Knowing all this, the man accepted and believed every word of Joe's story.

James believed it, because he hoped it.

He listened respectfully to Joe's declamation on the meanness of trade, and then he rubbed his hands, and said humbly that he ventured to hope, when the sale of the business came on, Mr.Joseph would let him have a chance.
"You ?" asked Joe.

"I never thought of you.

But why not?
Why not, I say?
Why not you as well as anybody else ?" "Nobody but me, Mr.Joseph, knows what the business is, and how it might be improved; and I could make arrangements for paying by regular instalments." "Well, we'll talk about it when the time comes.