Biggles and the Penitent Thief Read online

  Ginger smiled dubiously and went on towards the cabin.

  CHAPTER 14

  CAMPBELL CALLS THE TUNE

  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. He didn’t know what to make of it, which is hardly surprising; the stranger was certainly not one of Raulstein’s gang. He screwed his eyeglass a little more firmly in his eye.

  ‘Look here, old chap, if you don’t mind me asking, where have you popped up from?’ he inquired.

  ‘I haven’t popped up from anywhere. This happens to be my property,’ was the crisp answer.

  ‘Really? That’s interesting. What’s your name?’

  ‘Campbell.’

  Bertie nearly dropped his eyeglass. ‘Campbell! Not Angus Campbell?’

  ‘That’s me.’

  ‘Well, blow me down! That certainly is a corker. I don’t know if you know it, but you’re supposed to be dead.’

  ‘Do I look dead?’

  ‘No, but if you’ll pardon me for saying so, you look as if you’ve been having a jolly good try.’

  Campbell looked at Bertie as if he didn’t quite know what to make of him. Perhaps it was understandable. He may have expected to see a man who looked like a police officer. ‘We’re wasting time,’ he said impatiently. ‘I’ve had a long talk with Ginger down on the plain. He’s told me what you’re doing here.’

  ‘Jolly good. What’s he doing now?’

  ‘Gone to see what’s happening in the cabin. He’s coming back. You are Bertie, aren’t you?’ Campbell guessed, as if in some doubt.

  ‘Absolutely. As large as life.’

  ‘Ginger said you’d gone to look for Raulstein’s launch.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘Did you find it?’

  ‘Too true I did.’

  ‘You went to rustle some food. Did you get any?’

  ‘Yes sir, yes sir, a big bag full.’

  ‘Where is it?’ Campbell looked about.

  ‘Where the rats can’t get at it.’

  ‘Can’t you talk sense? What about that big buck Negro?’

  ‘What about him?’

  ‘How did you manage him?’

  ‘Oh, he didn’t make any trouble.’

  ‘Where are the rest of the gang?’

  ‘As far as I know they’re somewhere in front of me. Just where they’ve gone I couldn’t say. I saw them go past a little while ago. They seemed peeved about something.’

  ‘Where are you going now?’

  ‘To the cabin, of course. Where else? 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.’

  ‘Capital idea. I’m with you. But be careful. He carries a gun.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘What are you going to do now?’

  ‘Ginger’s gone to the cabin to see how the land lies. He told me to wait here for him. I’d better do that. If I move I might miss him.’

  At this juncture Ginger himself appeared. He arrived in a hurry. ‘So there you are,’ he said on seeing Bertie. ‘I see you two have met. We can talk about that later. We’ve got to get cracking.’

  ‘What’s the tizzy?’

  ‘There’s a row going on in the cabin. The whole gang seems to be there. Biggles is on his own with them. As far as I can make out, from what I could hear, someone has scuttled Raulstein’s launch.’ Ginger looked at Bertie suspiciously. ‘Do you know anything about it?’

  ‘I set fire to it, if that’s what you mean.’

  ‘What the dickens for? Now they’re stuck here with us.’

  ‘That was the idea. No use letting ‘em ran away with the boodle should they get their hands on it before we do.’

  ‘But you said you were going to grab some grub.’

  ‘I did. The fireworks were an afterthought. Always seize the initiative is Biggles’ motto. That’s what I’ve done — I hope.’

  ‘What about Raulstein?’

  ‘Apparently he discovered what had happened. I saw him and his pals come rushing along here a little while ago. They looked upset about something.’

  ‘No wonder. Now they’ve stormed the cabin. What’s happened to Tommy?’

  ‘I don’t know. He’s still with them — or he was. Neither he nor the black lad was with them when they came back, so they must have been left somewhere.’

  ‘What are we going to do? I mean, do we go to look for Tommy, or make for the cabin to support Biggles? While we’re talking he may be murdered. That goes for Tommy, too.’ Ginger spoke urgently, agitated.

  Bertie polished his eyeglass vigorously. ‘But look here, dear boy, we can’t deal with both problems at once. I vote for the cabin, to have a crack at the situation there. Tommy will have to wait; that’s all there is to it.’

