"You never learned to read, Sanchez?"
At the unexpected question, the smoke puffed suddenly from the man's lips. "Not I."
"Nor write?"
The man made a rough gesture. "Nor sail to the moon!" he returned derisively. "Read? Rubbish! Write? What for? Does it bring more fish to your nets?"
"Who—could show me how to read and write?"
"You?" Sanchez stared.
"Why not?"
"Books are the tools of the devil!" declared Sanchez shortly. "There was a black man here to-day with a paper—a 'writ,' I think he called it—or a 'service' of some kind—anyhow, it must have been in Latin," violently, "for such gibberish, I never heard and—"
The boy rose. "People who can't read and write are low and ignorant!"
"Eh? What's come over you?"