"I'll see what can be done," answered Tommy. He went into the kitchen again, but missed a step on the stairs and fell in a heap at the bottom, but without hurting himself. "Vot's that?" cried Bobsey, coming out. "I missed my pitch," replied Tommy. "Blame these stairs!" "No bones broke, eh? and no damage done?" "Oh, no." "That's good. Yes, there is, though--you've busted some buttons. I knowed as 'ow you'd bust yer buttons." Tommy looked at what Bobsey called the "badge," and saw that several buttons were missing. "They'll have to buy you a new one," said Bobsey, consolingly. "Vell, vot did the old duffer want?" "His chimney smokes, and they want me to stop it." Bobsey's eyes twinkled with a delight he could not conceal. "Oh," he said, "that's an old dodge. Did he tell you what to do?" "No." "He left it to me, I suppose. I always had to do it." "What?" "You've got to take the hall doormat and get up to the top of the house; there's a trapdoor at the top--get out of that, and put the doormat on the top of the chimney. I'll show you." "Is that what he calls stopping the chimney?" "If that won't do it, I want to know what will," replied Bobsey. "That settles it," said Tommy. "I want to do all I can to please them, as they were kind enough to take me in out of the snow." "Of course; you're tender hearted. Come along." Tommy followed Bobsey, who pointed to a heavy mat in the hall, which Tommy slung over his shoulder, and they proceeded to the top of the house, where a step-ladder gave egress to the roof through a trapdoor, which was easily opened. The chimney was close to the trap, and without any great exertion Tommy managed to place the mat over it, precluding the possibility of any smoke escaping. When this was done, Bobsey hurried him downstairs again into the kitchen. "I don't want any gratitude," he remarked, "for putting you up to things and making you know the ways of the 'ouse." "I'm a thousand times obliged to you," replied Tommy, "for keeping me posted." "I may help you a hundred different ways, but never you tell anyone who it was done it." "Not I. What do you take me for?" said Tommy. "I'm no slouch." The bell of the parlor began to ring again furiously, and Tommy prepared to answer it. "The old duffer wants to thank you," remarked Bobsey. "If he hoffers to make you a present of 'alf a crown, don't you say no." CHAPTER XII. AN ARTISTIC CHIMNEY SWEEPING. Tommy hastened upstairs, and Bobsey, entering the kitchen, made various pantomimic expressions of delight, such as inflating his cheeks, putting out his tongue, winking one eye and setting his fingers to his nose. "Oh, my," he cried to the cook, "ain't he soft? I'm glad I ain't going far away from this place, 'cos I can 'ave no end of fun with 'im." "What you done now?" asked Susan. "You'll hear the racket, if you listen at the foot of the stairs," replied Bobsey.