That"s a relief," he muttered. "But how did it happen-I mean, how did the fleet get the message?"
I don"t know the details," answered the captain. "All I know is that one of our Intelligence blokes-a fellow named Bigglesworth, so it was said-got into touch with the skipper of a trawler. The skipper sent a signal to the Admiralty, and the Admiralty issued fresh orders to the fleet. That"s all there was to it."
"But the trawler was sunk by a torpedo," burst out Ginger.
"That"s right-but that happened afterwards. The skipper had already been in touch with the Admiralty. Shortly afterwards another signal came through from the same trawler, this time an SOS, to say that they had been torpedoed and were sinking. One of our destroyers hurried along and picked up most of the survivors. Apparently some time was spent looking for the fellow who had brought the message about the trap that had been laid for the fleet, but he couldn"t be found."
"For a very good reason," put in Ginger, smiling. "He had already been picked up by the U-boat. It was me." He looked at Biggles. "So that"s how it happened."
"That"s it," continued the skipper. "I"ll put you ash.o.r.e as soon as I can. Meanwhile, is there anything you want?"
"Plenty," returned Biggles promptly. Among other things a bath, a square meal, a comfortable bunk, and home."
If that"s all, I think we can supply the lot," grinned the naval officer. "We"re going back to port to refit-in fact, we"re setting a course for home right now. Come below and I"ll fix you up with the rest."
"Lead on," invited Biggles.
Five hours later, without misadventure, the destroyer steamed slowly into an east coast port. The comrades, washed and refreshed by a short sleep, watched the landing-jetty creep nearer.
"Do you see what I see?" murmured Ginger.
I think so," replied Biggles. "You mean Colonel Raymond? I expected that he"d be here.
I got the skipper to send a signal saying that we were aboard."
As the destroyer was made fast Colonel Raymond came briskly across the gangway. "
Welcome home," he said cheerfully. "Between ourselves, I was just beginning to wonder if you ever would get home," he confessed.
"You didn"t wonder about that as much as we did, I"ll warrant," remarked Biggles grimly.
If you"ve come here to say that something, somewhere, is waiting to be done, then I"ll tell you right away that you"ve come to the wrong place."
Oh dear! I"m sorry to hear that," announced the Colonel in a pained voice.
Biggles looked at him suspiciously. "Then you had got something on your mind?"
"Yes. As a matter of fact, I had a little idea," admitted the Colonel. "I"ve got my car here, and I thought perhaps a bite of dinner at the Savoy -"
Biggles caught him by the arm. "That"s different," he declared emphatically. "If that"s the next mission, let"s get right along. When you hear what we"ve got to tell you I think you"ll agree that we"ve earned it."