  ‘Need we all go to the cabin? Why shouldn’t I go to look for Tommy?’

  ‘Because all you’d do in the dark would be to break your neck. It’s a very devil of a rough coast. I know. I’ve seen it in daylight.’

  Campbell stepped in. ‘Quit arguing, you guys. Have both of you got guns?’

  ‘Yes,’ answered Ginger, speaking for both.

  ‘Lend me one.’

  Bertie frowned. ‘What are you going to do with it?’

  ‘I’ll show you,’ returned Campbell, with an edge on his voice.

  ‘Now hold hard,’ Bertie said. ‘We don’t go about shooting people.’

  ‘I don’t care what you do, but here we have our own way of dealing with gun-totin’ thugs. Just leave this to me. Raulstein has twice tried to bump me off. I’ll show you how to handle him.’

  How this argument would have ended is a matter for speculation, but it was brought to an abrupt conclusion by Ginger raising a warning hand. ‘Listen! Someone’s coming.’

  The sound approached quickly; a noise of running, stumbling footsteps, with heavy breathing. It came from the direction by which Bertie had arrived at the spot. They waited, tense, staring into the gathering gloom. Ginger took out his gun, prepared for trouble.

  Presently the runner appeared. It was Tommy. He saw them and gasped a cry of relief. ‘Watch out, he’s after me,’ he panted as he ran up.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘One of Raulstein’s men. The black.’

  There was no time for more, for the Negro now appeared, cursing as he ran. He slowed to a halt when he saw the party waiting in his path.

  ‘Are you looking for something?’ inquired Bertie coldly.

  ‘Yes — er no, boss.’

  ‘Good. Then you trot along back the way you came and save yourself a lot of trouble.’

  ‘My boss’ll slaughter me if I —’

  ‘I’ll slaughter you if you don’t do as I tell you. Get weaving, back the way you came — and don’t stop.’

  For a few seconds the Negro hesitated, regarding the opposition and apparently considering the situation. Then, muttering something inaudible, he must have decided that discretion was more sensible than valour, for he turned and strode off in the direction from which he had come.

  ‘That’s one problem settled,’ Ginger said. He looked at Tommy. ‘What happened?’

  ‘I was left in the hands of that black tough. He was going to tie me to a tree, but I bolted. Who’s this?’ Tommy was staring at Campbell.

  ‘He’s the owner of the island. You should know him. Maybe he’s changed a bit since you last saw him. But don’t start asking questions. We’ve work to do. Biggles is alone in the cabin with the gang.’

  ‘They reckoned to spend the night there,’ Tommy said. ‘I heard them say so when they discovered their launch had gone on fire. Did you know about that?’

  ‘Bertie did it. But that’s enough. Let’s get along to the cabin.’

  ‘Will one of you lend me a gun?’ Campbell said. ‘I’ll handle this.’

  ‘Why you?’ asked Ginger.

&nbs
p; ‘Because this land happens to be my property, that’s why. That makes you trespassers.’

  ‘I like that!’ protested Ginger indignantly.

  ‘Whether you like it or not, I claim the right to protect what belongs to me.’

  ‘Okay, if that’s how you want it.’ Ginger handed over his gun.

  ‘Thanks. I’ll see you get it back.’ Campbell set off towards the cabin.

  ‘Hold hard, you wild Scotsman,’ Bertie said. ‘What about the grub I won? We shall need it. I’ll fetch it. I won’t keep you a minute.’ He hurried off

  The others waited Bertie reappeared with his sack. He handed it to Tommy. ‘Here, my lucky lad; you can carry this.’ Then, to Campbell: ‘Lead on, Macduff.’

  ‘What are we going to do?’ asked Ginger. ‘Don’t you think we ought to have some sort of plan? We can’t just barge in—’

  ‘Leave it to me’ Campbell said shortly. ‘We’ll take their guns off ‘em for a start. Just follow me and do as I say. I’ve done this before.’

  ‘Don’t for goodness’ sake shoot Biggles by mistake,’ pleaded Ginger anxiously.

  ‘There shouldn’t be any shooting. That’s enough chatter.’ Campbell walked on.

