midday
Captain Flower , who had secured a bed at the Three Sisters ' Hotel in Aldgate , was for widely different reasons wishing the same thing . His idea was to waylay Fraser immediately after the marriage and obtain Poppy 's address , his natural vanity leading him to believe that Miss Tipping would at once insist upon a change of bridegroom , if she heard of his safety before the ceremony was performed . In these circumstances , he had to control his impatience as best he could , and with a view to preventing his safety becoming known too soon , postponed writing to his uncle until the day before the wedding . He posted his letter in the morning , and after a midday meal took train to Seabridge , and here the reception of which he had dreamed for many weary months , awaited him . The news of his escape had spread round the town like wildfire , and he had hardly stepped out of the train before the station-master was warmly shaking hands with him . The porters followed suit , the only man who displayed any hesitation being the porter from the lamp-room , who patted him on the back several times before venturing . The centre of a little , enthusiastic knot of fellow-townsmen , he could hardly get clear to receive the hearty grip of Captain Barber , or the chaste salute with which Mrs. Barber inaugurated her auntship ; but he got free at last , and , taking an arm of each , set off blithely down the road , escorted by neighbours .