O great was the joy of the Toy people lined along the way that cheer upon cheer greeted Tommy and Helen as they drew towards the city.
At the entrance to Toyville there was another gate, similar in design to the one at the top of the hill, only quite a little larger and flanked with tall red capped towers in which were windows and portholes, quite the same as in a fortress. On each side of the gate were huge brass cannons. The Toy people did not really expect any enemy to attack their city on this side, fearing only the King of Grumbletown, whose realm lay {66} beyond the hills at the far end of the valley, but they built the gate with towers in such a formidable way, thinking to thus make a more impressive entrance to their city.
The procession now approached the center of the city by a long avenue which terminated at a beautiful park.
Around the other edge of the park were ranged line after line of soldiers, both infantry and cavalry, in uniforms of scarlet and gold, and black and gold, with officers all in white and gold; the bridles and saddles of their chargers being richly studded in silver and colored enamels.
At the entrance to the park there stood a great arch of wonderful design. Across the top of this arch in tall letters of black, with great curly capitals of red, was painted: “Welcome to the King and Queen.”
As Tommy and Helen rode their dancing, prancing horses beneath the Arch of Welcome, there was a mighty blast by the buglers followed by roar upon roar from a great firing of cannon. Then the officers waved their swords and the soldiers and people broke into one wild glad cheer, while from all over the city could be heard the joyous peals of ringing bells.
Presently a Herald rode forward and blew three mighty blasts upon his bugle. Then he cried: “O, ye people of Toyville, give ear and hear the words that have been written for ye in the great parchment!”
As soon as the Herald had said this, there stepped up two Pages, bearing between them a great scroll of parchment, from which hung many red ribbons and seals. Behind the two Pages there came a man dressed in a coat of scarlet, with a long sword at his belt, and a tall hat upon his head. {67}