“Oh! Well then, perhaps you’d better not.”

There was silence.

“And yet, I’d like⁠ ⁠… You see, Jimmy, your brains are better than mine.”

“They could easily be that,” said Jimmy unkindly.

“No, I can’t,” said Ronny suddenly.

“All right,” said Jimmy. “Just as you like.”

After a long silence, Ronny said:

“What’s she like?”

“Who?”

“This girl. Gerry’s sister.”

Jimmy was silent for some minutes, then he said in a voice that had somehow or other altered: