circuit which soon brought them to the other side of the huge
house-boat. There were scarcely any beasts in sight, and so they boldly
approached the great craft which towered high up above their heads. When
they had come quite close, the ex-Pirate's keen eye caught sight of a
small port-hole near the stern, and after calling Tommy's attention to
it they decided to try to get in that way. The port-hole was very
narrow, and it was with the greatest difficulty that the two managed to
squeeze through. But they succeeded, nevertheless, and found themselves
in a sort of dark chamber where there was a ladder that led to the upper
regions of the Ark.

"We're all right now," said the ex-Pirate. "Do you think this will be
too much for you?"

"What?" asked Tommy, who did not quite understand.

"The ladder."

"Not a bit. Why?"

"It's more than you."

"How do you mean?" asked the little boy, now somewhat puzzled.

"You are a lad, aren't you?" said the ex-Pirate.

"Yes."

"Well, this is a ladder."

There was not anything that Tommy could very well answer to any such
statement; but then he had long since given up any idea of following the
peculiar arguments and reasonings of the ex-Pirate. Yet in order to show
him that, even if the ladder was more than he, he was certainly equal to
climbing it, he seized the rungs and clambered up. It ended at a
trap-door which, when lifted, opened into a very large room that
appeared to occupy the entire length of the Ark.

"Aha!" exclaimed the ex-Pirate. "This is where they have the
boxing-matches."

"Will they have any?" asked Tommy, eagerly, and his eyes opened very
wide.

"I don't know," returned the ex-Pirate, "but this is the spar-deck."

"How did you get here?" suddenly asked a familiar voice from behind
them, which so startled Tommy that he almost stepped into the open trap.
When he looked around he saw, to his great joy, that it was the Sheep.

"Oh, we just came," answered the ex-Pirate, quickly. "Things come and
things go, you know."

"Yes, I've heard that before," interrupted the Sheep. "But if Noah
catches you, he'll put you ashore."

"But we don't want to go ashore," said Tommy, who at seeing his old
friend the Sheep had entirely recovered from his momentary alarm.

"Well, I'm very busy now," continued the latter, "and the animals will
be coming in pretty soon. If you want to see them, you had better go up
to the other end of the Ark and sit on a rafter over the e