They were fortunate enough to get back without exciting the attention of Juba, who was busy in the kitchen.
Her work, however, was soon over, and she brought her sewing into the room where the two boys were seated. The garment on which she was engaged seemed to be a dress of rough cloth.
"Well, Massa Frank, what am you doing?"
"Ernest is reading to me. Why don't you ever read to me, Juba?"
"O lor', chile, you know I can't read."
"But why can't you read? You're old enough."
"Yes, honey, I'm old enough, but I never had no chance to learn."
"Why didn't you?" persisted Frank. "Didn't you go to school when you was little?"
"No, chile, never went to school. They didn't have no schools where I was raised."
"Where was that?"