y by the foot of the staircase and along a line of
cupboards to the kitchen. The window of this looked out upon a
backyard piled with refuse timber, packing-cases, and plaster
statuary broken and black with soot. Within, the hearth had been
swept as if in preparation for us. On the dirty table stood a
milk-jug with a news-sheet folded and laid across its top, a
half-loaf of bread, and a plate of meat--but of what kind we did not
pause to examine. It looked nauseous enough. A brindled cat made a
dash past us and upstairs. Its unexpected charge greatly unsettled
Mr. Trapp.

"It daunts me--I declare it do!" he confided hoarsely. "But he's
been here, anyway; and he expects us." He waved a hand towards the
hearth. "Shall I call again? Or what d'ye say to getting it over?"

"I'm ready," said I. To tell the truth, the inside of the chimney
seemed more inviting to me than the rest of the house. I was
accustomed to chimneys.

"Up we go, then!" Mr. Trapp began to spread his bags. He always used
the first person plural on these occasions--meaning, no doubt, that I
took with me his moral support. "The shaft's easy enough, I mind--
two storeys above this, and all the flues leadin' to your right.
I'll be out in the street by the time you hail."

I hadn't a doubt he would. "One week to Midsummer!" I cried, to
hearten me--for we were both counting the days now between us and the
fishing. He grinned, and up I went.

The chimney was foul, to be sure, but once past the first ten or a
dozen feet I mounted quickly. Towards the top the shaft narrowed so
that for a while I had my doubts if it could be squeezed through: but
I found, on reaching it, that the brickwork shelved inwards very
slightly, though furred or crusted with an extra thick coating of
soot below the vent. Through this I broke in triumph, sweating from
my haste; and brushing the filth from my eyes, leaned both arms on
the chimney-pot while I scanned the roofs around for a glimpse
between them, down to the street and Mr. Trapp. I did so at ease,
for a flue entered the main shaft immediately below the stack, which
was a decidedly dumpy one--in fact, less than five feet tall; so that
I supported myself not by the arms alone but by resting my toes on
the ridge where flue and shaft met.

Now, as the reader will remember, it was the height of summer, and
the day had brightened considerably since we entered the house.
The sudden sunshine set me blinking, an