The Waterbabies: Chapter 2.
Mr. Grimes was offered a job to sweep chimneys in a really grand house called Harthover Place in the rich north country - so he took Tom with him.
And now came the moment that Tom dreaded, for with a shove and a kick he had to climb into the grate and creep up the black soot chimney, and it was dark, pitch dark inside.
Only a small square of light far below marked the room where Mr. Grimes waited, and very soon, there was no light at all. Tom climbed up and up, sweeping as he went.
Soon the chimney divided, and he crawled to the right, following his nose which he couldn't see in the dark. Soon it divided again, so he turned left always sweeping - and the soft black soot covered him completely.
He was expecting a little light from the chimney pots which were open to the sky, but no matter how he climbed, there wasn't so much as a glimmer. Tom was used to the town chimneys, which were tall and narrow and not complicated.
But Harthover Place was very old and had been altered so many times, and its chimneys twisted and divided so often that he was completely bewildered.
