A Cousin's Conspiracy Part 30

"No."

"Then we had better not say anything about it. Your papa might not like it."

"All right, Ernest. Will you read to me when you go back?"

"Yes, Frank."

Ernest was glad to comply with the little boy's request, as he thought he might in this way put the thoughts of their exploration out of his mind.

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.

"Well, Ma.s.sa 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?"

"In ole Virginny."

"Were you a slave, Juba?" asked Ernest.

"Yes, ma.s.sa, I was a slave."

"And how did you get here?"

"It was all along of the war. Ole ma.s.sa he went to the war and got killed.

Then young ma.s.sa went, and he got killed, too. Then one day there came an officer--one of Abe Link.u.m's officers--and he told us we were free and might go where we pleased."

"Weren't you glad to be free?" asked Ernest.

"No, honey, we didn't know where to go nor what to do. We'd allus had some one to look after us, but now there wasn't anybody."

"Were you married, Juba?"

"Yes, but I don't know whether my ole man is livin' or not. He was sold down in Georgie to a cousin of ole ma.s.sa."

"Then he may be living yet?"

"Yes, honey."

"How old are you, Juba?" asked Frank.

"I don't know, chile. I's powerful old. S'pecs I's a hundred."

Ernest smiled.

"No, Juba," he said, "you are not nearly a hundred. You may be sixty."

"Juba, did you ever hear about Uncle Tom?"

"Yes, chile, I knew Uncle Tom," was the unexpected reply. "He was raised on Mr. Jackson's place next to ours."

Ernest asked some question about this Uncle Tom, but learned, as he expected, that it was quite a different person from the negro immortalized by Mrs. Stowe.

In looking over Frank's books Ernest found an old copy of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and taking it down he read some portions, particularly those relating to Topsy. Both Frank and Juba were very much entertained.

"Did you know Topsy, Juba?" asked Frank.

"No, chile, never knowed Topsy. She must have been a no-account young n.i.g.g.a. If she'd lived on our plantation she'd have got flogged for her impudence."

"How did you come here, Juba?" asked Frank.

"One of them officers took me to Chicago. I lived out with a lady, but when she died, I went to a 'telligence office and there I met your papa.

He brought me out here. I didn't at first like livin' down under the ground, but I don't mind it now. Ma.s.sa Fox treats me well, and I ain't no wish to change."

This was the substance of what Juba had to communicate. The rest of the day pa.s.sed quietly. At nightfall James Fox came home, looking very sober.

But he came alone.

CHAPTER XX

ERNEST EXPLORES THE CAVE

James Fox had very little to say during the evening. He was evidently preoccupied and anxious and paid scant attention to the boys.

Frank knew so little of his father's business or occupation that he could conceive of no cause for worriment. When his advances met with little response he asked: "Have you got a headache, papa?"

"No--yes, child. My head troubles me some. Be as quiet as you can."

"Will it disturb you if I play checkers with Ernest, papa?"

"No, I should like to have you amuse yourself," answered the outlaw.