s just a baby, and the other two boys were little fellows. It was
hard work finding something new for them to do each day. Rainy days on
board ship--well, I never want to go through with it again."

"I should think your boys would think you're just lovely," said little
Marjorie.

"Well, I guess we do," said Ham, kissing his mother. "You know we do,
mother dear."

"Of course I do," she replied, giving him a hug.

"Go and kiss your mother," said Capt. Noah to Shem and Japheth, "or she
won't give you any breakfast."

And then they both ran over to her and kissed her, glad of an excuse to
show their real feelings.

"Now, come and get something nice and hot for breakfast," said Mrs. Noah,
"for if we don't eat breakfast pretty soon, we'll have to call it lunch."

And in the next chapter you shall hear of a dreadful collision, but don't
worry, for I shan't let anything happen to little Marjorie and the kind
Noah family.

[Illustration: Captain Noah discovers a leak in the side of the Ark.]

A LEAK

"Look out! Look out! A boat in sight;
Turn quickly to the left or right;
You'll have a smash-up, sure as fate--
Alas! my warning came too late!"

sang the Weathercock.

And, oh, dear me! He was right! Crash! Bang! The Noah's Ark shivered from
bow to stern, and all the animals were thrown off their feet.

Little Marjorie awoke with a start. It was just daylight, and far off in
the east the rising sun was tinging the sky pink and gold.

She hurriedly put on her clothes and ran out on deck, where she met Capt.
Noah and his sons.

"Whales and porpoises!" exclaimed Capt. Noah. "Mr. Jonah has been asleep
at the switch again, I'll bet!"

And then he ran forward and looked over the bow of the Ark.

Only a few yards off was the charred hull of a vessel, riding low in the
water.

Quickly examining his own ship, Capt. Noah discovered a hole on the
starboard side.

And then, all of a sudden, the animals came rushing up on deck.

"The Ark is filling with water," cried Mrs. Elephant, "and my slippers are
all soaking wet. If I had remained below another minute they would have
been ruined!"

She had hardly finished when all the rats and mice scrambled up the
companionway.

"A bad sign!" said Capt. Noah. "It shows the Ark is sinking!"

Mrs. Noah gave a scream. She had hastily thrown a kimono over her
nightdress at the first warning and had hurried on deck.

"Don't worry," said little Marjorie