"Don't do a thing," said Capt. Noah, pushing him down as he started to get
up. "You just sit there and be a hero!"

"I won't!" cried Mr. Jonah.

"Then we'll all drown, and you, too!" said Capt. Noah.

And just then the Weathercock shouted out loud and clear:

"Land ahead! Land ahead!"

And in a few short seconds the Ark rolled upon a sandy beach and came to a
standstill.

"Throw out the anchor!" commanded Capt. Noah. "We won't take any chances
this time."

And pretty soon all the animals were playing on the sand, while Mrs. Noah,
with Marjorie and the boys, made a fire under some palm trees.

Suddenly Capt. Noah remembered Mr. Jonah. "Thunder and lightning!" he
exclaimed, and at once descended into the hold, where he found poor Mr.
Jonah still sitting on the hole in the Ark.

"Arise, noble man!" said Capt. Noah, bursting into laughter.

"Thank goodness," said Jonah. "I feel as stiff as a glass bottle stopper."

And in the next chapter you shall hear of a wonderful picnic which they
all had on this little green island in the middle of the big blue ocean.

[Illustration: The boys were busy with Captain Noah repairing the Ark.]

THE PICNIC

"Don't leave me alone on the Ark, Marjie, dear,
For I shall be lonely I very much fear.
Now, how would you like to be left alone
High up on a perch where the wild breezes moan?"

"The Weathercock wants to come with us," said Marjorie.

"Then why doesn't he?" said Capt. Noah, who was busily engaged in making
the anchor line fast.

"I'll tell him to come with us."

And she ran up the gang-plank and called to the lonely Weathercock:

"Why don't you fly down? We'd like to have you come ashore with us."

"That's all I wanted to know," said the faithful bird. "Look out! Here she
goes!"

And with a great flutter and flapping of his gilt wings he landed on the
sand.

And after that he and Marjorie went over to the clump of palm trees where
Mrs. Noah and the boys were resting.

"This would be a fine spot for a picnic," she said. "Did you ever go to
one?"

"No, I've never been to one, although I once went to a fair with father,"
said Marjorie.

"Well, while the boys are busy with Capt. Noah mending the Ark, we'll get
a fire started and have our lunch out here beneath the trees."

It didn't take long to get the fire started, for Mrs. Noah wished to
surprise the Captain when he came back, and pretty soon the kettle was
singing away: