter, sir," answered Algy. "It's a matter that concerns the morale of a squadron."

Biggles Fails to Return

"This," answered Algy, picking up a flimsy, buff-colored slip of paper that lay on his desk. "I'm promoted to Squadron Leader with effect from today, and...I am now in command of this squadron."

Biggles Fails to Return

"I'm very much afraid that something serious has happened to Biggles." There was silence while the clock on the mantelpiece ticked out ten seconds and threw them into the past.

Biggles Fails to Return

Algy did not smile. "Stop fooling. Either come in or push off," he said curtly.

Biggles Fails To Return

Flight Lieutenant Algy Lacey, D.F.C., looked up as Flying Officer "Ginger" Hebblethwaite entered the squadron office and saluted. "Hello, Ginger--sit down," invited Algy in a dull voice. Ginger groped for a chair--groped because his eyes were on Algy's face. It was pale, and wore such an expression as he had never before seen on it.

Biggles of 266

"I went to call on No. 301 Squadron this morning--you know, the new crowd over at Cassel--and I gave them the once-over before I landed. When I got down a mangy skunk named Bitmore, who is acting C.O., dressed me down properly and put me under open arrest."

Biggles of 266

"Well, this isn't [a flying school], and he isn't chasing me!" snapped Algy. "My crowd will soon show him where he steps off if he's going to try being funny! The sooner some nice friendly Hun pushes into the ground the better for everybody. Give your blokes my condolences. Cheerio!"