ham afterwards, but it was quite on the cards that they would
go straight from the Surrey camp to France or Flanders.

As soon as Tom heard this, he applied for leave, and, the young
lieutenant having reported that Tom had behaved very well since his
punishment, and had apparently turned over a new leaf, it was granted.

He did not spend much of his time with his father and mother, but as
soon as possible made his way to the Thorn and Thistle. He had saved
practically all his last four weeks' regimental pay, a great part of
which he spent on a present for Polly Powell. On the whole he was
satisfied with Polly's reception, although he felt that she was not
quite so affectionate towards him as she had been during the days when
she was trying to win him away from Alice Lister. It was during his
stay in Brunford, too, that Tom gave way to the temptation of drink.

"Nay, Tom," said Polly when he said he would only take a bottle of
ginger ale, "I never heard of a soldier who was worth his salt but
would not take his beer like a man." And Tom, who could not bear to be
laughed at, yielded to Polly's persuasions.

"Ay, she's a grand lass," he said to himself, "and a rare beauty too;
she's got eyes like black diamonds, and a face like a June rose." All
the same he remembered some of the ladies who had come to the Y.M.C.A.
to sing to the soldiers, and he had a feeling, which he could not put
into words, that Polly was a little bit loud. Her dresses were always
highly coloured, while her hats were bedecked with big feathers. Of
course these things suited her to perfection, and although he did not
raise the slightest objection to them there were doubts at the back of
his mind. Neither did he altogether like the way in which she bandied
jokes, which were not always of the best taste, with the young fellows
who came to the Thorn and Thistle. Altogether it was not an unmixed
sorrow to him when his leave was up and he returned to his regiment.

He did not see Alice Lister during his visit, and if the truth must be
told he was glad of it. Polly Powell's spell was strong upon him, and
he said repeatedly that Alice Lister was not his sort.

A week after this Tom's battalion was ordered south, and amidst much
excitement the men boarded the train which took them there. He had
hoped they would stay in London for at least one night, but only two
hours were allowed between the time they reached Euston from the time
the train was