52 i The Brothers.

 

upon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is
the breath of life from under heaven, and
everything that is in the earth shall die.’

“But Noah and his wife, and his sons and
their wives, were to go into the ark and be
safe ; and they were to take two of every kind
of animals into the ark too, to keep them
alive; and birds as well, two of every kind.”

“And that was why the ark had to be so
big ?” Stephen asked.

“That was the reason ; and when Noah had
heard the words of the Lord God, he set to
work and began to build the ark directly.”

“Did the people know that the flood was
coming ?”

“I believe that all the many years Noah
was building the ark he kept on telling them
why he was making it, and warning them
of the danger that was coming upon them.
But they would not heed him. Noah went
on working and working; year by year the
ark grew larger. Perhaps many came and
watched his work; perhaps they laughed at
him for taking so much trouble for nothing.
At any rate, they did not believe in the
dreadful flood that was coming, but went on
with their business and their pleasure and
their wickedness, until at last the ark was