The Cruise of the Noah's Ark Part 6

And no wonder, for the sea was rough, and it was no easy matter to find so small a pa.s.senger.

"Get my telescope!" yelled Capt. Noah.

"I think it's in my workbasket," said Mrs. Noah to Ham, who started at once to obey his father's command. "If it isn't it may be in your toolchest. I think you had it the other day when you were going to make an anti-aircraft gun out of it for your toy army."

"That's where I found it," said Ham, a minute later, appearing breathless with the telescope.

"Where abouts?" screamed the Elephant, who was now some distance from the Ark.

"Wait a minute, can't you?" yelled Capt. Noah. "I've got to adjust the thing. These boys have been meddling with it!"

When this was finally done, Capt. Noah swept the sea with his gla.s.s, but in vain; the form of the poor Ant was nowhere to be seen.

"s.h.i.+ver my timbers!" said Capt. Noah, under his breath. "What will happen to me if I lose a pa.s.senger?"

"Hurry up!" gasped the Elephant, now thoroughly worn out by the buffeting of the waves. "Hurry up, I'm most in."

"Well, we'll have to get you out, then," answered Capt. Noah.

"Swim around to the port side," said Ham; "we'll hoist you up by the davits."

"I hate to give up looking for the Ant," said the Elephant, as he slipped the ropes under his big body.

And then, after much tugging and hauling away on the ropes he was lifted up even with the deck. But beyond this it was impossible to do anything.

The davits refused to swing in, being hindered by the immense size of the animal.

"Put your trunk on the deck," suggested Mr. Jonah. "That will make you weigh less, and perhaps we can roll you over the edge."

"Yes, that's a good idea," said Shem. "Put your baggage aboard first."

"This is no time for joking----We have lost one pa.s.senger and are in danger of losing another. It will look very strange to lose the largest and the smallest on the same day," said poor Capt. Noah, despairingly.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MR. ELEPHANT HAS TROUBLE GETTING ABOARD]

Well, just then, Mrs. Elephant came up from the hold. She had overslept herself, and had only now heard the commotion on deck. On seeing her mate swinging from the davits she set up a loud trumpeting.

"Goodness, gracious, Ella!" said the Elephant. "Don't carry on like that.

Screaming won't get me out. Get hold of me and help pull."

This was good advice, and pretty soon Mr. Elephant was landed safely on board the Ark.

Just then the Weatherc.o.c.k called out that he could see the little red Ant on the life-preserver.

"Thank goodness!" exclaimed Capt. Noah, and the Ark was turned in the direction pointed out by the faithful lookout. Then Mr. Jonah leaned over and pulled in the life-preserver as the Ark slowly came alongside, and just in the nick of time, for the poor Ant was nearly dead.

"Give him to me," said Mrs. Noah. "A little Jamaica ginger and a warm blanket will bring him 'round, I guess."

"Well, well!" exclaimed Capt. Noah, as the motherly form of Mrs. Noah disappeared down the companionway. "This has been an exciting forenoon,"

and then he wiped his forehead with his red bordered handkerchief and looked about him. "All you animals go below deck!" he commanded, "or else we'll have somebody else overboard."

So Mrs. Elephant led Mr. Elephant, who was wet to the skin and s.h.i.+vering with the cold, down to the hold, where she put him to bed with a hot water bag at his feet and a woolen night cap on his head.

"Are you going to put this down in your log book?" asked Marjorie. "I think it will make a very interesting story and I've heard from old sailors that they always put down everything that happens in the log book."

"Of course I will," answered Capt. Noah. "Bring me the log book, j.a.pheth.

You haven't done anything this morning. Suppose you jot it down. I declare, I'm all tuckered out with excitement and worry."

"You'd better lie down and rest, father," said Mrs. Noah, coming up on deck. "I have the Ant very comfortable now, and I feel sure he will recover in a short time."

So Capt. Noah went below to rest, and the little Dove perched herself on Marjorie's shoulder and watched Capt. Noah's son write in the log book.

And what do you suppose he wrote? Well, it was something like this, for the little Dove told me afterwards:

The little red Ant fell into the sea, But, oh, dear you, and oh, dear me!

And then the Elephant with a shout Jumped in and tried to pull him out.

But he wasn't saved by the Elephant; It was Mr. Jonah who saved the Ant.

And in the next chapter I'll tell you more about Marjorie on board the Ark.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Whale put out the fire, but he nearly sank the Ark.]

FIRE! FIRE!

"Fire! Fire! Fire!"

Marjorie awoke with a start. The Weatherc.o.c.k was again sounding the warning, "Fire! Fire! Fire!"

"Where?" cried Marjorie, looking out of the porthole at the excited Weatherc.o.c.k and then down to the deck, where at that moment Capt. Noah and his sons appeared, each armed with a pail.

The fire evidently was at the forward end of the Ark, for Noah and his crew ran in that direction.

It took Marjorie but a few minutes to dress, and just as she reached the deck, Mr. Jonah appeared.

"This is a poor way to put out a fire," he said, as he tossed the water from his pail down the hatchway, from which was rising a thick cloud of smoke. "We need a hose and a pump."

"Hurry up, Jonah!" commanded Capt. Noah. "This fire is getting too much headway to suit me. I'm afraid the animals will be roasted if we don't put it out pretty soon!"

As he finished speaking the Elephant rushed on deck and, leaning over the side of the Ark, filled his trunk with water, which he immediately squirted over himself. And then Mrs. Elephant did the same.

"I was never so warm before," she remarked; "not even in India. If I had stayed another minute below deck I would have been scarred for life!"

By this time the deck was crowded. Some of the animals were nearly frightened to death; some were choking with the smoke, while others were filling the air with noises of all kinds. It was as if pandemonium were let loose.

Those animals which could climb were soon scrambling to the roof of the Ark, where they sat on or clung desperately to the ridgepole.