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The Laughing Spy is a short story which was first published in The Modern Boy Issue 329, 26th May 1934. The story was subsequently gathered and published in 1935 in the Boys' Friend Library edition of Biggles Learns to Fly where it spanned chapters 11 and 12.

The original Modern Boy short story was divided into three sections with subtitles Biggles' Special Mission, Anxious Moment! and The Decoy. The 1935 BFL edition used the chapter titles Biggles' Special Mission and The Decoy. Subsequent editions such as Brockhampton and Armada recombined the two chapters back into one as Special Mission. In the Modern Boy sequence, this story is preceded by Knights of the Sky and followed by Biggles' Bulls-Eye.

This story is notable for being the first time that Biggles meets Major Raymond.

Synopsis[]

Major Raymond asks Biggles to land a spy far behind German lines and to return to pick him up later.

Plot[]

(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)

Characters[]

Aircraft[]

  • F.E.2b

Places[]

Visited[]

  • 169 Squadron
  • Area around Aille

Mentioned[]

Editorial Changes[]

  • Talking to Mapleton after the drop, Biggles says he will very soon be going to "fetch my bowler-hatted brother back!" This is changed to "bowler-hatted pal" in Brockhampton, Armada and Red Fox.
  • At the end, Biggles says, "Your sort of warm jolly well gets me overheated!" This is changed to "Your sort of warm gets me overheated!" in Brockhampton, Armada and Red Fox.

Other Research Notes[]

References to the past[]

Incongruities[]

Chronology[]

(see also table at Timeline of the Biggles Stories)

  • There is mention of "early spring frosts". So around April 1917.

Publication History[]

  • The Modern Boy, Issue 329, 26th May 1934
  • Biggles Learns to Fly, Boy's Friend Library 1935 (as Chapter 11: Biggles' Special Mission, Chapter 12: The Decoy)
  • Biggles Learns to Fly, Norman Wright, 2009

References[]

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