Not so, Aunt Comfort. She could not restrain her admiration of this display
of talent on the part of one of her despised race; she was continually
breaking out with expressions of wonder and applause. "Jis' hear
dat--massy on us--only jis' listen to de chile," said she, "talks jis' de
same as if he was white. Why, boy, where you learn all dat?"

"Across the Red Sea," cried Charlie, in answer to a question from the desk
of the superintendent.

"'Cross de Red Sea! Umph, chile, you been dere?" asked Aunt Comfort, with a
face full of wonder.

"What did you say?" asked Charlie, whose attention had been arrested by the
last question.

"Why I asked where you learned all dat 'bout de children of Israel."

"Oh, I learned that at Philadelphia," was his reply; "I learned it at
school with the rest of the boys."

"You did!" exclaimed she, raising her hands with astonishment. "Is dere
many more of 'em like you?"

Charlie did not hear this last question of Aunt Comfort's, therefore she
was rather startled by his replying in a loud tone, "_Immense hosts_."

"Did I ever--jis' hear dat, dere's ''mense hostes' of 'em jest like him!
only think of it. Is dey all dere yet, honey?"