'How can you get them back? Czechoslovakia is a big place.'

'These men aren't necessarily in Czechoslovakia, although I admit the evidence points that way. This agent has a Czech pa.s.sport, and the letter Ross received came from Prague, although no address was given.'

'Then how the deuce can you hope to find these fellows?'

'I can think of only one way,' answered Biggles gravely. 'Ross will have to help us.'

'Ross?' The Colonel stared. 'He doesn't know where they are.' 'He will, if he accepts the proposition that has been put up to him.'

The Colonel blinked. 'Great heavens, man! Are you suggesting that Ross goes off like the others?'

'It may come to that if all else fails.'

'It would be sending the man to certain death!'

'Possibly. But what is one life against seven a" that we know of? There may be other poor fools there, from other units. Naturally, before Ross takes another step he would have to be warned of his danger. In any case the decision would rest with him. I think he'

d do anything to save his chum, Macdonald, although I imagine the official view will not concern itself with individuals, who are deserters, anyway. Military Intelligence will be more anxious to know for what purpose these fellows are being used.'

'You think Ross might write and tell us where they all are, when he joins them?'

Biggles shook his head. 'I hardly think he'd be allowed to do that, sir.

The letter that Macdonald was alleged to have written was either a forgery or else it was produced under pressure. If Ross went I should follow him. But it hasn't come to that yet.'

'Sounds devilish dangerous to me.'

"Danger" is a word I didn't expect to hear used here.' The Colonel flushed.

'Let's take our fences as we come to them,' suggested Biggles. 'We may get the information we want without losing sight of Ross.' 'What do you propose?'

'I suggest that we put the matter fairly to Ross, pointing out which way his duty lies a"

although I think he knows that already. For the moment he can go on meeting the man at the caf, as if he is still unable to make up his mind. It would be something if he could learn how his comrades were got out of the country After all, it would be reasonable for him to ask questions before deciding on a step as irrevocable as desertion. If Ross fails to get any further information by these methods, we'll have to consider the next step.'

'Could we trust Ross to play the game? It's a big responsibility for a fellow of his age and experience.'

'I can see no alternative. If I'm any judge of a man, Ross is as sound as a bell. He'll do his best. After all he has a personal interest, in his friend Macdonald.'

'All right. Let's have him in and hear how he feels about it. I can put him on indefinite leave.'

'One more question,' said Biggles. 'Have the next-of-kin of these deserters been questioned, to find out if anything is known of their whereabouts?'

'We sent a military escort to the home of every man concerned, that being the most likely place to find him. In each case the escort returned saying that the man was not there, and nothing had been heard of him.'

'No letters?'

'Not a word. And that's probably true, because in some cases the mothers of these fellows were very upset.'

'Which confirms that they are not allowed to write letters, or one of them at least would have got in touch with his home.'

Ross was brought back into the room.

Biggles took up the conversation. 'Now I want you to listen to me very carefully, Ross,'

he began. 'The matter we have been discussing is far more serious than you may have supposed. Because I think you can help us, and those of your comrades, who, believe me, have practically thrown their lives away, I am going to take you fully into my confidence. But before I do that I want your word that, having started, you won't go back on us.'

'I willa"'

'Just a minute. What I am going to ask you to do is dangerous. One slip may cost you your life. The man you have met at the caf is one of the most ruthless spies in Europe.

He's a Prussian. And there are even more dangerous men behind him. They would think no more of killing you, if they thought you were working for me, than they would of swotting a fly. Now, what do you say? Are you prepared to work under my instructions?

There's no compulsion about it. You are within your rights to say no, if you'd rather keep out.'

'I'll do anything you say, sir.'

'Even though the business may cost you your life before we are through with it?'

'If I'd been afraid of dying I wouldn't have joined the army.'

'That's the way to talk. Now we've got that clear, I'll go on. What we've got to do is this.

We've got to find out where this fancy regiment is stationed, and bring our fellows back.

