The Man in the Hills

> You said you would bring the best present of all. Now, Mr. Percival has no presents at all and we're all late!
>
> Sir Handel

**The Man in the Hills** is the sixteenth episode of the twelfth series.

## Plot

It is Mr. Percival's birthday, and Thomas is working with the little engines to get the preparations done. Thomas has a special party tent, Duncan has the decorations, Rusty has the flowers, and Skarloey and Rheneas have banners and balloons. Sir Handel tells them that he plans on telling Mr. Percival a tale of the Man in the Hills, his favorite kind of stories. Thomas has never heard of the Man in the Hills. Sir Handel describes him as being tall and white all over, and he lives in the hills. Thomas thinks that finding him would make the party even better. Freddie offers to help, but Thomas declines.

Thomas pulls up to the dairy and finds a tall man in white. Thomas thinks it is the Man in the Hills and tells him to come with him. Upon arriving at the Wharf, the man reveals himself as the dairyman. Skarloey and Rheneas find Thomas' mistake funny and offers to help. Once again, Thomas turns down the offer. He then goes to the flour mill and finds another man in white. Thinking it is the Man in the Hills, Thomas takes him to the Wharf. There, he reveals that he is the miller who was just white from being covered in flour and that he has not finished the cake, and the dairyman has not finished the ice cream. The little engines are cross with Thomas for setting them behind schedule. They cheer up when Thomas entrusts them with his special jobs, as he has to set things right. He sends the men back to their respective locations and soon the cake is finished and acquired.

At a junction, Freddie takes Thomas on a shortcut to the party. At the Green Hills Junction, Thomas finds a sketch of a tall white man on a rock; the Man in the Hills. Thomas instructs Freddie to takes Mr. Percival and the engines to the rock. Everyone is very happy, and as Sir Handel tells his story, Mr. Percival has the best birthday ever.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Skarloey
* Rheneas
* Sir Handel
* Duncan
* Freddie
* Rusty
* Dusty Miller
* The Dairy Manager
* The Dairy Employees
* Mr. Percival Template:Does not speak
* Peter Sam Template:Cameo
* Mrs. Percival Template:Cameo
* Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants Template:Cameos
* The Percival Children Template:Cameo
* Sir Topham Hatt Template:Mentioned

## Locations

* Sodor Dairy
* Hillside Mill
* The Wharf
* The Man in the Hills
* Green Hills Junction

## Trivia

* The "Man in the Hills" is based upon the Long Man of Wilmington, which is on a steep hillside north west of Eastbourne, East Sussex in Southern England and maybe based upon the "Man in the Moon."
* This episode marks the last of a few things:
	+ Freddie's last appearance to date.
	+ Sir Handel and Peter Sam's last appearances until Blue Mountain Mystery.
	+ Rusty's last speaking role until Blue Mountain Mystery.
	+ The final time Peter Sam's special funnel is simply a square funnel, as from Blue Mountain Mystery onwards, it becomes an accurate giesel ejector.

## Goofs

* When Thomas arrives at the Dairy, his steam platform is visible.
* Thomas lacks his crew when the dairy man and Dusty Miller climb into his cab and in the shot of the cake already loaded inside his cab.
* When the dairy man says "I'm not the Man in the Hills! I'm the dairy man," Thomas is not present next to the platform.