Five or six of the officers were married men, and had their wives with them.

These, when they learned that the young subaltern had disguised himself, and enlisted in the Pioneers in order to go up with them to the front, took a lively interest in him, and made quite a pet of him.

Two other regiments were at the station at the time and, consequently, there was a good deal of gaiety in the way of lawn tennis and croquet parties, small dinners and dances and, after mess, billiards and whist.

Lisle soon became an expert in the former games, but he never touched either a billiard cue or a card, though he was an interested spectator when others were playing.
Baccarat was very popular with the faster set.

At this game play sometimes ran high, and there was a captain in one of the other regiments who scarcely ever sat down without winning.