UNDER THE WATER SKY. 51

She heard a patter of feet drawing near;
quickly she was found. Then she didn’t want to
be “it,” and she was very impatient to look into
the Ark. Her companion was only too happy
to do everything she wished. He lifted the ark’s
lid; Elsie shouted with delight. There was the
finest collection of animals she had ever seen.

Girl and boy got upon their knees, and took
out giraffes, elephants, pigs and birds by
handsful. Why there was neither brown paper
nor shavings in the bottom of the ark!

“It’s the first ark that ve ever seen that
isn't a cheat!” Elsie exclaimed earnestly.

Her companion said:

“Ves, and the beasts walk and run them-
selves——look |”

As he stood each one up he touched a
spring within it, and immediately it was set in
motion. Soon the floor became covered with a
long procession of little woodeu animals; they
walked and trotted about as the children fancied.

Tiring at length of this amusement, Elsie
sighed. :

“Oh! we have to pick them all up and put
them back again; don't we?” Sometimes she
was a lazy little girl. But the boy answered:

‘“Novindéedss see? =

The animals, being bidden, came running
back, up and into the ark, of their own accord.