Joshua's answer was a low whistle of amazement.
"Whew!" he said. "That's the biggest joke I've heard of lately;" and he followed up this remark by a burst of merriment.
Walter surveyed him with surprise. He certainly did not know what to make of Joshua's conduct.
"I don't see any joke about it," he said. "I don't complain of being poor, for I think I can earn my own living; but it doesn't strike me as a thing to laugh at."
"I was laughing to think how the old man is taken in. It's rich!"
Joshua burst into another fit of boisterous laughter.
"How is he taken in?"
"He thinks you're worth a hundred thousand dollars," said Joshua, going off in another peal of merriment.
"Well, he is mistaken, that's all. I don't see how he is taken in."
"He's been doing the polite, and treating you as if you was a prince of the blood. That's the reason he told the old woman to get up such a nice supper, he expected to get you to take him for a guardian, and then he'd have the handling of your money. Won't he be mad when he finds out how he's been taken in? Giving you the best room too! Are you sure that none of the property will be left?"