Part 4 (1/2)

Instinctively Biggles glanced in the direction indicated, and as he did so a movement caught his eye. He looked again and saw that he had not been mistaken. A German soldier was creeping towards them, taking cover between the rocks. Others were there too, to left and right. Quickly Biggles looked behind him and saw more Germans advancing stealthily through the trees that cloaked the side of the hill.

'What's wrong?' asked the sailor sharply, taking alarm from the expression on Biggles's face.

I'm afraid you're out of luck, old man,' returned Biggles quietly. 'We're surrounded. Are you armed?' 'We haven't a weapon between us.'

'Then you'd be wise to give yourselves up. There's no sense in throwing your lives away uselessly.'

'You're talking about us. What are you going to do?' asked the sailor suspiciously.

Biggles could already see a plan by which the incident might be turned to good account, but it depended largely on the courage and fort.i.tude of the sailor. He drew his automatic.

'What the-' began the sailor aghast, but Biggles cut him short.

Answer my questions quickly,' he said. 'I'm a British spy, and I'm going to put my life in your hands. I've got to get back to England with vital information. Got that?'

'Yes,' gasped the sailor.

'What's your name?'

evans-Bill Evans.'

It's in your power to help me-and the country. Will you do it? You'll be taken prisoner, anyway, so it won't make things any worse for you.'

'What d'you want me to do?'

'First, put your hands up. That will lead the Jerries to think I've captured you.'

The sailor raised his hands.

Biggles went on quickly, for he could see the Germans fast closing in.

'They think I'm a German agent,' he said. 'After you're taken I shall come to question you. I shall ask if you had anyone else with your party. At first you will refuse to answer, but under pressure you'll admit that a Britisher named Bigglesworth attached himself to you. When I ask what's become of him you'll say he left you-stole a dinghy and rowed out to a steamer. Got the name right?'

'Bigglesworth.'

'That's it. Actually, I'm Bigglesworth, and I've got to make it look as if I've escaped out of the country - understand?'

'Yes.'

'Fine. That's all. Act as you never acted before. Remember, however tough your plight may seem, mine is a lot worse. One slip and it's a firing party for me.'

'By gos.h.!.+ You've sure got a nerve,' muttered the sailor admiringly. 'I won't let you down.'

'Thanks, pal. If you get back home and I don't, find Colonel Raymond of British Intelligence and tell him that you saw me, and that I did my best. Prime your friends about Bigglesworth, but don't tell them more than you need, and on no account let them know it's me. Simply tell them to remember that Bigglesworth got away on a s.h.i.+p-a slim fellow with fair hair. Now take me to the others.'

Still with his hands up, Biggles walking close behind him with the pistol raised, the sailor marched stiffly into the dell. The others sprang up in dismay when they appeared.

'Hands up, everybody,' ordered Biggles curtly. 'March out into the open in single file.'

'Do what you're told, boys,' said Evans tersely.

Slowly the weary sailors raised their hands, and at the expression on their faces Biggles nearly weakened. He would have much preferred to fight side by side with them.

Out you go,' he said shortly.

At that moment the German troops sprang up and ran forward. An officer was at their head.

Biggles received them with a cold smile. 'You've arrived at a useful moment,' he said harshly, showing his Gestapo pa.s.s. 'I saw these fellows skulking among the rocks so I went after them. You'd better get them to a safe place.' As he spoke he took out his armlet and replaced it on his sleeve.

The German officer, who was quite young, was all politeness. 'Leave them to me,' he answered. 'Forgive me for saying so, but you shouldn't have risked your life as you did.

These fellows are a desperate lot and they might have attacked you. We've been following them for some time, to round them up.'

'No harm done,' returned Biggles briefly. 'I must get on, so I'll leave you to finish the job.

' With a curt nod he got back into his car and drove on into the town.

Even before he reached it he saw that what the sailor had told him was only too true.

German troops were everywhere, and five destroyers lay in the fiord. There was also a number of flying-boats and seaplanes.

He went straight to General Head-quarters and asked to see the officer in charge of operations. He had to wait a few minutes; then two senior naval officers came out and he was shown in.

A Colonel, with his adjutant at his elbow, received him coldly but politely. From their manner Biggles judged that they had little love for the Gestapo, but feared them too much to be anything but civil. He showed his pa.s.s.

I'm looking for an English spy named Bigglesworth,' he said without wasting words. 'He bolted from Oslo, heading north. We have good reason to think that he was coming here.

Have you any English prisoners?'

'Yes, we have a few.' The Colonel looked at his adjutant.

eighteen, sir, I think.'

'Have they been examined?' inquired Biggles. Of course.'

Is Bigglesworth among them?'

'He may be, but if he is he didn't give that name,' answered the adjutant.

I'd better see them,' said Biggles curtly.

The adjutant took him to a small schoolroom which was being used as a prison camp.

Several sentries were on guard. The prisoners were paraded. They stood in a line, coldly hostile, defiant, in spite of the state they were in, for they all looked as if they had been through a bad time. There were one or two Air Force uniforms, but most of the men were sailors. One, a leathery-faced old salt, cursed Hitler and everything German in a steady stream of invective.

Biggles glanced at him. 'Shut up!' he snapped, 'or I'll give you something to curse about, Schweinehund.' He walked slowly along the line.