"Not that it's not enough," he said; "for of all the poisonous places I ever met this is the worst. I wish whoever built it had thought to put in a few windows. His idea of ventilation was apparently to leave a hole about the size of a lima bean and let the thing go at that." "I guess there's a door on to de roof somewhere," suggested Pugsy. "At de joint where I lives dere is." His surmise proved correct. At the end of the passage a ladder, nailed against the wall, ended in a large square opening, through which was visible, if not "that narrow strip of blue which prisoners call the sky," at any rate a tall brick chimney and a clothesline covered with garments that waved lazily in the breeze. John stood beneath it, looking up. "Well," he said, "this isn't much, but it's better than nothing. I suppose the architect of this place was one of those fellows who don't begin to appreciate air till it's thick enough to scoop chunks out with a spoon. It's an acquired taste, I guess, like Limburger cheese. And now, Pugsy, old scout, you had better beat it. There may be a rough-house here any minute now." Pugsy looked up, indignant. "Beat it?" "While your shoe-leather's good," said John firmly. "This is no place for a minister's son. Take it from me." "I want to stop and pipe de fun," objected Master Maloney. "What fun?" "I guess you ain't here to play ball," surmised Pugsy shrewdly, eying the big stick. "Never mind why I'm here," said John. "Beat it. I'll tell you all about it to-morrow." Master Maloney prepared reluctantly to depart. As he did so there was a sound of well-shod feet on the stairs, and a man in a snuff-colored suit, wearing a brown Homburg hat and carrying a small notebook in one hand, walked briskly up the stairs. His whole appearance proclaimed him to be the long-expected collector of rents. CHAPTER XXV CORNERED He did not see John for a moment, and had reached the door of the room when he became aware of a presence. He turned in surprise. He was a smallish, pale-faced man with protruding eyes and teeth which gave him a certain resemblance to a rabbit. "Hello!" he said. "Welcome to our city," said John, stepping unostentatiously between him and the stairs.