They'll be glad enough to come, I'll warrant. For the moment, we'll learn all we can, here.

I want you to go on seeing this man, behaving as though you can't make up your mind. In his attempts to win you over he may let one or two things drop. It would be natural for you to want to know just where you are going, and how you're going to get there. Pretend to be nervous about travelling abroad, to find out if you would go alone or with an escort.

See what I mean?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Just go on talking a" and listening. That's all I can tell you. You'll have to use your intelligence. I'll give you one tip. Don't on any account allow yourself to be persuaded to take strong drink. Alcohol loosens a man's tongue faster than anything a" and you might say too much.

Understand?'

'Yes, sir.'

'I shall be about. Tell the adjutant when you have anything to report, and he'll send for me. That's enough for now. It may be only a beginning.

Eventually you may have to accept this man's offer, in order to reach Macdonald. If so, I shan't be far away from you.

But we'll talk about that when the time comes. Meanwhile, this spy must suspect nothing.

Let's leave it like that.' Biggles turned to the Colonel. 'That's all, sir.'

When the soldier had been dismissed Biggles stood up. 'There's nothing more we can do for the moment,' he said. 'The next move will depend on what Ross has to report. I shall be at Scotland Yard. Give me a ring and I'll come straight down.'

'You know, I can't help feeling that this matter is so serious that it ought to be reported to the Higher Authority,' said the Colonel.

'It's because it's so serious that I've refrained from doing that myself,' returned Biggles. '

You don't need me to tell you that if one person outside this room learns what is going on, a hundred people will know, and the next thing the story will be in the newspapers.

That would relieve me of a lot of trouble because the matter would then pa.s.s out of my hands. It would also save the enemy all the trouble I am going to cause him if I can handle the thing my way. Report the business to the War Office if you feel you must, sir, but, with all respect, I submit that if you do you can say goodbye to any chance of getting these spies b.u.t.toned up, or of bringing home the fools who thought they were going to a military paradise, but have found themselves in the other place. All I ask is, if you decide to report the matter officially, tip me off in time to do the same.'

'If things go wrong I shall get a rap.'

'So will Ross a" on the head. And so, probably, will I.'

The Colonel hesitated. 'I'll do nothing for the moment,' he decided.

'We'll give things a day or two to see how they go.'

'Very well, sir. A final piece of advice. Keep away from the "Stand Easy." I say that because you may be tempted to have a look at this man who has reduced your ranks. If he sees you staring at him, he'll guess why. He was trained in the right school, and he's been at this game all his life. Good day, gentlemen. I'm sorry to give you all this trouble.

The only consolation I can offer is, had I not stepped in it might have got worse.'

Biggles went out, got into his car, put on a pair of dark gla.s.ses and pulled the rim of his hat well down. He wasn't taking any chances of being seen in Caterham by Erich von Stalhein.

CHAPTER III.

Biggles Makes His Plans.

As he drove back to the Yard, Biggles decided that he had every eason to be satisfied with his visit to Caterham. To have discovered so quickly, and with so little trouble, what von Stalhein was doing in the country exceeded his most optimistic hopes. But, as he perceived, by solving this problem he had set himself some even more difficult ones. Not only difficult ones, but dangerous ones. He was more than a little perturbed by the gravity of what he had learned, and while he felt disinclined to carry the responsibility of dealing with the matter within his own department, he was equally reluctant, for security reasons, to report officially what he knew. Apart from the risk of careless talk, spies, he was well aware, were everywhere, even in the most surprising places. Von Stalhein would need only one whiff of suspicion that his activities were under surveillance, and the difficulties and dangers would be increased tenfold. Quite apart from that, with the world political situation already strained, the mishandling of the affair might do immense mischief.

