ntrance. But
don't let the Bull see you. He's in a mighty bad humor. Good-by," and
the Sheep trotted off and disappeared almost as suddenly as he had come.

"Guess we'd better do that," said the ex-Pirate, meditatively. "We don't
want to get put out." So they walked to the other end of the big room,
being very careful to make as little noise as possible, and when they
came to the large arched entrance with the heavy bolted doors the
ex-Pirate helped Tommy climb up a post, and the two slid out on a
rafter, from which they could obtain a first-rate view of anything that
might happen. Just below where they sat, and directly opposite them, was
a window with a small counter in front of it and the words "Ticket
Office" painted over it. Below the counter, nearer the floor, was
another window, only smaller--"for the little animals, I suppose,"
thought Tommy. When their eyes had become accustomed to the
semi-obscurity of their surroundings they found that they were not the
only occupants of balcony seats. A few feet away from them sat a Gopher.
He wore a pink sun-bonnet, and looked somewhat timidly at the intruders.
As soon as the ex-Pirate saw him, he said: "What are you doing up here?
Why aren't you outside?"

[Illustration: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP HERE? WHY AREN'T YOU OUTSIDE?"]

"Lost my ticket," answered the Gopher, timorously.

"Lost your ticket?" repeated the ex-Pirate.

"Yes, sir," continued the little animal, meekly. "Not exactly lost it. I
put it in my mouth, and forgot, and swallowed it. I've got it inside."

"Oh," said the ex-Pirate. "Well, you'll get it back as soon as we
start."

"Please may I stay?" asked the Gopher.

"Why, certainly," replied the ex-Pirate, affably, waving his hand in a
grandiose way, just as if he had been the proprietor of the Ark;
whereupon the Gopher looked much pleased and relieved, and settled down
comfortably again at his end of the rafter.

Just then the shutter of the ticket window was thrown up with a loud
bang that made Tommy jump, and the Bull stuck his head out and peered up
and down the large room. He was a very fierce-looking Bull, and he wore
on his head a cap with the word "Purser" embroidered on it in gold
letters.

"All aboard!" he bellowed, in a voice that fairly made the timbers
tremble, and scared the Gopher half out of his wits. And then some one
from the outside opened the heavy doors and the animals began coming in.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

[Illustration: