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IT was still raining when Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb awoke. They had
spent a comfortable night at the Hotel Ark and felt much refreshed.
After a hearty breakfast they again looked out of the window. The rain
was still coming down in torrents, and water lay inches deep upon the
street. The Hotel Ark was surrounded by a shallow lake which, however,
was growing deeper every minute.
Puss, Junior, stepped out upon the veranda and looked over the village
square. Through the rain he could make out the outlines of the Ark. Just
then a voice began to sing:
"He built it high, he built it strong,
He built it wide, he built it long,
To hold a jolly, motley throng."
Pretty soon Noah himself came splashing through the water toward the
hotel.
"There is no time to lose," he cried, "the Ark will soon be afloat.
Mother, make haste. Tell the girls to come along. We've no time to
lose." Mrs. Noah appeared almost immediately, followed by the wives of
her three sons. Lifting up their skirts, they waded after Noah. Puss,
Junior, picked up Tom Thumb and placed him on his shoulder. From far and
near, from the forest and the plain, from everywhere, the animals came
hurrying up.
"There were the Elephant and Bee,
The Hippopotamus and Flea,
The tall Giraffe and Chick-a-dee,
The Cock-a-doodle and the Ass,
And three young men, each with his lass,
Shem, Ham and Japhet had a pass!
Noah of old, and Noah's dame,
I think I never heard her name,
But she went in tho' all the same."
"This reminds me of the circus," laughed Puss, Junior. "I once was with
a circus; three days or so; whenever I see an elephant I think of my
circus days."
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"Let down the gang-plank," commanded Noah, and soon a long procession of
animals began to enter the Ark. The rain kept up its heavy downpour and
by noon the water was waist deep. All the smaller animals had come
aboard and Captain Noah (as he was now called) felt certain by evening
he would be able to start on his voyage.