Of this one thought, he found the treasure out—

Knowledge: this was the burden which was borne

By these black, busy, ant-like characters.

But how acquire the meaning of the signs?

He found a scrap of paper in the lane,

And put it by, and saved it carefully,

Till once, when all alone, he drew it forth,

And gazed at it, and strove to learn its sense.

But while he studied, Dalton Earl rode by,

And angered at the indication shown,

Snatched rudely at the paper in his hand,

And tore it up, commanding that the slave

Have fifty lashes for this breach of law.

Long on his sentence pondered Karagwe.

Against the law? Who then could make a law

Decreeing knowledge to a certain few,

To others ignorance? Surely not God;

For God, the white-haired negro with a text

Had said loved justice, and was friend to all.

If man, then the authority was null.

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