"Oh, I read lots!" she exclaimed, surprised by the sudden shift of
thought. "Somehow, I've read lots!"

"In my house I had a Bible, an almanac, and the 'Resources of
Tennessee,' Yo' have that many books?"

"Why, I've a hundred--more than a hundred books!" she answered.

"A Bible?"

"Yes."

"Would you mind, Missy, comin' on board this boat to-night, an' tellin'
us about these books you have? I'm not educated; my daddy an' I read the
Bible, an' tried to understand hit. Seems like we neveh did git to know
the biggest and bestest of the words."

"You had a dictionary?"

"A which?"

"A dictionary, a book that explains the meaning of all the words!"

"Ho law! A book that tells what words mean, Missy. Where all kin a man
git to find one of them books?"

"Why, I've got----I'm hungry, Mr. Rasba, I must get something to eat.
After supper we'll bring some books over here and talk about them!"

"My supper is all ready, keeping warm in the oven," Rasba said. "I
always cook enough for one more than there is. Yo' know, a vacant chair
at the table for the Stranger."

"And I came?" she laughed.

"An' yo' came, Missy!" he replied.

"Parson," Prebol pleaded, "I'm alone mos' the time. Mout yo' two eat
hyar on my bo't? The table--hit'd be comp'ny."

"Certainly we'll come," Nelia promised, "if he'd just soon."

"I'd rather," Rasba assented, and at his tone Nelia felt a curious
sensation of pity and mischievousness. At the same time, she recovered
her self-possession. She demanded that Rasba let her help him bring over
the supper, add a feminine relish, and set the table with a daintiness
which was an addition to the fascination of her presence. Gaily she fed
Prebol the delicate things which he was permitted to eat, then sat down
with Rasba, her face to the light, and Prebol could watch her bantering,
teasing, teaching Parson Rasba things he had never known he lacked.

After supper she brought over a basket full of books, twenty volumes.
She dumped them onto the table, leather, cloth, and board covers, of
red, blue, gray, brown, and other gay colours. Parson Rasba had seen
government documents and even some magazines with picture covers, but in
the mountains where he had ridden his Big Circuit with such a disastrous
end he had never seen such books. He hesitated to touch one; he cried
out when three or four slipped off the pile onto the floor.

"Missy, won't they git muddied up!"

"They're to read!" she told him. "List