The Cruise of the Noahs Ark | Page 9

rough, and it was no easy matter to find
so small a passenger.
"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 glass,
but in vain; the form of the poor Ant was nowhere to be seen.
"Shiver my timbers!" said Capt. Noah, under his breath. "What will
happen to me if I lose a passenger?"
"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 passenger 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.
[Illustration: 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 Weathercock 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
shivering 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,
Japheth. 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