“Hop Wong gone.”
“When Hop Wong come back?” and Luke tried not to listen to the chuckles of his friends at his vernacular talk.
“Hop Wong clum black mebby t’mollo.”
“Not until to-morrow? But maybe he come back to-night?”
“Maybe. You no glot lauldly?”
It seemed to worry Hop Wong’s partner (if such he was) that the visitors had neither laundry to leave nor a check with which to claim shirts and collars.
“No laundry,” said Luke again. “I think I’ll leave a note for the jolly beggar to call at the Corner House,” he said to Neale and Hal. “What do you say?”
“Can he read it after you write it?” asked Neale.
“Oh, I guess so. ‘Friend,’” and he turned to the other laundryman, “Hop Wong read let-letter—English letter—not Chinese?” His tone was questioning.
“Oh, shlure! Hop, he lead Englis’!”