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He dusted the only chair in the room with infinite care and sat down。 Billy Windsor； who had not spoken a word or moved an inch since the beginning of the interview； continued to stand and be silent。 Mr。 Gooch shuffled restlessly in the middle of the room。
〃As you justly observed a moment ago；〃 said Psmith； 〃the staff of Cosy Moments is taking big risks。 We do not rely on your unsupported word for that。 We have had practical demonstration of the fact from one J。 Repetto； who tried some few nights ago to put us out of business。 Well； it struck us both that we had better get hold of the name of the blighter who runs these tenements as quickly as possible； before rade Repetto's next night out。 That is what we should like you to give us； rade Gooch。 And we should like it in writing。 And； on second thoughts； in ink。 I have one of those patent non…leakable fountain pens in my pocket。 The Old Journalist's Best Friend。 Most of the ink has e out and is permeating the lining of my coat； but I think there is still sufficient for our needs。 Remind me later； rade Gooch； to continue on the subject of fountain pens。 I have much to say on the theme。 Meanwhile； however； business； business。 That is the cry。〃
He produced a pen and an old letter； the last page of which was blank； and began to write。
〃How does this strike you？ 〃he said。 〃'I'（I have left a blank for the Christian name： you can write it in yourself later）' I； blank Gooch； being a collector of rents in Pleasant Street； New York； do hereby swear'hush； rade Gooch； there is no need to do it yet'that the name of the owner of the Pleasant Street tenements； who is responsible for the perfectly foul conditions there； is' And that is where you e in； rade Gooch。 That is where we need your specialised knowledge。 Who is he？〃
Billy Windsor reached out and grabbed the rent collector by the collar。 Having done this； he proceeded to shake him。
Billy was muscular； and his heart was so much in the business that Mr。 Gooch behaved as if he had been caught in a high wind。 It is probable that in another moment the desired information might have been shaken out of him； but before this could happen there was a banging at the door； followed by the entrance of Master Maloney。 For the first time since Psmith had known him； Pugsy was openly excited。
〃Say；〃 he began； 〃youse had better beat it quick； you had。 Dey's ing！〃
〃And now go back to the beginning； rade Maloney；〃 said Psmith patiently； 〃which in the exuberance of the moment you have skipped。 Who are ing？〃
〃Why； dem。 De guys。〃
Psmith shook his head。
〃Your habit of omitting essentials； rade Maloney； is going to undo you one of these days。 When you get to that ranch of yours； you will probably start out to gallop after the cattle without remembering to mount your mustang。 There are four million guys in New York。 Which section is it that is ing？
〃Gum！ I don't know how many dere is ob dem。 I seen Spider Reilly an' Jack Repetto an'…〃
〃Say no more；〃 said Psmith。 〃If rade Repetto is there； that is enough for me。 I am going to get on the roof and pull it up after me。〃
Billy released Mr。 Gooch； who fell； puffing； on to the low bed； which stood in one corner of the room。
〃They must have spotted us as we were ing here；〃 he said； 〃and followed us。 Where did you see them； Pugsy？〃
〃On de Street just outside。 Dere was a bunch of dem talkin' togedder； and I hears dem say you was in here。 One of dem seen you e in； an dere ain't no ways out but de front； so dey ain't hurryin'！ Dey just reckon to pike along upstairs； lookin' into each room till dey finds you。 An dere's a bunch of dem goin' to wait on de Street in case youse beat it past down de stairs while de udder guys is rubberin' for youse。 Say； gents； it's pretty fierce； dis proposition。 What are youse goin' to do？〃
Mr。 Gooch； from the bed； laughed unpleasantly。
〃I guess you ain't the only assault…and…battery artists in the business；〃 he said。 〃Looks to me as if some one else was going to get shaken up some。〃
Billy looked at Psmith。
