He thought there must be something good in that book if the white man didn't want him to learn.

One day he had an errand in the kitchen, and he heard one of the colored girls going over the ABC's.

Here was the key to the forbidden knowledge.

She had heard the white children saying them, and picked them up by heart, but did not know them by sight.

He was not content with that, but sold his cap for a book and wore a cloth on his head instead.