quick changes of his military life by learning how to make the best of
his hitherto hidden gift of companionship.

This is how it came about. He writes:

"One afternoon in early autumn a card was put into the hands
of every young man in our office, inviting us to a tea and
social evening at the Y.M.C.A. Headquarters. The chaps said
to me, 'Of course _you_ are going, Baxter?' and I answered,
'Why not?' They, however, seemed to be of the opinion that
the tea was, more or less, a bait to a prayer-meeting or
something of that kind. However, several went, expecting,
and preparing themselves for, the worst. We were welcomed by
a group of gentlemen who seemed to be possessors of smiles
of permanency; they conducted us to a large room already
well filled with others like ourselves, whom we incorrectly
judged to be members, as they seemed to be quite at home. In
every corner of the room were lounge chairs and on the
tables games of all description. Here and there small groups
were being entertained by the members, and, judging by the
unrestrained merriment, they were proving themselves very
capable hosts.

"We were told to make ourselves absolutely at home; and
although we entered with zest into all that was going on, I
don't think really that we quite lost the feeling that a
prayer-meeting was bound to follow. Much to our surprise no
one came up and spoke to us about our souls; indeed our
hosts led the way into all the fun that was going, and none
of them had the milk-and-bun expression of countenance that