When ther Primal Dark retreated,
When ther deeps were undesigned,
He with rule and level meted
Habitation for mankind!
I saw sick envy on Bat's face. 'Curse Nature,' he muttered. 'She gets ahead of you every time. To think I forgot hymns and a harmonium!'
Then came the chorus:
Hear ther truth our tongues are telling,
Spread ther light from shore to shore—
Oh, be faithful! Oh, be truthful!
Earth is flat for evermore.
They sang several verses with the fervour of Christians awaiting their lions. Then there were growlings in the air. The sexton, embraced by the landlord, two-stepped out of the pub-door. Each was trying to outroar the other. 'Apologising in advarnce for what he says,' the landlord shouted: 'You'd better go away' (here the sexton began to speak words). 'This isn't the time nor yet the place for—for any more o' this chat.'
The crowd thickened. I saw the village police-sergeant come out of his cottage buckling his belt.
'But surely,' said the woman at the harmonium, 'there must be some mistake. We are not suffragettes.'
'Damn it! They'd be a change,' cried the sexton. 'You get out of this! Don't talk! I can't stand it for one! Get right out, or we'll font you!'
The crowd which was being recruited from every house in sight echoed the invitation. The
