Biggles' Chinese Puzzle is the first short story in the fifth anthology of Biggles Air Police short stories which is also entitled Biggles' Chinese Puzzle. The anthology was first published in May, 1955 by Brockhampton. The short story was first published in Boy’s Own Paper Volume 77, issue 1, in October 1954. In the anthology, this story is followed by The Case of the Modern Pirate.
Synopsis[]
Marcel has disappeared after travelling to Saigon to investigate a currency smuggling racket. Biggles and co. set off to Vietnam after him.
Plot[]
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Biggles learns from Captain Joudrier that Marcel Brissac has gone missing. He had gone to Saigon to investigate a currency smuggling racket and had not been heard from for six weeks. In Marcel's office, Joudrier and Biggles find an empty writing pad. By dusting it with carbon powder, some writing from the previous sheet can be discerned. It is a list of companies which had offices in Paris and Saigon. Among them is the Ching Loo organisation, a large business concern which owned much property in Saigon including the Pagpda Palace Hotel.
The Air Police crew all feel strongly that they should go to Marcel's aid. Interpol, they reasoned, was set up to promote cooperation between police forces across borders. Raymond gives permission, but only on condition that they go undercover.
Satisfied with this, Biggles and co. make their way to Saigon in a chartered civilian Halifax. Biggles and Ginger acted as the aircrew while Algy and Bertie posed as salesmen trying to sell a line of woollen clothing.
At the Pagoda Palace Hotel, Biggles discovers that Marcel had stayed there also, but had checked out. Curiously, the handwriting on the checking out entry was not Marcel's. The Air Police crew also meet an American pilot named Bollard. He is part of an American aid plan and flies aircraft from Saigon to Marseilles for reconditioning before flying back again. Perhaps having a little too much to drink, he tells them there are opportunities to earn something "on the side", and offers to introduce Biggles to Estere, the hotel manager and high up in the Ching Loo organisation. He is a useful person to know. Biggles later sees Bollard leaving Estere's office with a portfolio--this must be the way money is earned "on the side".
The next day, Biggles and Ginger go to the airport. They spot Bollard taking on a stowaway on his plane before departing for France. What's going on? Then, in a hangar, They see a Morane. They notice it was once blue but now carelessly painted over in a camouflage scheme. Marcel's plane was blue. Biggles asks around at the airport but nobody wants to talk about the Morane.
Back at the hotel, Estere calls Biggles up. He wants to know why Biggles has been asking questions about the Morane. Saigon is a dangerous place to be asking questions. He also hints that Biggles shouldn't stay in town too long. As Biggles is leaving, a man comes in to show Estere a newspaper. Estere appears worried.
Biggles gets the same newspaper and they learn what had rattled Estere. On the front page is a picture of Marcel! The news story says he is a dangerous renegade and murderer who had been captured but had escaped during the night.
Where would Marcel go if he had escaped? Biggles reasons that as an aviator, he would head for the airport with the hope of stealing an aircraft. The Air Police crew head there and patrol the perimeter, speaking English and singing R.A.F. songs, hoping Marcel would recognise them.
There is still no sign of Marcel at dawn. Ginger now suggests that Biggles take off and fly around in the Halifax. Marcel might see and recognise it. This plan works. Ginger spots movement in the bushes and calls out to Marcel and he responds. But now a jeep carrying two military policemen have also seen them and approach. There is no time for argument--Algy and Bertie pounce on them and soon overpower them. Marcel has passed out. It would take too long to carry him to the Halifax. Ginger suggests using the jeep. They would drive through the main airport entrance wearing the red kepis of the military policemen. This ruse works and the vehicle ploughs through the gate and the outstretched arms of people trying to stop them.
They reach the Halifax with their pursuers still far away and manage to take off safely. Marcel tells his story--he had been kidnapped by Ching Loo's men and brought to his country house but had escaped. He then revealed his identity to the police but they were in Ching Loo's pay and so he had been arrested to await trial as a renegade.
The Halifax reaches Marseilles before Bollard. When the latter arrives, the French police promptly take him into custody. His portfolio contains, as expected, smuggled currency notes. Bollard is made to "deliver" the package to his destination, where more arrests are made. Bollard, angry at being deceived (he thought the portfolio contained only business documents), cooperated with the police and with his help the rest of the Ching Loo organisation is shut down.
Characters[]
The Special Air Police/Scotland Yard[]
- Air Commodore Raymond
- Biggles
- Algy Lacey
- Ginger Hebblethwaite
- Bertie Lissie
Others[]
Aircraft[]
Places[]
Visited[]
- London, Scotland Yard - Biggles' office
- Paris
- Police Headquarters
- Saigon
- Airport - probably Tân Sơn Nhất Airfield as it was known then
- Pagoda Palace Hotel
- Marseilles
- Marignane Airport
- Rangoon
- Rome