In a few words Sir Lyster explained the reason of John Dene"s visit.
Sir Bridgman listened with the keen interest of one to whom his profession is everything.
"Now, Mr. Dene," said Sir Lyster when he had finished, "perhaps you will continue."
In short, jerky sentences John Dene outlined his scheme of operations, the others listening intently. From time to time Sir Bridgman or Admiral Heyworth would interpolate a question upon some technical point, which was promptly and satisfactorily answered. John Dene seemed to have forgotten nothing.
For two hours the four sat discussing plans for a campaign that was once and for all to put an end to Germany"s submarine hopes.
During those two hours the three Englishmen learned something of the man with whom they had to deal. Sir Bridgman"s tact, cheery personality and understanding of how to handle men did much to improve the atmosphere, and gradually John Dene"s irritation disappeared.
It was nearly three o"clock before all the arrangements were completed.
John Dene was to receive a temporary commission as commander as soon as the King"s signature could be obtained. The _Destroyer_ was entered on the Navy List as H4, thus taking the place of a submarine that was "missing." John Dene had stipulated that she should be rated in some existing cla.s.s, so that the secret of her existence might be preserved.
In short, sharp sentences he had presented his demands, they were nothing less, and the others had acquiesced. By now they were all convinced that he was right, and that the greatest chance of success lay in "giving him his head," as Sir Bridgman North expressed it in a whisper to Sir Lyster.
A base was to be selected on some island in the North of Scotland, and fitted with wireless with aerials a hundred and fifty feet high, "to pick up all that"s going," explained John Dene, conscious of the surprise of his hearers at a request for such a long-range plant. Here the _Destroyer_ was to be based, and stores and fuel sufficient for six months acc.u.mulated. This was to be proceeded with at once.
"I shall want charts of the minefields," he said, "and full particulars as to patrol flotillas and the like."
Admiral Heyworth nodded comprehendingly.
"By the way," he said, "there"s one thing I do not quite understand."
"Put a name to it," said John Dene tersely.
"How do you propose to keep at sea for any length of time without recharging your batteries?"
"We shall be lying doggo most of the time," was the reply.
"Then in all probability the U-boats will pa.s.s over you."
"We shan"t be lying at the bottom of the sea, either," said John Dene.
"What!" exclaimed Admiral Heyworth, "but if your motor"s cut off, you"ll sink to the bed of the sea--the law of gravity."
"The _Destroyer_ is fitted with buoyancy chambers, and she can generate a gas that will hold her suspended at any depth," he explained. "This gas can be liquefied in a few seconds. Her microphone will tell her when the U-boats are about; it"s my own invention."
Sir Lyster looked from one to the other, unable to grasp such technicalities; but conscious that Admiral Heyworth seemed surprised at what he heard.
"It"s up to you to see that none of your boys start dropping depth-charges around," said John Dene.
He went on to explain that he proposed a certain restricted area for operations, and that the Admiralty should issue instructions that no depth charges were to be dropped on any submarine within that area until further notice.
"There"s one thing I must leave you to supply," said John Dene, as he leaned back in his chair smoking a cigar. John Dene chewed the end of a cigar during the period of negotiations, and smoked it when the deal was struck.
"And what is that?" asked Sir Bridgman.
"I shall want a "mother"----"
"A mother!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sir Lyster, looking from John Dene to the First Sea Lord, who laughed loudly. Sir Lyster always felt that Sir Bridgman should have left his laugh on the quarter-deck when he relinquished active command.
"A "mother,"" he explained, "is a kangaroo-ship, a dry-dock ship for salvage and repair of submarines. Yes, we"ll fit you out."
Sir Lyster looked chagrined. He had found some difficulty in mastering naval technicalities. When war broke out he was directing a large dock from which vast numbers of troops were shipped to France. He had shown such administrative genius, that Mr. Llewellyn John had selected him for the post of First Lord of the Admiralty, with results that satisfied every one, even the Sea Lords.
John Dene then proceeded to indicate the nature of the alterations he would require made in the vessel, showing a remarkable knowledge of the British type of mother-ship.
"You ought either to be shot as a spy or made First Sea Lord," said Sir Bridgman, looking up from a diagram that John Dene had produced.
"The Hun"ll try to do the shooting; and as for my becoming Sea Lord, I should be sorry for some of the plugs here."
John Dene"s thoroughness impressed his three hearers. Everything had been foreseen, even the spot where the _Destroyer_ was to be based.
The small island of Auchinlech possessed a natural harbour of sufficient size for the mother-ship to enter, after which the entrance was to be guarded by a defensive boom as a safeguard against U-boats.
John Dene explained that a month or five weeks must elapse before the _Destroyer_ would be ready for action. In about three weeks she could be at Auchinlech, crossing the Atlantic under her own power. Another week or ten days would be required for refitting and taking in stores.
"When you"ve delivered the goods you can quit, and I shall be pleased to see your boys again in four months."
John Dene regarded his listeners with the air of a man who had just thrown a bombsh.e.l.l and is conscious of the fact.
"Four months!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sir Lyster.
"Yep!" He uttered the monosyllable in a tone that convinced at least one of his listeners that expostulation would be useless.
"But," protested Sir Lyster, "how shall we know what is happening?"
"You won"t," was the laconic reply.
"But----" began Sir Lyster again.
"If no one knows what is happening," interrupted John Dene, "no one can tell anyone else."
"Surely, Mr. Dene," said Sir Lyster with some asperity in his voice, "you do not suspect the War Cabinet, for instance, of divulging secrets of national importance."
"I don"t suspect the War Cabinet of anything," was the dry retort, "not even of trying to win the war." John Dene looked straight into Sir Lyster"s eyes.
There was an awkward pause.
"Who"s going to guarantee that the War Cabinet doesn"t talk in its sleep?" he continued. "I"m not out to take risks. If this country doesn"t want my boat on my terms, then I shan"t worry, although you may," he added as an afterthought. "No, sir," he banged his fist on the table vehemently. "This is the biggest thing that"s come into the war so far, and I"m not going to have anyone monkeying about with my plans. I"m going to have a written doc.u.ment that I"ve got a free hand, otherwise I don"t deal, that"s understood."
"But----" began Sir Lyster once more.
"Excuse me, Grayne," broke in Sir Bridgman, "may I suggest that, as we are all keenly interested parties, Mr. Dene might give us his reasons."
"Sure," said John Dene without waiting for Sir Lyster"s reply. "In Can"da a man gets a job because he"s the man for that job, leastwise if he"s not he"s fired. Here I"ll auction that half the big jobs are held by mutts whose granddad"s had a pleasant way of saying how d"ye do to a prince. If any of them came around you"d have me skippin" like a scalded cat, and when I"m like that I"m liable to say things. I"m my own man and my own boss, and I take a man"s size in most things. I"m too old to feel meek at the sight of gold bands. I want to feel kind to everybody, and I find I can do that in this country better when everybody keeps out of my way."
John Dene paused, and the others looked at each other, a little nonplussed how to respond to such directness.
"It"s been in my head-fillin" quite a while to tell you this;" and John Dene suddenly smiled, one of those rare smiles that seemed to take the sting out of his words. "I"d be real sorry to hurt anybody"s feelings," he added, "but we"ve got different notions of things in Can"da."