aid to him on one occasion, "do you know you are
making an ass of yourself? You have the makings of a man in you, and
yet you mix with that lot."

"Why shouldn't I?" said Tom.

"Because you have more brains than they have, are better educated, and
are capable of better things."

"Why shouldn't I have a lark while I can?" replied Tom. "I shall have
to go to the front in a month or two, so I will just make hay while the
sun shines."

"Make hay!" replied Penrose, "make a fool of yourself, you mean. I
hear that years ago you were on the way to becoming an educated chap,
and now everybody's looking upon you as one of the drinking fellows."

"It's all very well for you to talk," said Tom, "you're a swell."

"I am a private just as you are," replied Penrose.

"Ay, but you will be getting a commission soon, and there's no chance
of that for me. I don't belong to your sort. Besides, what can I do?
There's no places but the theatre, the cinema show, and the
public-house when the day's work is over."

"That's all nonsense," replied Penrose.

"Well, what is there?" asked Tom.

"There's the Y.M.C.A."

"Y.M.C.A.!" laughed Tom, "none o' that for me! I know some of the
fools who go to the Y.M.C.A. meetings."

"Why are they fools?"

"Because they go and hear a lot of pie-jaw; they are a lot of ninnies,
that's what they are."

"They don't get hauled over the coals for misbehaviour, anyhow."

"No, they haven't got pluck enough. I didn't come into the Army to
become religious; I joined to fight the blooming Germans, and what's
fighting got to do with religion?"

"Maybe it has a good deal if you feel you are fighting for a good
cause," replied Penrose; "besides, the Y.M.C.A. chaps are not ninnies,
as you call them. Some of them are the best fellows we have."

"No religious lolly-pops for me," said Tom, "I had enough of that when
I lived i' Brunford."

"Of course you can go your own way," said Penrose. "I suppose you will
spend your evening in the public-house, or at some cinema show, or
perhaps you will be larking around with some silly girls; but I am
going to the Y.M.C.A."

"Do you go there?" cried Tom in astonishment. For Penrose was looked
upon as anything but goody-goody, and he was generally admired. He was
the best boxer in the company, was smart in drill, could do long
marches with the best of them, and was always ready to do a kindly
action. Besides all that, his evident education and social sup