“Then sit down and let’s talk it over,” I said, motioning toward the chairs.
Very timidly they approached, like frightened doves about to fly at the least alarm, and then they plumped down upon a bench all together, with their arms twined around each other for mutual encouragement.
“How does it happen you speak English?” I inquired, pretending not to notice their fears.
“One of my father’s wives lived at Hong-Kong before he brought her here, and she taught us,” replied Nor Ghai, simply. “Do you think we the English speak with perfection?”
“Nothing could be more perfect,” laughed Archie.
“Ah—h!” they murmured, looking at each other delightedly.
“We the English talk much with ourselves,” declared Ko-Tua, casting her eyes down modestly to avoid Joe’s stare. “We can faster talk in English than in our own language.”
“That’s a great blessing,” said Archie; “you must have a lot to say to each other.”
“And we study all the time, velly hard and good,” added Mai Mou, looking earnestly at Archie for approval.
“I’m sure you are very wise and learned,” said he.