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.

The deck grew hotter and hotter, and it was necessary for every one to
dance about in order to keep his feet from blistering.

"Holy sufferin' mackerel!" exclaimed Capt. Noah, now realizing the
seriousness of the situation. "Are we to be burned at sea?"

"Get the Elephants to squirt water down the hold," suggested Ham.

"Get busy," said Capt. Noah to the Elephants. "Your trunks are nearly as
good as hose. Why don't you help us?"

"What do you say, Ella?" said the Elephant. "If we don't we may have to
swim later."

Without answering, she went forward and commenced drawing up the salt
water in her trunk and then sending it in a swift stream down into the
hold. The fire, however, was gaining fast, and in spite of the efforts of
the Elephants and the crew the danger increased to an alarming extent, and
at last the flames leaped forth and crawled over the deck.

The animals howled and rushed to the stern of the Ark, which raised the
bow high in the air, and thus added to the danger.

"If it would only rain!" said Mrs. Noah, who sat on a coil of rope, her
sealskin coat on her arm and her jewel box in her hand.

"If it would only rain! This can't be the forty-first day, can it? Time
does go so fast."

Well, I guess something te