"Chonny Hartluck has been hitting me like anyt'ing," sighed Carl, as Matt stripped away the last of the clothes-line, "und you peen der fairest friendt I haf hat since I don'd know. Shake vonce."
Carl put out his hand, and Matt grasped it cordially.
"How you t'ink I efer pay you pack dot money, Matt?" asked Carl.
"I'm not thinking much about it, one way or the other," said Matt. "No great loss, Carl, if you never pay it back."
"You vas a fine feller, und ve vill go some place und I vill tell you somet'ing."
Just then Hop Loo showed himself with two bundles of laundry. Matt took one, and Carl the other, and they left at once for the main part of the town.
There was joy in the faces of Hop Loo and Charley Sing as the Dutch boy departed, and they immediately began bringing order out of their demoralized "plant."
When they were out of the yard, and bound along the road, Carl Pretzel threw back his head and began to laugh.
"You seem to get a good deal of fun out of your troubles, Carl," remarked Matt, who had developed a deep interest in his odd companion.