"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 then when the chap has got up to talk I've gone into the writing-room or to the French class." "Will you tell me about it?" asked the Scotchman. Tom gave him a full description. "You see," he said, "it's not like Sunday School, or anything of that sort. There's lots of folks what can sing, and play the piano very well, and can recite champion. And they give us a good concert every night. Then there's a room where we can go in and read papers, write letters, or play draughts or bagatelle and all that sort of thing. Then there's a good library where you can get any book for the asking. Ay, those religious folks have been kind; they have sent hundreds of books for us chaps to read, good books and all. Then there's a class-room where you can learn French." "And will there be a bar where you can get some whisky?" asked the Scotchman.