diff --git a/Lib/multifile.py b/Lib/multifile.py
index e0305d8..60a4303 100644
--- a/Lib/multifile.py
+++ b/Lib/multifile.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 """
 
 import sys
-import string
 
 __all__ = ["MultiFile","Error"]
 
@@ -88,10 +87,7 @@
             return line
         else:
             # Ignore trailing whitespace on marker lines
-            k = len(line) - 1
-            while line[k] in string.whitespace:
-                k = k - 1
-            marker = line[:k+1]
+            marker = line.rstrip()
         # No?  OK, try to match a boundary.
         # Return the line (unstripped) if we don't.
         for i in range(len(self.stack)):
@@ -121,7 +117,7 @@
         return list
 
     def read(self): # Note: no size argument -- read until EOF only!
-        return string.joinfields(self.readlines(), '')
+        return self.readlines().join('')
 
     def next(self):
         while self.readline(): pass
diff --git a/Lib/string.py b/Lib/string.py
index 61b253e..bdd9254 100644
--- a/Lib/string.py
+++ b/Lib/string.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@
     fromstr = map(ord, fromstr)
     for i in range(len(fromstr)):
         L[fromstr[i]] = tostr[i]
-    return joinfields(L, "")
+    return join(L, "")
 
 # Substring replacement (global)
 def replace(s, old, new, maxsplit=-1):
diff --git a/Lib/stringold.py b/Lib/stringold.py
index c3e6f6f..dcc1143 100644
--- a/Lib/stringold.py
+++ b/Lib/stringold.py
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@
     fromstr = map(ord, fromstr)
     for i in range(len(fromstr)):
         L[fromstr[i]] = tostr[i]
-    return joinfields(L, "")
+    return join(L, "")
 
 # Substring replacement (global)
 def replace(s, old, new, maxsplit=0):