In The Case of the Ivory Idol, Hobbs is an English planter with plantations in Kahore. He is also a friend of the ruling prince Prince Yuan Sukang.
When the brother of Prince Yuan Sukang murdered him in a bid for power, he triggered a revolution. The brother and fellow conspirators needed to escape from Kahore so they stole a De Havilland Gipsy Moth belonging to Hobbs for their getaway.
Subsequently Biggles and co. arrived in Kahore with the brother (posing as Prince Yuan) and his cousin Mr Kling. Ostensibly, they were there to retrieve an ivory statue for religious purposes. However, Hobbs met Ginger and exposed the brother's plot. Hobbs confronted the brother, who tried to draw a gun. But Hobbs was quicker and shot the brother. Mr Kling tried to flee but Hobbs shot him also. What started as an attempt by the false Prince Yuan to retrieve a statue for religious reasons turned out to be a pure grab for wealth. The hollow idol contained opium inside and Kling was found with two large rubies which he had prised from the eye sockets of the idol. Hobbs told Biggles that since the brother could fly, he would likely have shot everyone and stolen the plane.