sers, had been nearly lost, and were being patched up at
Devonport. The Germans, hearing the glorious news, would hug
themselves and say that now was the time for the High Seas Fleet to
come out and smash Jellicoe. The last thing in their minds would be
any concentration in the south against their own Pacific Squadron.
That's how I apply my general principles to this case. Meanwhile, of
course, the _Terrific_ and _Intrepid_, well and sound, would be racing
away down to the South Seas and no one in the Three Towns--except the
dockyard hands, whom we would look after--and no one at all in
Germany, would have a glimmer of the real truth."

While Dawson was thinking aloud in this rather halting, stumbling way,
the First Lord and his chief naval colleague were looking hard at one
another. The politician, with his quick House-of-Commons wits, jumped
to the idea before his slower thinking expert colleague could sort out
the two battle-cruisers who were to be mined or submarined from the
two which were to speed away south to avenge the recent disaster.

"If the two battle-cruisers are mined or submarined--which God
forbid," said Jacquetot, "how can they sail for the south?"

"Need they be the same ships?" inquired Dawson, whose eyes had begun
to flash with excitement. "Need they be the same?"

"Don't you see?" interposed the First Lord. "The idea is quite good. I
was just about to suggest something of the kind myself when Mr. Dawson
anticipated me. That is where the mind with a wide universal training
has a great advantage over the narrow intensive intelligence of the
professional expert. Even in war. What I propose, what Mr. Dawson here
proposes with my full concurrence, is that two severely damaged
battle-cruisers, known temporarily as the _Terrific_ and _Intrepid_,
should be brought into the Sound in broad day and displayed before the
eyes of the curious in the Three Towns. The real ships will slip in,
be docked and coaled, and slip out again. The two others, upon whom
public attention has been concentrated, shall be put aground somewhere
in the Sound to be salved with great and leisurely ostentation. We
will keep them well away from the Hoe, and allow no one whatever to
approach them. We will, unofficially, allow the news of their sorry
state to get out of country and into the Dutch papers. Meanwhile, as
Mr. Dawson says, the real _Terrific_ and _Intrepid_ will be speeding
towards the south, and the saving for the nation'