“It’s impossible,” said Jimmy, following out his own train of thought. “The beautiful foreign adventuress, the international gang, the mysterious No. 7, whose identity nobody knows⁠—I’ve read it all a hundred times in books.”

“Of course you have. So have I. But it’s no reason why it shouldn’t really happen.”

“I suppose not,” admitted Jimmy.

“After all⁠—I suppose fiction is founded on the truth. I mean unless things did happen, people couldn’t think of them.”

“There is something in what you say,” agreed Jimmy. “But all the same I can’t help pinching myself to see if I’m awake.”

“That’s how I felt.”

Jimmy gave a deep sigh.