"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.