broad Lancashire dialect which gave
him keen enjoyment. More than all this there was a feeling of
good-fellowship; the Y.M.C.A. workers were evidently on the friendliest
of terms with the men, while there was no suggestion of goody-goodyism.

"This is a special occasion, I suppose," said Tom to Penrose.

"Oh no, they have entertainments like this almost every night. All the
musical people in the district give their services."

"What for?" asked Tom.

"Just to give us soldiers a good time; but we must be going now."

"Why?" asked Tom, "it's not late."

"But there's a fellow just going to speak, and as you object to being
preached to we had better go."

Tom rose almost reluctantly. He was not sure that he didn't want to
hear what the man had to say.

"Besides," went on Penrose, "I haven't shown you over the place yet. I
want to take you into the rooms which are provided for writing letters,
and playing games; there are the French classes too, and I should like
you to see what they are like."

That night at eleven o'clock, as Tom went back to the house where he
had been billeted, he felt that he had indeed made a fool of himself.
The Y.M.C.A. rooms had the feeling of home; none of the people there
wanted his money, and he was the better, not the worse, for going.

"Of course," said Tom to himself as he went to bed, "religious
lolly-pops are not fit for a grown-up man, but it wur a grand evening;
I am sure I could pick up that French, too. Let's see, how did it go?

"_Je suis_ I am.
_Vous etes_ you are.
_Nous sommes_ we are.
_Ils sont_ they are.

"Why, it's easy enough," thought Tom, "I could pick it up, and then
when I go over to France I shall be able to speak their lingo."

"Where have you been lately, Tom?" asked Alec McPhail when he met him
some time later. "I have been to all the public-houses where we used
to meet and have not set my eyes on you."

"Nay," replied Tom, "I have been to the Y.M.C.A."

"Nay, Tom, a man like you, with your power of reasoning an' a', are
surely not turning releegious?"

"Nay, I am noan turning religious," replied Tom, "but I tell you, man,
the entertainments are fair grand; champion, in fact! I am learning
French too."

"I suppose the entertainments are sandwiched between the dry bread of
releegion?" replied the Scotchman.

"Nay, I have nowt to do wi' religion," replied Tom. "I have just
listened to the singing and the recitations, and the