eg'lar. My! What a crush! I only wish my boy
Jan was here to see; but he's stayin' at home, my dear, cos his
father means to kill the pig to-day, an' the dear child do so love to
hear'n screech."

The Admiral, who happened by the merest chance to be sauntering along
the Station Road this morning, in his best blue frock-coat with a
flower in the buttonhole, corrected some of the rumours, but without
much success. Finding the throng so thick, he held a long debate
between curiosity and dignity. The latter won, and he returned to
No. 2, Alma Villas, in a flutter, some ten minutes before the train
was due.

By noon the crowd was growing impatient. But hardly had the church
clock chimed the hour when the shriek of a whistle was heard from up
the valley. Amid wild excitement a puff of white smoke appeared,
then another, and finally the mid-day train steamed serenely into the
station.

As it drew up, a mild spectacled face appeared at the window of a
first-class carriage, and asked--

"Is this Troy?"

"Yessir--terminus. Any luggage, sir?"

The mild face got out. It belonged to the only stranger in the
train.

"There is only a black portmanteau," said he. "Ah, that is it.
I shall want it put in the cloakroom for an hour or two while I go
into the town."

The stranger gave up his ticket--a single ticket--and stepped outside
the station. He was a mild, thin man, slightly above middle height,
with vacant eyes and a hesitating manner. He wore a black suit, a
rather rusty top-hat, and carried a silk umbrella.

"Here he comes!"

"Look, that's him!"

"Give 'un a cheer, boys."

"Hip, hip, hoor-roar!"

The sound burst upon the clear sky in a deafening peal. The stranger
paused and looked confused.

"Dear me!" he murmured to himself, "the population here seems to be
excited about something--and, bless my soul, what a lot of it there
is!"

He might well say so. Along the road, arms, sticks, baskets, and
handkerchiefs were frantically waving; men shouting and children
hurrahing with might and main. Windows were flung up; heads
protruded; flags waved in frenzied welcome. The tumult was
stupendous. There was not a man, woman, or child in Troy but felt
the demonstration must be hearty, and determined to make it a
success.

"What _can_ have caused this riot?"

The stranger paused with a half-timid air, but after a while resumed
his walk. The shouts broke out again, and louder than ever.

"Welcome,