One day, while digging away in the mine, he heard a miner say something to another about a big school for negroes. He was greatly excited and on his hands and feet he crept through the dark, as close to the two men as he dared, and listened. They kept on talking and Booker heard a conversation something like this: “I wish my boy could go to that school over in Virginia,” said one miner. “They say it is the best school anywhere in the country.” “What school are you talking about?” said the other. “The one at a place called Hampton, over in Virginia,” was the reply. “Well, suppose there is a good school there; negro boys can’t go to it, can they?” was asked. “Yes, they can,” said the other. “It is a school just for negro boys and girls, and they teach the boys and girls something besides books, too. They are taught some useful trades so that they can go out and make a good living and be independent and have pleasant work to do.” “Well,” said the other miner, “that sounds pretty good, but nobody but rich folks can afford such a school as that; so I don’t see where it is going to help us any.” “There is where you are mistaken again,” was the answer, “for poor boys and girls can go to this school. That is what I have heard. They say that they give the boys and girls different kinds of work to do, so that they can pay their own way through school.” Booker heard no more. He returned to his work very greatly excited. That certainly was the place for him. He then and there made up his mind that he would go to that school no matter what happened. He did not know where the place was, but he determined that he would find it. From that day on, one thought was in his mind—to go to Hampton. He wanted to quit work in the mines, because the work was so dangerous, and because he was not making enough money. A few days after he heard the conversation about Hampton, he heard that Mrs. Ruffner wanted a servant. She was the wife of General Lewis Ruffner, the owner of the salt furnaces and the coal mines. The lady, Mrs. Viola Ruffner, was said to be very strict with her servants, and consequently no servant would stay with her long at a time. When Booker heard that she was looking for another servant, he decided to apply for the place. He was terribly frightened when he went into her presence; and he was surprised to find her very kind and considerate. She employed him, giving him five dollars a month. She became very fond of this boy, who worked so hard and so well and tried to do the work so as to please her. She showed her interest in his ambition to get an education, by letting him off a part of the day to study, and by encouraging him to go to the night school.