your way, Dawson. All leave stopped in both ships. Not
a man is to go ashore on any pretence, no matter what the excuse. The
mothers of the lower decks may all die--they always do when a ship is
in port--but not a man shall leave to bury them. Give the orders in
the _Intrepid_, and ask the captain of the _Terrific_ to be so good as
to come aboard."

* * * * *

"So far, good," exclaimed Dawson when he got back to his hotel and
found Froissart sitting up for him. "The ships are in and no one is to
be allowed ashore. I shall be in a fever till both of them are away
again. We are on very thin ice, Froissart. It is lucky that the
dockyard is on the Hamoaze, out of sight even of most of Devonport,
and far away from Plymouth and Stonehouse. I have seen all the foremen
of the dockyard myself, told them the whole trick which we are playing
on the Huns, and put them on their mettle to tackle their men. They
will pitch it fine and strong on the honour and patriotism of complete
silence, but not neglect to throw in a hint of the Defence of the
Realm Act and penal servitude. Never threaten an Englishman,
Froissart, but always let him know that behind your fine honourable
sentiments there is something devilish nasty. Preach as loud as you
can about the beauty of virtue, but don't forget to chuck in a
description of the fiery Hell which awaits wrongdoers. I don't depend
much either on the sentiments or the hints of punishment. I've got
every man of that hundred and twenty on my string, and if one of them
asks leave, within the next day or two, to go and bury his mother on
the East Coast, he shall go--but I shall go with him, and he shall
have a jolly little funeral of his own. Every letter which they write
will be read, every telegram copied for me, every message by 'phone
taken down. They are on my string, Froissart--every man."

"You do everything, Mr. Dawson," grumbled Froissart. "Where do I come
in?"

"You have helped me a lot already," replied Dawson handsomely. "You
being a foreigner make me talk very simple and plain, and think out my
plans so that I can explain them to you. One sees the weak points of a
scheme when one has to make it clear to a foreigner. You don't always
twig my meaning, Froissart, and sometimes your remarks are a bit
foolish; but you mean well, and, for a Frenchman, are quite
intelligent. I will say that for you, Froissart--quite intelligent."

"_Sacre nom d'un chien_--"