Troika

"Heave to and identify yourself!"

The oarsmen lifted their oars from the water; one of the men stood.

"We're Navy frogmen on a training exercise. You're welcome to check us out!"

He lifted his arms showing a packet of papers in an oilskin envelope. A sailor reached down from the patrol boat and took the envelope. He passed it on to an officer who had just come to the rail. Opening the envelope, the young officer studied the papers and passed them back to the men in the dinghy.

"Khorosho," he grunted. "Go ahead, but frankly, I wouldn't want you guys on a sabotage mission. You're too easy to find." Calling to the helmsman to return to the original course, he continued on his patrol.

"That was damn close. I thought we were cleared all the way out of the area," one of oarsmen whispered hoarsely.

His comrade replied, "Ah, the guy's probably on his first patrol as commandi