strong and shrill reinforcement from some point, ultimately found to be
the school-girls' aisle. At every attempt it grew bolder and more
distinct. At the third time of singing, these intrusive feminine voices
were as mighty as those of the regular singers; in fact, the flood of
sound from this quarter assumed such an individuality, that it had a
time, a key, almost a tune of its own, surging upwards when the gallery
plunged downwards, and the reverse.

Now this had never happened before within the memory of man. The girls,
like the rest of the congregation, had always been humble and respectful
followers of the gallery; singing at sixes and sevens if without gallery
leaders; never interfering with the ordinances of these practised
artists--having no will, union, power, or proclivity except it was given
them from the established choir enthroned above them.

A good deal of desperation became noticeable in the gallery throats and
strings, which continued throughout the musical portion of the service.
Directly the fiddles were laid down, Mr. Penny's spectacles put in their
sheath, and the text had been given out, an indignant whispering began.

"Did ye hear that, souls?" Mr. Penny said, in a groaning breath.

"Brazen-faced hussies!" said Bowman.

"True; why, they were every note as loud as we, fiddles and all, if not
louder!"

"Fiddles and all!" echoed Bowman bitterly.

"Shall anything saucier be found than united 'ooman?" Mr. Spinks