gest that I should do that to a similarly garbed female?"

"Don't be silly. You tread on her foot, or pick up her handkerchief, or
something like that. If she thinks you want to know her she's flattered,
and will manage it for you somehow."

"You overrate my manly charms," murmured Tommy.

"On the other hand," proceeded Tuppence, "my millionaire would probably
run for his life! No--marriage is fraught with difficulties. Remains--to
MAKE money!"

"We've tried that, and failed," Tommy reminded her.

"We've tried all the orthodox ways, yes. But suppose we try the
unorthodox. Tommy, let's be adventurers!"

"Certainly," replied Tommy cheerfully. "How do we begin?"

"That's the difficulty. If we could make ourselves known, people might
hire us to commit crimes for them."

"Delightful," commented Tommy. "Especially coming from a clergyman's
daughter!"

"The moral guilt," Tuppence pointed out, "would be theirs--not mine. You
must admit that there's a difference between stealing a diamond necklace
for yourself and being hired to steal it."

"There wouldn't be the least difference if you were caught!"

"Perhaps not. But I shouldn't be caught. I'm so clever."

"Modesty always was your besetting sin," remarked Tommy.

"Don't rag. Look here, Tommy, shall we really? Shall we form a business
partnership?"

"Form a company for the stealing of diamond necklaces?"

"That was only an illustration. Let's have a--what do you call it in
book-keeping?"

"Don't know. Never did any."

"I have--but I always got mixed up, and used to put credit entries on
the debit side, and vice versa--so they fired me out. Oh, I know--a
joint venture! It struck me as such a romantic phrase to come across in
the middle of musty old figures. It's got an Elizabethan flavour about
it--makes one think of galleons and doubloons. A joint venture!"

"Trading under the name of the Young Adventurers, Ltd.? Is that your
idea, Tuppence?"

"It's all very well to laugh, but I feel there might be something in
it."

"How do you propose to get in touch with your would-be employers?"

"Advertisement," replied Tuppence promptly. "Have you got a bit of paper
and a pencil? Men usually seem to have. Just like we have hairpins and
powder-puffs."

Tommy handed over a rather shabby green notebook, and Tuppence began
writing busily.

"Shall we begin: 'Young officer, twice wounded in the war--'"

"Certainly not."

"Oh, very well, my dear boy. But I can as