Bertie Joins the Lido

[Fairblue]

"I," said Algy, grandly, "can multitask."

[Kismet]

It was a shame that Algy tripped over a tree root as he said this. Biggles roared with laughter.

[RAAF Spitfire Girl]

"There are some things in life that are meant to remain mysteries," he said as he helped Algy to his feet.

[Kismet]

They took the tourist train to the caves which were rather larger than they expected. Biggles found the marks made by the smugglers to guide them in the dark on the cliff face very interesting. He opened his mouth to tell the others what he had learned from the guide book.

[Fairblue]

Algy nudged him in the ribs and indicated with a slight nod of the head to a group off men who were standing a little apart from the others.

[Kismet]

They looked as if they were waiting whilst a guided tour finished. Biggles consulted his map of the caves with the alternative routes plotted out.

[Fairblue]

"We'll hav to find somewhere to hide when the tour's finished," he whispered to Algy, "then we can see what they're up to. How about here?" And he pointed to a spot on the map.

[Kismet]

The tour was very interesting. Biggles asked the guide lots of questions about the pirates and smugglers who had used these caves, but used his eyes as well as his tongue to identify hiding places.

[Fairblue]

Eventual, though, the guide started to wind down. Biggles and the others made their way over to their chosen hiding place.

[Kismet]

Soon the men arrived and began their meeting. Biggles was able to get some good shots of all the men. Montague was the only one whom he recognised. From a sixth sense, he thought von Stalhein was here, too, in one of the other galleries.

[Fairblue]

It was easier than Biggles thought to listen in to the conversation. The walls of the cave, by a peculiar quirk of nature, carried sound quite far, and the airmen, sitting quietly, could distinguish almost every word.

[RAAF Spitfire Girl]

"What are we going to do with the young guy Maurice caught snooping around the villa?" asked a surprisingly cultured English voice.

[Kismet]

Biggles wondered if they meant Ginger, Bertie or someone else and if Maurice could possibly be one of Von Stalhein's pseudonyms.

[Fairblue]

"What? The red-headed guy? Didn't von Stahlein insist on taking him back to his owner?"

[Kismet]

They planned away. With great satisfaction, Biggles recorded it all. Raymond would be delighted with this information.

[RAAF Spitfire Girl]

But what had happened to Ginger, Biggles wondered. Von Stalhein hadn't mentioned him and certainly hadn't delivered him "to his owner."

[Kismet]

Well, he'd delivered a very dirty Ginger back to him. Biggles didn't like to be thought of as Ginger's owner but he supposed, in this context, he was.

[RAAF Spitfire Girl]

He glanced across at where the very dirty Ginger was huddled against the rock. He was rather annoyed that Biggles hadn't given him a chance to clean up properly. Nor had he taken the time to listen properly to Ginger's story.

[Fairblue]

But Biggles couldn't spare any time for Ginger's finer feelings right now. The meeting was breaking up and he had a decision to make.

[RAAF Spitfire Girl]

Algy leant closer the Biggles. "What are you planning on doing?" he asked softly.

[Fairblue]

"We've got to get Montague," Biggles muttered, "the others too, if we can.ni'm just wondering what the best way is to go about it."

[RAAF Spitfire Girl]

"Why not just rush 'em?" suggested Algy practically. "We could take them by surprise."

[Fairblue]

Biggles nodded. He was suddenly fed up of the whole affair and just wanted the whole affair to end.

[RAAF Spitfire Girl]

"All right, chaps. Let's take them." Before the gang knew what had happened the SAP had them surrounded.

[Kismet]

They were going to be in a lot of trouble with Raymond shortly, for arresting people on Spanish soil without permission from the Spanish authorities, but at the moment, Biggles wasn't thinking about that. He was trying to work out what to do now he'd surrounded a group of people in a cave which would be visited by another tourist group and guide very shortly.