"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!" ejaculated 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 bombshell and is conscious of the fact. "Four months!" ejaculated 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.