“It’s no bother to Wong Lee,” said Peggy. “You boys get over by that fire and dry out a little. Wong Lee will get you a meal, and Honey will show you where to sleep. Laura and I will go to bed. Good night, everybody.”
“Good night, and thank yuh a thousand times.”
Hashknife and Sleepy crossed the room and shook hands with the two girls. Peggy smiled at Hashknife.
“Thank you for coming,” she said.
The two cowboys went back to the fire and removed some of their wet garments, after which Hashknife went back to the porch and got their water-proof war-bags, which contained some dry clothing. They could hear Wong Lee shuffling about the kitchen, preparing them a meal.
He came to the door and looked in on them. He was a little, wizen-faced Celestial.
“Yo’ like some ham-egg?” he asked.
Hashknife grinned at him, but did not reply. A smile slowly stole across the Chinaman’s face and he bobbed his head.
“Yessa, velly good,” he said. “No tlouble.”
“You kinda got the Injun sign on Wong Lee,” grunted Honey. “Darned old rascal almost laughed. I tell yuh, he ain’t even smiled since Jim Wheeler was killed.”