“Well—” began Ruth, with a look at Luke.
“Wait a minute, Sammy,” suggested the collegian. “We must get to the bottom of this,” he went on. “And to do so we must have a talk with this Chinese laundryman. Now it would seem that he trusts Sammy, though he may be very fond of you and Agnes, Ruth, for what you have done for him. Are you and Hop Wong good friends, Sammy?”
“Sure we are! I always take my pa’s collars there and he gives me those funny lichi nuts—I mean Hop Wong does.”
“Then Sammy is the boy to proceed with this,” went on Luke.
“What do you mean to do?” Ruth wanted to know.
“I want to send word to Hop Wong to come and explain this note, and I think if Sammy goes to the laundry alone and asks Hop Wong to come here, it will do the trick. If one of us goes, or if all of us go, it will look as though we suspected something. But we can safely send Sammy.”
“Will he go?” asked Ruth, half doubtfully.
“Sure I’ll go!” declared Sammy. “I’d like to. Maybe he’ll give me lichi nuts.”
“Oh, forget the nuts!” advised Luke. “This may mean business! Skip along, Sammy, and go in casually. Wait a minute!”
“What’s cas-casally?” inquired Sammy.