The Chinaman came up and bowed humbly.
"Miss Charteris has been teaching you about the little busy bee. We should like to hear you say it."
"My no can talkee missy so-fashion," said Ah-Sam, looking troubled.
"Never mind that. Say it your own way."
Ah-Sam looked at Ethel.
"Come, Ah-Sam," she said; "remember how I explained it to you."
The Chinaman put his hands behind his back, hesitated, then fixed his eyes on the nearest ventilator, and in his odd sing-song chanted:
"What-for one piecee littee pidgy bee
Wantchee go workee allo bloomin' day-lo?
He go 'long smellum evely littee tlee;
Ch'hoy! catchee jam-jam; bimeby chop-chop wailo!"
The colour of Ethel's cheeks had deepened from pink to scarlet during this recitation. Morton gave a titter at the second line, then cougned and looked solemn. At the end they all glanced at one another and burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Ah-Sam looked deprecatingly at his young mistress, and began to make humble obeisance with his hands.
"Thank you, Ah-Sam," she said. "You said it very nicely. You may go now.—What a shame!" she added, turning to the others when he had gone, "to hurt the poor man's feelings so. He did his best."