Biggles in the Terai Read online

  ‘Mountains don’t affect an aircraft if it has the necessary altitude performance to keep them underneath it.’

  ‘True enough. But why should China import gold into India?’

  ‘One could think of political reasons why China would like to have a good supply of ready cash in India. Intelligence agents would have to be paid and there might be bribes to be handed out.’

  ‘Are you suggesting the Chinese government might be involved in this?’

  ‘It’s possible. As things are today nothing would surprise me. On the other hand the racket might be a private undertaking, with or without the connivance of the Chinese government. I’d keep an open mind about that. But one thing is certain. After the recent fuss between India and China, the Chinese must have plenty of agents in India. Where else is there north of Shara?’

  ‘Afghanistan is now a Soviet sphere of influence.’

  ‘I’d rule that out as being too far to the west. Algy would hardly base himself at Shara if he had reason to think the stuff was coming through the Khyber Pass. Russia has plenty of gold, but if she wanted to help India, having fallen out with China, there would be no need to smuggle the gold in.’

  ‘How about Nepal?’

  Biggles shook his head. ‘I can’t see the Nepalese government, even if it had gold to spare, lending itself to a smuggling racket. They’re wide awake, and if anyone was crazy enough to try anything like that on the quiet, he’d soon be spotted. Nepal is no country for casual aviation, anyway. It means putting your life in your engine. Anyhow, I’m pretty sure that if Algy was down in Nepal we’d have heard of it.’

  ‘That is, supposing the crash had been found.’

  ‘If you’re going to look at it like that, whether he’s down in the mountains, or in that green hell they call the Terai, it would be a waste of time to look for him. All the same, we can’t just leave it like that. Something will have to be done. His Hunter should be found if only to learn why it was forced down: I say forced down because I can’t see him trying to land for any other reason.’

  ‘You think we should look for him?’

  ‘Definitely. Someone will have to fly out to bring his Auster home, anyway.’

  ‘You feel like going yourself?’

  ‘With your permission I shall most certainly go. You could help me by arranging facilities with the Indian and Nepalese governments. They both have ministries in London.’

  ‘What shall I tell them?’

  ‘Not more than is absolutely necessary. I’d prefer to say nothing at all, but that isn’t practicable. Algy’s disappearance may be purely accidental, an ordinary hazard of flying; on the other hand someone may have got wind of what he was doing and put him on the spot to be liquidated. If that is so, what has happened to him could happen to me.’

  ‘Leave it to me,’ returned the Air Commodore. ‘It’s unfortunate that when Lacey wrote to you he didn’t give you a hint of where he was going and what he intended to do.’

  ‘He may have said too much as it is,’ replied Biggles grimly. ‘Someone may have seen that letter.’

  ‘But you say there was nothing in it that really mattered.’

  ‘What he did say, and the fact that the letter was addressed to me here at Scotland Yard, might have been enough to throw a hammer in the gears. Come to think of it, Algy did say the idea behind the racket was an original one, and when the net was cast there would be some queer fish in it. I’ll read his letter again to see if it’s possible to see anything between the lines. You don’t object to me going to India?’

  ‘Go if you feel you should.’

  ‘I most certainly do.’

  ‘Our friends in India will say they’ve done all that is humanly possible to find Lacey and I wouldn’t doubt that.’

  ‘Nor I. But someone with a personal interest, as I have, might go further than a disinterested party.’

  ‘You don’t feel like waiting a little while to see if Lacey turns up?’

  ‘No, sir. If he’s down he may still be alive. If he’s somewhere in the jungle every day is important. One might say every hour, certainly if he’s injured.’

  ‘Very well, but don’t be away too long. I’ll leave it to you to make your own arrangements. There’s no need for me to tell you what to do. Will you take anyone with you?’

