ar, but that same prize must now be handed over to our soldiers
in camp. What they can do with one simple, unoffending, white-cloth
cricket-hat passes all belief. Seldom, as is the case with their
dungarees, did these boys have a hat that really fitted them, those
with big heads had the smallest hats, and those with extra small heads
got the largest size. They were all shades, from their original pure
white down, or up, to an exact match with Mother Earth. And the
shapes! Some wore them turned down all round, some turned up all
round, some turned up in front and down at the back, some vice versa,
some turned up on the left side and down at the right, and some down at
the left and up at the right; some had tucked the front part in,
leaving a large expanse of bare brow, while the back part, turned down,
shaded the nape of their neck. Some applied this idea reversed,
turning in the back; some turned the brim right in except for a small
peak a la Jockey; some had a peak back and front, made by rolling in
both sides, and some settled the question by turning the whole brim in,
the resultant skull-cap effect being such as to bring tears to the eyes
of all beholders.

These disconsolate, lonely faces, with, in the cases of the younger
boys, tear-filled eyes, surmounted by these absurd, preposterous
hats--it was truly a case of not knowing whether to laugh or to cry; so
by laughing hard, the women who saw them hid their tears.

It soon began to get dark--in Australia our twilight is short--so
suitcases and baskets were repacked, but only this time with plates,
cups, spoons, etc.--and one by one the parties rose and went over to
the Y. M. C. A. tent for the concert. In the tent tables had all been
moved out and rows of chairs and forms filled it. In a short time they
were all occupied, the officers sitting in front, some with visitors,
others alone and casting very longing eyes at the lovely girls coming
in with the men.

The concert was given, as they mostly were, by an amateur club, and had
its ups and downs. But every one enjoyed it--the items that took the
popular fancy were loudly applauded, and the others that weren't so
good--well, no one minded, as every one was happy, and the lights were
very dim!

By the end of the concert it was nine o'clock, the time for all
visitors to be shooed off home. The bugles blew "The First Post," and
every one, very unwilling, made their way slowly down to the gate.
Here good-