The Bledoe Cadets and the Bald Man of Pengriffen was the first short story in the Lethbridge-Stewart series anthology The HAVOC Files 3.
Plot[]
The Pengriffen fougou is part of local legend in Bledoe, rumoured to move around and capture the unwary, and children are warned away from the moors. While young Alistair is still young enough to believe, James Lethbridge-Stewart and the Bledoe Cadets gang do not. When they find Alistair spying on them one day (hoping to learn their plans so he can 'run into them'), James decides they'll take him to the fougou and threaten to leave him their overnight as a 'lesson'.
Henry is greatly into this idea but has to leave early to help at his parent's pub. While there, Henry overhears people talking about a bald stranger seen around Pengriffen - one spotted trying to strangle Ma Boucher's geese. Realising the Cadets may be in danger, he runs to catch up, unaware that the Cadets gave up on the plan halfway through the walk and decided Alistair had been punished enough. When he gets near the fougou, he is captured by the bald man: Mad Jim Cliskey, a career criminal escaped from Dartmoor.
Learning Henry never returned home that night, James and Alistair gather Raymond and Jemima to search Pengriffen in case Henry's hurt himself. Henry himself is in a state of terror as Cliskey threatens to kill him if he cries out to searchers or doesn't help him in his plan to reach accomplices at Polperro. James, leaving the other Cadets bar Alistair behind as backup, becomes increasingly aware Henry must have been abducted.
When they reach the fougou and spot the bald man, James has Alistair search it while he pursues. Alistair finds Henry but is told to go to the others to get help instead of freeing him - and spots James has been captured before he runs. He is able to find the police, looking for a lost sheep that the bald man has killed, and reports the problem. The constables are able to save the boys and arrest Cliskey (where James and Henry help subdue him before he can flee).
Afterwards, the adults tell the children to drop this "Cadets" business and stop having adventures. Alistair, however, asks James if he can be a Cadet now - he's still too young.
Characters[]
- Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart
- James Lethbridge-Stewart
- Raymond Phillips
- Henry Barns
- Jemima Fleming
- Mary Lethbridge-Stewart
- Jim Cliskey
- PC Lyons
Worldbuilding[]
- Mary is reading Alistair Gulliver's Travels.
- The Cadets meet in the disused barn at Puckator Farm.
- Alistair is usually dumped in puddles or cowpats when he interferes with the Cadets, most of whom find him annoying and justify it as him needing to make his own fun. Raymond is less bothered and pretends the walk to the fougou is too long in order to annoy everyone into giving up the walk.
- The police are based out of nearby Liskeard.
- There are other members of the Bledoe Cadets, but they're all out of town for the summer holidays.
- Jim Cliskey escaped from Dartmoor prison.
Notes[]
- This story takes place during Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart's childhood, in the summer of 1937.
- This story is a "pure historical" featuring no science fiction elements at all.
- The plot harkens back to early 20th century "boys own" type adventures.
Continuity[]
- Gordon Conall Lethbridge-Stewart is away fighting the Second World War. (PROSE: The Man from Yesterday)
- Alistair has heard spooky tales of nearby Lanyon Moor. (AUDIO: The Spectre of Lanyon Moor)
External links[]
to be added
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