  ‘I’d rather go alone; but as I shall fly out, as the quickest way of getting to the scene of operations, I shall have to take someone with me because there will be two machines to be brought home, my own and Algy’s Auster. I shall probably take Bertie with me. That will leave Ginger here to attend to anything urgent. I shall take the new Auster with the long-range tank. It may not be very fast, but it would be a suitable type for what I may have to do when I get to India.’

  ‘Very well. Let’s leave it like that. You’d better let me have a list of the things you’d like me to do — letters of introduction, and so on.’

  Biggles got up. ‘I’ll do that, sir, right away.’

  He made his way, deep in thought, back to his own office. ‘Bad news, chaps,’ he announced to Bertie and Ginger, who were there.

  ‘Spill it, old boy,’ requested Bertie cheerfully.

  ‘Algy’s missing.’

  Bertie’s expression changed. ‘Oh no!’

  ‘’Fraid so.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘The Chief has just had a chit from the Indian Office.’

  Ginger spoke. ‘How long ago did this happen?’

  ‘About ten days.’

  ‘What do they say? When we last heard from Algy he said he was nearly ready to come home.’

  ‘I know. Apparently something went wrong at the last minute, on his final sortie. All we know is he took off from Shara in a Hunter which he must have borrowed from the Indian Air Force. He was last seen heading north. He didn’t come back. It seems he didn’t land on any airfield within range, but quite obviously he’s somewhere on the carpet. Goodness only knows where that might be. I’m going out right away to look for him. That’s all we can do.’

  ‘Surely a search has been made for him?’

  ‘Of course, but so far without result. The searchers would simply be looking for a stray Hunter. They wouldn’t suspect foul play.’

  ‘You do?’

  ‘We’ve reason to. We know why he was there. So, I imagine, in view of what’s happened, did someone else.’

  ‘But look here, I say, old boy, what the deuce was Algy doing in a Hunter?’ inquired Bertie in a puzzled voice, polishing his eyeglass. ‘I mean to say, it doesn’t make sense.’

  ‘We may never know. There must have been a good reason.’

  ‘He was in a big hurry, perhaps.’

  ‘It’s more likely he was expecting trouble and wanted to be able to hit back should somebody go for him.’

  ‘Where’s his Auster?’

  ‘At Shara, where he left it.’

  ‘What are you going to do about this?’

  ‘The Chief has given me the okay to fly out and make inquiries on the spot.’

  ‘What about us?’

  ‘I’d rather go out alone, but someone will have to come with me to fly home Algy’s Auster if we can’t find him, or if he doesn’t turn up. I can’t fly two machines at once. Bertie, you’d better come. Don’t let’s have any argument about that.’

  Ginger looked disappointed. ‘What have I done wrong?’

  ‘Nothing. But we can’t all go. Someone will have to stay here to deal with anything urgent. Besides, if a posse of English police descended on Shara, some people might wonder what it was all about. I’d rather keep things as quiet as possible.’

  Ginger nodded. ‘I see that.’

  Biggles went on. ‘You might dig out all the letters we’ve had from Algy since he’s been away. It’s quite a while and for a start I’d like to refresh my memory. He may have said something, dropped a hint of how things were going, that didn’t hit me at the time. It’s a very different matter now.’

  Ginger open
ed a drawer, pulled out a manila folder and laid it on Biggles’s desk. ‘Here they are.’

  Biggles lit a cigarette and settled down to read.

  * * *

  1 Regular readers of the Biggles adventures may recall that Air Police Sergeant Algy Lacey had, on account of his experience, been temporarily seconded to the Indian Security Police to help them to unravel the mystery of how a considerable quantity of illicit gold continued to find its way into India in spite of all that had been done to put a stop to what was evidently a well-organized contraband racket with plenty of money behind it.

  And in case the reader should wonder why the smuggling of gold into India is such a lucrative occupation, the reasons should be explained. In the first place it is customary for certain classes to carry their worldly wealth on their persons, and gold is the most convenient way of doing this. Secondly, Indians do not care much for artificial jewellery. An Indian woman would rather have one thin piece of fine gold wire round her wrist than a dozen imitation gold bracelets.

