r the side of
the Ark to make sure that it was not getting too close to the dangerous
berg, which jutted out in ragged points beneath the water.

"Launch the life-boat!" commanded Capt. Noah. "Who will volunteer?"

"I will!" cried Ham, and in less time than I can take to tell it, Ham and
his trained monkeys lowered the boat and jumped in.

"Shove off!" commanded Cockswain Ham, and with a strong pull and a loud
"Yo-ho!" the little boat shot away.

Ham held firmly to the tiller and kept the bow pointed toward the big
rollers, while the monkeys handled the oars.

"Pull for the shore, sailor, pull for the shore," sang the Weathercock.

The bears, who had slid down the iceberg close to the water's edge, stood
anxiously waiting.

"Careful, now!" cried Ham. "Pull on your starboard oar!"

The boat grazed the iceberg. "Jump!" shouted Ham. "Quick!"

And then one of the bears gave a spring and landed in the boat. His mate,
however, slipped, and a big wave at that moment whirled the boat away from
the ice, and with a big splash he landed in the water.

"Throw him a life-preserver!" shouted Capt. Noah.

"Throw him a life line!" yelled Shem.

"Throw him the anchor!" growled Japheth, who never had liked the Polar
Bears, I guess.

But Cockswain Ham was not the least bit rattled. He steered the boat
toward the frightened bear and told him to catch hold.

"Now pull for all you're worth!" shouted Ham to the monkeys, "and we'll
tow Brother Bear."

But, oh, dear me! The great waves kept washing over the little boat, and
the two monkeys had a hard time rowing with that great heavy bear dragging
on the stern.

"They'll be swamped!" screamed Mrs. Noah, as a tremendous great wave
dashed over the little life-boat.

"Bail, bail, you lubber!" shouted Ham. "We'll all be in Davy Jones's
locker if you don't!"

Well, pretty soon they came alongside the Ark, and Capt. Noah let down a
rope ladder, up which the two bears managed to scramble after a hard
struggle.

And after that Cockswain Ham and his gallant crew came aboard, and the
life-boat was hoisted up on deck.

Motherly Mrs. Noah at once put the two bears to bed after a hot mustard
bath and a drink of Jamaica ginger.

"Well, this beats the old days all holler!" exclaimed Capt. Noah. "We
never had such accidents on my first voyage. It just rained and rained for
forty days and forty nights."

"That's the truth, my dear," agreed Mrs. Noah. "I remember it very well.
Ham wa