Joe did not hear the unkind words; his heart had been made so glad by the princess's joy at seeing him, that he would hardly have been conscious of the fact had the officers of the law come forward at that moment to make him a prisoner.
Mrs. Weber, observing Dan for the first time, addressed him in a kindly tone, which only served to deepen the frown on the amateur detective's face.
"I dunno what you're drivin' at, missis; but you won't pull wool over my eyes by jabberin' away in that lingo."
It so chanced that Joe heard this remark, and, turning quickly towards the boy who, he believed, held him in his power, he said, sharply:
"Now, don't make a bigger fool of yourself than you can help, Dan Fernald! Mrs. Weber can't talk our way, an' is only tryin' to treat you decent."
"I'm keepin' my eyes open, all the same, cause I don't count on gettin' left the same as I was yesterday."
Accepting the invitation given by gestures, Joe entered the house with the princess in his arms, and followed by the boy who considered himself his master.
Now a serious difficulty presented itself.
Mrs. Weber's grandson was not at home, and it would be necessary to dispense with the services of an interpreter.
"I don't know how I'm going to fix it," Joe said, speaking half to himself, and Master Fernald believed he was addressed.