  CHAPTER 2

  BIGGLES ARRIVES

  A week later an Auster aircraft, conspicuous for its British registration letters, landed on the dusty sunbaked airfield at Shara, a somewhat primitive-looking establishment by modern standards. Originally a British Supply and Maintenance Depot, it had been kept in use, with a skeleton staff, chiefly as a refuelling station because it happened to be a junction for one or two of the smaller regular Indian air services. There were no concrete runways, which dated it in the pre-jet age. A wind-stocking hung limply on its pole. However, there were two old-fashioned hangars, so no doubt the airfield served its purpose. Biggles, from inquiries he had made, was prepared for this.

  He taxied on slowly to the administrative buildings. Reaching them, out of the way of possible traffic, he stopped. The airscrew died. He got out. Bertie followed. After a brief survey of the scene, they walked on to the central block. An employee directed them to the office of the general manager. Reaching the door, Biggles took some letters from his pocket, selected one, returned the others to the pocket, and knocked. Receiving an invitation to enter, he opened the door and they walked in.

  There were two persons in the office, both of course, men of the country. One, a stoutish, middle-aged man dressed in a white linen uniform, sat at a large desk under a slowly-revolving electric fan. The other, a younger man and presumably an assistant or a clerk, occupied a table, with a typewriter, against the wall. He was well dressed and wore large horn-rimmed glasses. Through them he considered the visitors without a change of expression.

  ‘I’m looking for Mr Kama Akbar,’ announced Biggles. ‘I have a letter of introduction.’

  The man at the desk rose with a smile and offered his hand. ‘You won’t need it,’ he said in a cheerful, friendly voice. ‘I’m sure you must be Mr Bigglesworth. I’ve been expecting you, having been told you were on your way here. Please be seated. Can I send for some refreshment?’

  ‘Not at the moment, thank you. Presently, perhaps. This is my friend, Lord Lissie, although he prefers to be known as Mister Lissie. So you had word that I was coming!’

  ‘Yes. I was asked by my head office at Calcutta to give you every possible assistance. If it happens I am not here, my personal secretary, Mr Bula Din, will attend to you.’

  The man at the table stood up and bowed slightly. ‘At your service, gentlemen,’ he said smoothly, and resumed his seat.

  Biggles acknowledged the introduction and went on: ‘Then you know why we are here?’

  ‘I understand you have come to fetch the Auster plane which Mr Lacey left here.’

  ‘That is one reason,’ confirmed Biggles. ‘What is more important, we are hoping to learn what exactly happened to him, or even better, find him. We were very close friends. Do you mind if I smoke a cigarette?’

  ‘Not in the least. It happens that I don’t use tobacco, so I couldn’t offer you one. Anything we can do here to help you will be done, I assure you. We have done everything possible to find Mr Lacey, but with a limited number of aircraft at our disposal we couldn’t continue the search indefinitely.’

  ‘I understand that.’

  ‘Moreover — and I might as well be quite frank with you — I do not think Mr Lacey will now be found. There was really no point in continuing to look for him.’

  ‘You won’t mind if we try to prove you are wrong?’

  ‘Of course not. It will make me happy if you succeed.’

  ‘We shall need some service while we are here. I have brought British government carnets for petrol and oil, so you can be sure you will be paid for everything. I will leave them with you.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that.’

  ‘Where did Mr Lacey stay when he was here?’

  ‘We have a rest-house on the aerodrome for visitors. There is a small staff to take care of everything, including food if it is required.’

  ‘May we use it?’

  ‘Of course. That is why it is here. The refreshment room is open to anyone who has business at the aerodrome.’

  ‘Do you have a lot of visitors, then?’

  ‘Quite a few, mostly bona fide travellers and their friends who come to see them off. Some change planes here according to their destination.’

  Biggles hesitated for a moment. ‘May I ask you this? Did you know what Mr Lacey was doing here?’

  ‘I was not informed officially, but it was fairly obvious from the interest taken in him at Calcutta that he was in some way connected with our Security Service.’

