'Did your M.O. tell you that?'
'Yes, and in his opinion the poison was not quite eradicated from my system. Funny, isn't it? Anyhow, they wouldn't let me work, and here I am. What we poor soldiers would do without the Y.M.C.A., Heaven only knows! Anyhow, it shows that Christianity is not quite dead in the country, for if ever there was a Christian body, the Y.M.C.A. is one.'
'You can hardly call it a body,' I replied; 'it is an organization representing the Christian spirit of the country.'
'All right, old man; call it what you like. Anyhow, I am jolly thankful to its promoters. What I should have done but for the Y.M.C.A., Heaven knows, I don't!'
'I know what you are going to do,' I replied.
'What?'
'You are coming with me to my hotel as a guest.'
'You are awfully good, old man, but I am afraid I can't. You see, this illness of mine has given me my opportunity, and I am going to take it.'
'Opportunity for what?'
'For seeing London, for studying its life. I mean to go everywhere, and
I don't want to interfere with your liberty in any way.'