Part 30 (1/2)

The next afternoon the Rovers and a crowd of their chums took one of the college carryalls and drove over to Ashton station to witness the sport.

Tom had been to town early in the morning and had arranged matters with eight colored waiters from the hotel, and also with a local liveryman.

As the train came in the boys and a number of others were on the watch for Tubbs. As soon as they saw the dudish student alight, dress-suit case in hand, the Rovers rushed up to him.

”How are you, Sir William!” cried d.i.c.k, taking the dude's hand gravely.

”Let me congratulate you, Lord Tubbs!” cried Sam, bowing low.

”Your Highness will find his carriage this way,” put in Tom, taking the dress-suit case and flinging it to one of the colored men.

”Why--er--weally, don't you know, what does--er--this mean?” stammered poor William Philander, gazing around in astonishment.

And well might he be astonished, for there, before him, in a wide-open double row, stood the eight colored men, all dressed in black, with broad red sashes over their b.r.e.a.s.t.s and c.o.c.kades of red paper in their hats. On the platform between the colored men was a bright red stair carpet, and this carpet led directly to where a carriage was in waiting.

The carriage had four white horses, all decorated in red ribbons, and on the seat sat a driver, also decorated in red.

”Such an honor to have your Lords.h.i.+p condescend to come to Brill,” went on Tom, with a low bow.

”What did the Queen say when she decorated you?” asked d.i.c.k.

”It was a grand thing for the King to honor you so highly,” put in Sam.

”I certainly envy you,” came from Songbird, who was in the secret.

”Hope there is a good salary attached to the office,” was Stanley's comment.

”I've heard it vas fife thousand pounds by the year!” vouchsafed Max.

”How the girls will fall in love with you when they hear of this,”

sighed Spud.

”This way, your Excellency!” cried Tom, and led poor, bewildered Tubbs to the carriage.

”Thomas, my dear fellow, what--er--what does it mean?” gasped the dudish student, his eyes opening wider and wider.

”Oh, you can't fool us, Tubblets,” whispered the fun-loving Rover. ”You were going to keep it a secret, but we read all about it in the London paper one of the fellows sent over.”

”Read about--ah--what, please?”

”Why, how the king and queen knighted you, and all that, Philliam Whilander.”

”William Philander, please, Thomas. But--er--this is a mistake----”

”No, no, Tubby, my boy, no mistake at all, I a.s.sure you. This is in your honor solely. The college faculty did it--they couldn't do less, to one so decorated, or knighted,--which is it, please? It's the grandest thing that ever happened to Brill.”

”But don't you know, I--er--I haven't been--er--knighted, or anything else. I wasn't in England, I went to Paris, and----”

”Now, now, my dear boy, don't try that game,” said Tom, reproachfully.