  ‘That is more or less correct. Your London office asked for the help of someone with experience of Customs evasions. It was possible that British regular service planes, or the crews that travel with them, were involved. Mr Lacey was sent out to investigate that particular angle. In the first place he went to Calcutta. Later, apparently, he came here. Do you know why?’

  ‘No. He did not disclose the reason to me.’

  ‘How long was he here?’

  ‘Speaking from memory, I would say about three weeks. He had called once or twice before he came to stay.’

  ‘So you must have got to know him fairly well?’

  ‘Very well indeed. I found him a most courteous man and a delightful companion. He dined with me several times. I know all the staff here liked him. I, personally, was very upset when he failed to return from his last flight.’

  ‘Had you any reason to think he might not come back?’

  ‘No. Such a thought never entered my head. From what I saw of his flying he struck me as a competent pilot who took no unnecessary risks.’

  ‘Did he ever say anything to you to suggest there was a chance that he might not come back?’

  ‘I can’t recall anything. He was rather reserved. He didn’t talk about his work, at any rate to me; but he seemed to know exactly what he was doing.’

  Biggles nodded. ‘He would. He was that sort of man. I believe, for his last flight, he took off in a Hunter — a single-seater military type.’

  ‘That is so.’

  ‘Was this the first time he had flown off from here in a Hunter?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I imagine you were surprised to see him in such a machine?’

  ‘I was very surprised. But he did not take me into his confidence and it was not for me to ask questions.’

  ‘How did this come about? Where did he get the Hunter?’

  ‘All I can tell you is this. One day he came to me and said he would have to go to Calcutta. It was not the first time. He took off in his Auster and came back in a Hunter — one of those, I assumed, that had been left in India by NATO after the frontier trouble with China.’

  ‘Have you any idea at all why he wanted such an aircraft?’

  ‘No. He must have had some special purpose in mind, but he didn’t tell me what it was. I don’t think he intended using the Hunter regularly because his Auster was flown back here from Calcutta by one of our own pilots. You’ll find it in Number 2 hangar. The man in charg
e of it is the one who looked after Mr Lacey while he was here. I chose him myself.’

  ‘For any particular reason?’

  ‘Yes. For one thing he speaks English fluently. For another, he served for three years in your Air Force.’

  ‘Indeed. How did that happen?’

  ‘His name is Ram Singh. I knew him as a boy. His father, who died not long ago, was quite well off, so as the boy was anxious to make a career in aviation, he was able to send him to an aeronautical college in England. Then, to learn the practical side, he applied for enlistment in the Royal Air Force and was accepted. I was at Oxford myself at the time and saw quite a lot of him. Unfortunately your climate affected his health. He developed some chest trouble and was invalided out of the service. I advised him to return to India. Later I was able to get him a job here. He is a good fellow, intelligent, keen and energetic.’

  ‘Would you mind if I had a word with him?’

  ‘Not at all. Would you like me to send for him now?’

  ‘No, thanks. We’re not in all that hurry. I mustn’t take up too much of your time. Later on you can point him out to me.’

  ‘You think he may be able to help you?’

  ‘It is possible he may remember some remark made by Mr Lacey that would give us a clue as to where he was going in the Hunter.’

  ‘I have spoken to him myself. I don’t think he will be able to tell us more than we already know. However, you have a chat with him.’

  ‘Thanks. I’m much obliged.’

  The manager thought for a moment. Then he said: ‘What else do you intend to do while you are here?’

  ‘There’s only one thing I can do and that is make a search in the general direction of Mr Lacey’s last flight, which I understand was north of here.’

  ‘We’ve covered the ground thoroughly.’

  ‘I’m sure you have; but we can’t leave this mystery unsolved while there is the remotest chance of finding our friend, dead or alive.’

  ‘I understand how you feel,’ answered Mr Akbar sympathetically.

  ‘How far did your pilots carry their search?’ inquired Biggles.