At Leamington he was presented with an address and a silver Maltese Cross. Southam and Banbury were passed through, and then he came to Oxford, where, it had been predicted, his mission would fail ignominiously.
But he was met by students from New College, who treated him with great gentlemanliness, one observing:
“Sergeant, you surely never expected that the people of England would fall upon one man, did you?”
“No,” replied Bates drawing himself up. “I have come through England not only believing that my flag would not be insulted, but feeling sure that Englishmen would show it such respect everywhere that my countrymen would hail my coming as a step full of joyful hope for the future.”
“Bravo!” exclaimed the undergraduate.
Invitations poured in upon the happy soldier. He supped in University College and breakfasted in Trinity.
At a levee in the reception-room at the “Roebuck” the toast was given, “May the stars never shine with less lustre, nor the bars ever grow shorter,” which was received with musical honours:
It’s a way they have in the Army,
It’s a way they have in the Navy,