“You had better hurry up if you don't want to be left behind.”
But the Chinaman did not move.
“We stop,” he declared. Heyst looked down at him for the first time.
“You want to stop here?”
“Yes.”
“What were you? What was your work here?”
“Mess-loom boy.”
“Do you want to stay with me here as my boy?” inquired Heyst, surprised.
The Chinaman unexpectedly put on a deprecatory expression, and said, after a marked pause:
“Can do.”