“But surely Hop Wong wouldn’t remain away that long!” said Agnes.
“No, he meant the laundry would be ready then,” suggested Neale. “That’s the first thing a new Chinese learns to say—the days of the week. So you didn’t see any sign of Hop Wong, Sammy?”
“Nope.”
“Maybe one of us had better go,” suggested Hal.
“Guess we had,” agreed Luke. “Come on, we three will stroll down there. Maybe Hop Wong will be back soon.”
But when the three young men reached the steaming laundry, with its peculiar acrid smell, Hop Wong was not in sight. A shuffling, slant-eyed and smiling representative came out from behind the calico curtains, however, and stretched forth a very clean hand with long nails.
“You got chleck?” he clicked.
“No check,” said Luke.
“No lauldly,” was the sententious reply.
“We haven’t any laundry,” went on Luke. “But listen here, friend, where is Hop Wong?”