〃Well？〃 he said。 〃What shall we do？ Go down and try and rush through？〃
Psmith shook his head。
〃Not so； rade Windsor； but about as much otherwise as you can jolly well imagine。〃
〃Well； what then？〃
〃We will stay here。 Or rather we will hop nimbly up on to the roof through that skylight。 Once there； we may engage these varlets on fairly equal terms。 They can only get through one at a time。 And while they are doing it I will give my celebrated imitation of Horatius。 We had better be moving。 Our luggage； fortunately； is small。 Merely rade Gooch。 If you will get through the skylight； I will pass him up to you。〃
Mr。 Gooch； with much verbal embroidery； stated that he would not go。 Psmith acted promptly。 Gripping the struggling rent collector round the waist； and ignoring his frantic kicks as mere errors in taste； he lifted him to the trap…door； whence the head； shoulders and arms of Billy Windsor protruded into the room。 Billy collected the collector； and then Psmith turned to Pugsy。
〃rade Maloney。〃
〃Huh？〃
〃Have I your ear？〃
〃Huh？〃
〃Are you listening till you feel that your ears are the size of footballs？ Then drink this in。 For weeks you have been praying for a chance to show your devotion to the great cause； or if you haven't； you ought to have been。 That chance has e。 You alone can save us。 In a sense； of course； we do not need to be saved。 They will find it hard to get at us； I fancy； on the roof。 But it ill befits the dignity of the editorial staff of a great New York weekly to roost like pigeons for any length of time； and consequently it is up to you。〃
〃Shall I go for de cops； Mr。 Smith？〃
〃No； rade Maloney； I thank you。 I have seen the cops in action； and they did not impress me。 We do not want allies who will merely shake their heads at rade Repetto and the others； however sternly。 We want some one who will swoop down upon these merry roisterers； and； as it were； soak to them good。 Do you know where Dude Dawson lives？〃
The light of intelligence began to shine in Master Maloney's face。 His eye glistened with respectful approval。 This was strategy of the right sort。
〃Dude Dawson？ Nope。 But I can ask around。〃
〃Do so； rade Maloney。 And when found； tell him that his old college chum； Spider Reilly； is here。 He will not be able to e himself； I fear； but he can send representatives。〃
〃Sure。〃
〃That's all； then。 Go downstairs with a gay and jaunty air； as if you had no connection with the old firm at all。 Whistle a few lively bars。 Make careless gestures。 Thus shall you win through。 And now it would be no bad idea； I fancy； for me to join the rest of the brains of the paper up aloft。 Off you go； rade Maloney。 And； in passing； don't take a week about it。 Leg it with all the speed you possess。〃
Pugsy vanished； and Psmith closed the door behind him。 Inspection revealed the fact that it possessed no lock。 As a barrier it was useless。 He left it ajar； and； jumping up； gripped the edge of the opening in the roof and pulled himself through。
Billy Windsor was seated fortably on Mr。 Gooch's chest a few feet away。 By his side was his big stick。 Psmith possessed himself of this； and looked about him。 The examination was satisfactory。 The trap…door appeared to be the only means of access to the roof； and between their roof and that of the next house there was a broad gulf。
〃Practically impregnable；〃 he murmured。 〃Only one thing can dish us； rade Windsor； and that is if they have the sense to get on to the roof next door and start shooting。 Even in that case； however； we have cover in the shape of the chimneys。 I think we may fairly say that all is well。 How are you getting along？ Has the patient responded at all？〃
〃Not yet；〃 said Billy。 〃But he's going to。〃
〃He will be in your charge。 I must devote myself exclusively to guarding the bridge。 It is a pity that the trap has not got a bolt this side。 If it had； the thing would be a perfect picnic。 As it is； we must leave it open。 But we mustn't expect everything。〃
Billy was about to speak； but Psmith suddenly held up his hand warningly。 From the room below came a sound of feet。