  Ginger looked at Bertie and shrugged. Not sharing Campbell’s confidence, he could smell trouble ahead.

  Nearing the cabin the party moved more slowly, picking a way through the empty cans. At the door Campbell stopped and raised a hand. From inside came a sound of voices raised in heated altercation. Very slowly Campbell raised the wooden latch. He opened the door an inch. Then he moved fast. In one movement he flung the door wide open. In a single stride he was inside. ‘Drop those guns,’ he rapped out.

  Every back, except Biggles’, was towards the door. Nobody moved.

  ‘I said drop ‘em,’ snapped Campbell. ‘Two seconds and I’m shooting.’

  Raulstein snatched a glance over his shoulder, and, of course, saw who was there. His gun rattled on the floor.

  ‘Last time,’ Campbell rasped. ‘Drop ‘em.’

  Two more guns thudded on the floor.

  ‘Pick ‘em up, Bertie,’ Campbell ordered.

  Bertie stepped inside, and having kicked the guns to one side picked them up. He handed two to Ginger who had followed him in.

  Raulstein looked at Campbell. ‘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, who had not moved, spoke. ‘Glad to see you, chaps. I was wondering how long it would be before you showed up. Who’s the new boy?’

  Ginger answered. ‘Angus Campbell.’

  Biggles’ eyebrows did go up at this information. ‘Glad to meet you, Angus. Nice to see you still on your feet.’

  ‘Do you want to keep these rats here?’ inquired Angus.

  ‘No. The atmosphere will smell sweeter without them.’

  Angus faced the three crooks. ‘Get out,’ he snapped.

  ‘But you can’t turn us out on a night like this,’ protested one of the Americans. ‘One of you burnt our boat. Where are we going to sleep?’

  ‘You’re lucky I’m giving you a chance to sleep anywhere. Move before I change my mind. My finger’s twitching.’

  ‘What are we going to eat?’ asked Raulstein. ‘We’ve no food.’

  ‘Try eating each other. You’ve helped yourself to the food I left here, now find your own. If you all starve to death it’ll help to feed my foxes. Thanks to you, they’re hungry too.’

  The three men exchanged glances. Raulstein looked at Tommy appealingly, but he found no mercy in his eyes. They filed slowly from the room.

  ‘Shut the door behind you,’ requested Biggles.

  The door slammed.

  Biggles looked around and smiled. ‘Great work,’ he said.

  CHAPTER 15

  INTERLUDE FOR REFLECTION

  ‘AND now what?’ inquired Bertie, looking at Biggles, after the sounds of the crooks’ departure had died away in a rattle of empty cans.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘What do we do next?’

  ‘Nothing. What can we do in the dark except make ourselves comfortable for the night? It seems to me we have something to talk about. Or rather, you have. While you chaps have been gallivanting around, all I’ve done is sit here. I can only guess at what you’ve been up to, but it looks as if you’ve been busy. Tell me about it. Where you found Angus. But before you start, the pressing question is, did you get those rations you went to collect?’

  ‘Absolutely, old boy.’

  ‘Where are they?’

  ‘Here, in the bag. Bring me that bag, Tommy.’

  ‘Better and better,’ congratulated Biggles. ‘Let’s have a look at what you’ve got. I shan’t be particular. Anything to fill the cavity inside me. Did you get ‘em from the launch?’

  ‘Yes. No trouble at all.’

  Ginger spoke on a note of urgency. ‘Just a minute. What about the gang? If they get desperate they’re likely to come back.’

  ‘I doubt it,’ said Biggles. ‘I know that sort. They’re helpless without guns.’

  ‘I was thinking they might try to rush us.’

  ‘Let ‘em try,’ put in Angus. ‘But I’ll see they don’t do that. There’s a wooden bar that fits into slots across the inside of the door. I fixed it to prevent the door blowing open in a gale.’ He fetched the bar and put it into position. He went on: ‘If those crooks have any sense they’ll shelter in the woods, where it’s always degrees warmer than in the open. Not that I care what becomes of them, the murdering devils. Anyhow, it’ll be a fine day tomorrow.’

  ‘You think so?’

  ‘The signs are right. I live here. The fog will have cleared by morning.’

