The congregation has a knack of getting out of time and tune when the melody is unfamiliar; this, in turn, distracts the choir, who flounder hopelessly, until the schoolmaster drags them back by putting full steam on the harmonium and singing at the top of his voice.

Every Sunday afternoon, at least, he was obliged to display his vocal prowess in this manner.

After every one of the commandments read out by the parson the prisoners chanted the response, "Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law." Nine times they chanted thus, gathering momentum as they went along, so that they took the tenth in brave style.

But, alas! the tenth was different.

"Lord have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee," were the words, and the tune was correspondingly altered.
Fortunately, just at the point of change, there was a strong _crescendo_, which gave the schoolmaster a fine opportunity of asserting himself.