"How did you get away?"
"Cap'n gave me fifteen dollars this morning. He said: 'John, go out and forage for butter and eggs.' So you see, boss" (with a broad grin), "I'se out foraging. I pulled my hat over my eyes, and jogged along on the cap'n's horse, with this basket on my arm, right by our pickets. They never challenged me once. If they had I should have shown them this."
And he produced from his pocket an order in pencil from Captain Rhett to pass his servant John, on horseback, in search of butter and eggs.
"Why did you expect protection?"
"Heard so in Maryland, before the Proclamation."
"What do you know about the Proclamation?"
"Read it, sir, in a Richmond paper."
"What is it?"
"That every slave is to be emancipated after the first day of next January. Isn't that it, boss?"
"Something like it. How did you learn to read?"