Popham said apologetically,--
"I certainly wrote to the tenants, sir, when I received your letter,
and sent off a message saying that you would be here this morning.
Most of them or their fathers were here in the old time, for Mr.
Harvey made no changes, and I am sure they would have been very
disappointed if they had not had notice that Sir Aubrey's son was
coming home."
"Of course it was quite right for you to do so, Mr. Popham, but you
see I am quite unaccustomed to such things, and would personally have
been much more pleased to have come home quietly. Still, as you say,
it is only right that the tenants should have been informed, and at
any rate it will be a satisfaction to get it all over at once."
There were indeed quite a large number of men and women assembled in
front of the house--all the tenants, with their wives and families,
having gathered to greet their young landlord--and loud bursts of
cheering arose as he rode up, Sydney and Mr. Popham reining back
their horses a little to allow him to precede them. Cyril took off
his hat, and bowed repeatedly in reply to the acclamations that
greeted him. The tenants crowded round, many of the older men
pressing forward to shake him by the hand.
"Welcome back to your own again, Sir Cyril!"
"I fought under your father, sir, and a good landlord he was to us
all."
Such were the exclamations that rose round him until he reached the
door of the mansion, and, dismounting, took his place at the top of
the steps.
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