Читать книгу Most Secret онлайн

8 страница из 26

I asked: "What sort of show have you got in mind, sir?"

He said: "Well, there are several of the German Raumboote based upon the port. We want to do something against one of those."

I thought for a minute very hard. "The Raumboote is rather like our own M.L., isn't it? I've not had a great deal to do with them myself."

"Much the same sort of thing," he said. "They use them for the fishery patrol."

"And you want to do something against one of those?" I reflected for a moment. "That's because they are based upon the port, and because everybody knows about them?"

He nodded. "That's exactly it."

Instinctively I recoiled from the idea. "I see that you want to create a diversion, sir," I said slowly. "But tell me, why must it be a naval diversion? What I mean is this. Anything done upon the sea tends to develop into a big show, because you have to cover your stake. A ship--any sort of ship--takes a long time to make and costs a lot of money. You may plan to fight your Raumboote with one ship, but before long you'll find it necessary to send other ships in support of your one ship. And before you know what's happening your little show has turned into a considerable operation."