14 Biggles Goes To War by Captain W E Johns Read Free Book Online

England, the better,' he muttered.
    'I wouldn't go so far as to say that - at least, not at this stage.' replied Biggles. 'But of this I am certain. For some reason or other, Bethstein would rather we had not come here, and that being the case, we can't trust him to look after our interests. We haven't been in the country five minutes, but already we are faced with problems that we may find it difficult to answer.'
    'Such as?'
    'Those machines this morning. How did it happen that they were right on our route? Was that a fluke, do you suppose? It might be, but I don't trust flukes. It is far more likely that they had been sent out to intercept us; if that is so, who sent them? How did the enemy know that we were arriving today? But there, perhaps it's no use worrying ourselves about these things now. Let's get some food inside us. We'll have a conference later on.
    From now onwards we must wear our uniforms. That, at least, gives us sufficient excuse to carry pistols, and from what I can see we're going to need them before we're through.
    I'll see you both in the dining-room in ten minutes.'
    The meal, served in the raftered banqueting hall, was a great success. A huge log fire blazed in the open hearth, and the genial Josef, who had evidently put himself out to do honour to his guests, waited on them himself. And they did justice to his efforts. The dining-hall was, of course, a
    public room, but possibly because of the threat of war that hung over the city, there were few visitors, and with the exception of one or two widely separated lunchers, the airmen had the room to themselves.
    Biggles yawned as he finished his coffee and pushed back his chair. 'My goodness, I'm tired,' he confessed. 'I feel I could sleep until the cows come home again.'
    'I can hardly hold my head up,' declared Ginger. 'It must be the air, or the excitement this morning.'
    'Possibly the fact that we didn't get any sleep last night has something to do with it,'
    suggested Biggles, mildly sarcastic.
    'I think a nap would do us all good,' announced Algy; 'I shall be no good until I've had one, anyway.
    'Come on, then,' decided Biggles. 'Let's go and have a rest. We'll forgather again just before tea and have a council of war.'
    Several pairs of eyes were on them as they stood up, neat and smart in their new uniforms, and made their way slowly upstairs.

    Chapter 6
    An Unexpected Visitor
    Biggles awoke with a start. With a single movement he sat upright on the bed on which he had been lying. Something had awakened him, he knew. What was it? The room was in darkness, which told him that he must have slept longer than he intended, but how late it was
    he did not know. Feeling quietly in his pocket, he found a box of matches and struck one.
    A quick glance around showed him that there was no one in the room, so con-cluding that he had, after all, awakened in the ordinary way, he moved across to the oil lamp with which the room was provided. He lighted it, and had just replaced the glass chimney when there came a soft tap on his door. There was something almost furtive in the gentle knock, and he knew that it could not have been made by Algy or Ginger, who would have followed up the knock by walking in.
    Four quick strides took him to the door, and with a swift movement he threw it open. In the corridor stood an old woman, dressed in black, almost nun-like garments, a basket of flowers over her arm. Behind her stood another woman, but her head was bowed so that he could not see her face. He was about to make signs that he did not want any flowers when, to his astonishment, the old woman, after a swift glance up and down the corridor, laid a finger on her lips. Wonderingly, but alert for danger, he took a step backwards.
    Instantly he was followed into the room
    by the two women. With a swift movement, surprisingly swift for one of her age, the old woman placed the basket of flowers on the floor and locked the door on the inside.
    Wheeling round, her eyes