For a moment the silence was tense。 Then from Mr。 Gooch's lips there escaped a screech。
〃This way！ They're up〃
The words were cut short as Billy banged his hand over the speaker's mouth。 But the thing was done。
〃On top de roof；〃 cried a voice。 〃Dey've beaten it for de roof。〃
The chair rasped over the floor。 Feet shuffled。 And then； like a jack…in…the…box； there popped through the opening a head and shoulders。
CHAPTER XXI
THE BATTLE OF PLEASANT STREET
THE new arrival was a young man with a shock of red hair； an ingrowing Roman nose； and a mouth from which force or the passage of time had removed three front teeth。 He held on to the edges of the trap with his hands； and stared in a glassy manner into Psmith's face； which was within a foot of his own。
There was a momentary pause； broken by an oath from Mr。 Gooch； who was still undergoing treatment in the background。
〃Aha！〃 said Psmith genially。 Historic picture。 〃Doctor Cook discovers the North Pole。'〃
The red…headed young man blinked。 The strong light of the open air was trying to his eyes。
〃Youse had better e down；〃 he observed coldly。 〃We've got youse。〃
〃And；〃 continued Psmith； unmoved； 〃is instantly handed a gum…drop by his faithful Esquimaux。〃
As he spoke； he brought the stick down on the knuckles which disfigured the edges of the trap。 The intruder uttered a howl and dropped out of sight。 In the room below there were whisperings and mutterings； growing gradually louder till something resembling coherent conversation came to Psmith's ears； as he knelt by the trap making meditative billiard…shots with the stick at a small pebble。
〃Aw g'wan！ Don't be a quitter！〃
〃Who's a quitter？
〃Youse is a quitter。 Get on top de roof。 He can't hoit youse。〃
〃De guy's gotten a big stick。〃 Psmith nodded appreciatively。 〃I and Roosevelt；〃 he murmured。
A somewhat baffled silence on the part of the attacking force was followed by further conversation。
〃Gum！ some guy's got to go up。〃 Murmur of assent from the audience。 A voice； in inspired tones： 〃Let Sam do it！〃
This suggestion made a hit。 There was no doubt about that。 It was a success from the start。 Quite a little chorus of voices expressed sincere approval of the very happy solution to what had seemed an insoluble problem。 Psmith； listening from above； failed to detect in the choir of glad voices one that might belong to Sam himself。 Probably gratification had rendered the chosen one dumb。
〃Yes； let Sam do it！〃 cried the unseen chorus。 The first speaker； unnecessarily； perhapsfor the motion had been carried almost unanimouslybut possibly with the idea of convincing the one member of the party in whose bosom doubts might conceivably be harboured； went on to adduce reasons。
〃Sam bein' a coon；〃 he argued； 〃ain't goin' to git hoit by no stick。 Youse can't hoit a coon by soakin' him on de coco； can you； Sam？〃
Psmith waited with some interest for the reply； but it did not e。 Possibly Sam did not wish to generalise on insufficient experience。
〃Solvitur ambulando；〃 said Psmith softly； turning the stick round in his fingers。 〃rade Windsor！〃
〃Hullo？〃
Is it possible to hurt a coloured gentleman by hitting him on the head with a stick？〃
〃If you hit him hard enough。〃
〃I knew there was some way out of the difficulty；〃 said Psmith with satisfaction。 〃How are you getting on up at your end of the table； rade Windsor？〃
〃Fine。〃
〃Any result yet？〃
〃Not at present。〃
〃Don't give up。〃
〃Not me。〃
〃The right spirit； rade Win〃
A report like a cannon in the room below interrupted him。 It was merely a revolver shot； but in the confined space it was deafening。 The bullet sang up into the sky。
〃Never hit me！〃 said Psmith with dignified triumph。
The noise was succeeded by a shuffling of feet。 Psmith grasped his stick more firmly。 This was evidently the real attack。 The revolver shot had been a mere demonstration of artillery to cover the infantry's advance。
Sure enough； the next moment a woolly head popped through the opening； and a pair of rolling eyes gleamed up at the old Etonian。
〃Why； Sam！〃 said Psmith cordia