  ‘Good. If you’re right we shall be able to get on with our work. Meanwhile, let’s have a look at what’s inside the feed bag. When we’ve shifted some of its contents we can talk about guards for the night. Someone will have to stay awake, just in case.’

  Bertie unloaded his sack on the table. ‘Help yourselves, my lucky lads,’ he invited.

  ‘A pretty sight for a starving man,’ declared Biggles as everyone helped himself. He went on: ‘What I’m most anxious to know, Tommy, is this. Did those crooks get the swag bag?’

  ‘No. That is, not as far as I know. They didn’t find it while I was with them.’

  ‘Do they know where it is?’

  ‘They have a rough idea. I showed them the landslide and said the stuff must be buried somewhere underneath it. I’m not sure if they believed me. I’m sorry I had to tell ‘em anything, but with them threatening to bump me off if I didn’t talk, what else could I do?’

  ‘You couldn’t do anything else,’ Biggles agreed. ‘We’ll have a go at it in the morning. I’m afraid it’ll mean digging, so as we haven’t any tools, Fraser’s first job, when he comes, will be to fetch some from Rankinton.’

  ‘There should be some tools lying about somewhere,’ informed Bertie. ‘A crow-bar and a spade. At my suggestion a coloured deck-hand — cook, he called himself — took them along to the gang. He hadn’t got ‘em when he came back, so they must have been dumped.’ He had to explain about the Negro, of whom, of course, Biggles knew nothing.

  ‘The tools were left lying on the landslide,’ Tommy said. ‘I was there when they arrived. When that black type rolled up and said someone had sent him from the launch, I thought the gang would kill him. They realized that one of you must have found the boat and there was a rush to get back to it.’

  ‘I had to get rid of the fellow somehow, when I found him on board,’ Bertie said. ‘After he’d gone, and I’d collected a few odds and ends, I spilt a little paraffin on the floor and dropped a match on it. Sort of last-minute brainwave, if you see what I mean. It struck me it would be a good thing to cut off their retreat in case they beat us to the jackpot.’

  ‘I was with th
em,’ Tommy said. ‘You should have heard the cursing when they saw the launch on fire. But there was nothing they could do about it. The fire was sending up a cloud of smoke that must have been seen from the mainland had there been no fog. Which reminds me; I fancy the smoke was seen by a ship.’

  ‘A ship?’ queried Biggles quickly. ‘What sort of ship?’

  ‘I don’t know. I’m not a sailor. A fishing boat, I suppose. The sails were down, I imagine because there was no wind; but it had an engine of some sort. I could hear it. When I spotted the boat in the mist it seemed to be coming towards the island. I hoped it would. With the gang threatening to bump me off to get rid of me, now they realized I was no more use to them, I hoped it would arrive in time to rescue me. The fog was clearing a bit out to sea, so if we could see the boat, the crew must have seen the smoke. The gang saw the boat, of course. They started arguing about it, what it was likely to do, and so on. Maybe that was why they didn’t shoot me.’

  ‘What did the gang do with you?’

  ‘They left me in charge of the darkie and dashed off to catch the man who had set their launch on fire. They were so mad I don’t think they knew what they were doing. It was soon after they’d gone that I bolted into the wood with the Negro after me.’

  ‘I saw the gang coming back,’ put in Bertie. ‘If they hadn’t made so much noise they might have caught me.’

  ‘Does anyone know if this boat actually came to the island?’ asked Biggles.

  No one knew. ‘Does it matter?’ inquired Bertie.

  ‘It might matter a lot,’ Biggles answered seriously. ‘When the crew discovered what had happened, that the smoke was coming from a vessel on fire, they’d report it on the mainland, if that’s where they were making for when they saw the smoke. They might have sent a message by radio, if they had the equipment. The skipper might even have come ashore to see what was going on. I wonder what sort of tale the gang would tell him if he bumped into them. Was the launch really gutted?’

  ‘I couldn’t say for certain because I didn’t see the end of it,’ Tommy admitted. ‘But I think it must have been. It was burnt down to the water line, so anything left would sink.’

  This conversation had been carried on while everyone was busy on an overdue meal. ‘We’ll put what’s left in the cupboard; we may still need it,’ Biggles said.