“But you wouldn’t want to study?”
“I wouldn’t study nohow. I’s a poor, ignorant nigger.”
“Don’t you think you could learn to read?”
“No, I couldn’t. It takes white folks to read.”
“No; Juba, when I went to school there was a colored boy in my class, and he was one of the smartest scholars we had.”
“And was he a nigger?” asked Juba.
“We didn’t call him that, but he was a colored boy. If he could learn to read I am sure you could.”
“It’s no use, chile. I’m too old now.”
Much as he liked Frank, it was irksome to Ernest to remain all day in the cave.
They got through the forenoon somehow, taking dinner at twelve o’clock.