Biggles wondered how many men had already been recruited from the Western Powers; for it seemed safe to suppose that if British troops were being taken, there would be others. The t.i.tle International Brigade suggested troops of several countries. Again, was von Stalhein working alone in Britain, or were other agents at work at other military depots? As for the men who had been crazy enough to go, it was easy to imagine the conditions in which they now found themselves. That they would repent their action was certain. But what could they do about it? Even if a means of escape presented itself, they would hardly dare to take it, knowing that they would be arrested for desertion as soon as they landed in Britain. Once the enemy had them in his power he could force them to do anything. They would go from bad to worse until they were so hopelessly compromised that they would have to stay abroad for the rest of their lives, whether they liked it or not.

Biggles remembered that there had been more than one case of men of the Occupation Forces in Germany a" British, American and French a" being seized and carried by force behind the Iron Curtain. Apparently this method of getting recruits was not successful; hence the new trick. Still pondering these matters, Biggles walked into the office to find the others waiting, and looking at him expectantly.

'What's the news?' asked Ginger.

'Grim,' answered Biggles, and, sitting down at his desk, narrated the result of his inquiries. Not until he had finished did anyone speak.

'Sounds as if von Stalhein has turned Communist,' remarked Algy.

'When he worked for Hitler in the war he was a n.a.z.i,' reminded Ginger.

'I think he would make no bones about being anything that suited him,'

said Biggles. '

Primarily he was a soldier, and few soldiers have much time for politics.

Von Stalhein is really concerned only with two things a" himself and Germany. He is interested to some extent in money, of course, because he has to have money to live in the style to which he has always been accustomed. He has reached the stage when he isn'

t particular how he gets it.'

'Are you going to tell the Chief about this?' asked Ginger.

'I shall have to,' replied Biggles. 'If things went wrong I should have no valid excuse for keeping the information to myself. I'm still turning the question over in my mind. I may wait to see what tomorrow brings forth.'

'Are you seriously thinking of letting Ross accept von Stalhein's offer?'

Algy asked.

'If all else fails, yes. We can't let the thing go on.'

'If you ever lose sight of Ross he'll have had it,' averred Algy. 'If the men who have already gone haven't been able to get in touch with home, he won't be able to. Once he is given a civilian hat, and a ticket to leave the country, von Stalhein won't take his eyes off him until he's on his way. What I mean is, he wouldn't be able to take any escape equipment with him. He wouldn't have an earthly chance of getting in touch with you, or anyone else. Von Stalhein would see to that.'

'We'll deal with such problems when they arise,' answered Biggles. 'We haven't come to them yet.'

The question was still being discussed at six o'clock when Inspector Gaskin came in.

'Any more news?' asked Biggles quickly.

'Nothing to speak of,' replied the detective, knocking out his pipe and putting it in his pocket. 'I went to the Grosvenor today while our friend was out and had a look over his suite. He went to Caterham again. I had a man trailing him.'

'Did you find anything?'

'Just a couple of things that puzzled me. Here's one of them.' The inspector opened his notebook and took out a loose page. 'There was a slip of paper in a drawer. It had some letters on it; looks like some sort of code. I made a copy. Take a look. Do these letters mean anything to you?'

A curious expression came over Biggles' face as he looked at the slip.

'They certainly do mean something to me,' he said in a hard voice. 'In fact, they mean quite a lot. These are the registration letters of all our aircraft.'

The Inspector whistled softly. 'Does that mean he knows you're on the job?'

'I don't think so,' answered Biggles slowly. 'I don't see how he could know. But he knows where my machines are kept. There's no secret about that. I should say he's made a note of our registration marks either for his own information, or to pa.s.s on to his friends in Europe, in case any of our machines were seen. He's very thorough, is von Stalhein.'

'The only other thing that seemed a bit odd was a box of ties a"

neckties,' went on the Inspector.

'What's queer about that? Most men wear a tie.'

'True. But most men buy one tie at a time, and unless it's a club or regimental tie, it's usually a different design from those they already have. I found a box with eleven ties in it. They were brand new, and all alike.'

Ginger interposed. 'Did these ties happen to be black with red spots?'

The Inspector looked surprised 'They did.'