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 was 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.]