struck it, Tom. Since you wrote to him about the socks he has
been over to Paris. But he gets back to the grind to-morrow--comes in on
the four-thirty train."

"Say, let us get up a reception in William's honor!" cried the
fun-loving Rover; and as soon as the theme was finished he began to
arrange his plans.

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 Dick, 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 breasts and cockades 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 Lordship condescend to come to Brill," went
on Tom, with a low bow.

"What did the Queen say when she decorated you?" asked Dick.

"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-l