s, Lucy and Mr. Noah followed. And when every one was in, the door
of the ark was shut from inside by an ingenious mechanical contrivance
worked by a more than usually intelligent M.A.

You must not suppose that the inside of the ark was anything like the
inside of your own Noah's ark, where all the animals are put in anyhow,
all mixed together and wrong way up as likely as not. That, with live
animals and live people, would, as you will readily imagine, be quite
uncomfortable. The inside of the ark which had been built under the
direction of Mr. Noah and Mr. Perrin was not at all like that. It was
more like the inside of a big Atlantic liner than anything else I can
think of. All the animals were stowed away in suitable stalls, and there
were delightful cabins for all those for whom cabins were suitable. The
islanders and the M.A.'s retired to their cabins in perfect order, and
Lucy and Mr. Noah, Mr. Perrin and the Lord High Islander gathered in the
saloon, which was large and had walls and doors of inlaid
mother-of-pearl and pink coral. It was lighted by glass globes filled
with phosphorus collected by an ingenious process invented by another of
the M.A.'s.

'And now,' said Mr. Noah, 'I beg that anxiety may be dismissed from
every mind. If the waters subside, they leave us safe. If they rise, as
I confidently expect them to do, our ark will float, and we still are
safe. In the morning I will take soundings and begin to steer a course.
We will select a suitable spot on the shore, land and proceed to the
Hidden Places, where we will consult the oracle. A little refreshment
before we retire for what is left of the night? A captain's biscuit
would perhaps not be inappropriate?' He took a tin from a locker and
handed it round.

'That's A1, sir,' said the Lord High Islander, munching. 'What a head
you have for the right thing.'

'All practice,' said Mr. Noah modestly.

'Thank you,' said Lucy, taking a biscuit; 'I wish. . . .'

The sentence was never finished. With a sickening suddenness the floor
of the saloon heaved up under their feet, a roaring surging battering
sound broke round them; the saloon tipped over on one side and the whole
party was thrown on the pink silk cushions of the long settee. A shudder
seemed to run through the ark from end to end, and 'What is it? Oh! what
is it?' cried Lucy as the ark heeled over the other way and the
unfortunate occupants were thrown on to the opposite set of cushions.
(It r