THE MAJESTY OF THE LAW
"Wake up! Wake up! We're off again,
Over hill and over plain!
The Arkmobile on sea or land
Can sail away at our command."
Again the Weathercock awoke little Marjorie, on board the Noah's Ark, where we left her in the last chapter, you remember.
It was the morning after the circus, and she probably would have slept much later had not the faithful bird, as usual, sung his bit of verse.
You see this wonderful Weathercock was just like an alarm clock.
"Where's the ocean?" asked Marjorie, looking out of the window. "Why, we're traveling on land!"
"Of course we are," answered the Weathercock. "Didn't you see the wheels on the bottom of the Ark yesterday?"
"So I did," admitted Marjorie. "I'd forgotten all about them."
"Well, how did you like my poetry? You see, I make up a new verse every morning, so as to be sure to wake you up."
"I think you are a great poet," answered the little girl.
The Weathercock got very red in the gills. I guess that's the only way he could blush.
So let the rain or sunshine come,
Across the land, we'll swiftly hum,
We are prepared for rain or shine,
For dusty road or foamy brine.
"Hurrah!" shouted the Elephant from down below. "Bravo, Sir Chanticleer!"
"You'll have to excuse me now," said Marjorie to the Weathercock, "for I must pull on my shoes and stockings and brush my hair. You don't have to bother about such things, you know. That's one advantage of being a weathercock."
After breakfast, as they all sat in the cabin, Capt. Noah remarked: "I'm getting a trifle worried. You see, I can't tell by the barometer whether the Ark is floating or wheeling. Now, that is rather important. If we keep on in this way I shall have to get a speedometer. It wouldn't be very nice to be arrested for breaking the speed laws and be locked up in jail."
Mrs. Noah turned pale and the Weathercock shifted about uneasily on the top of the flagpole. "No, indeed," he said, "I don't want to be a jailbird."
"Well, what's the best thing to do?" asked Mrs. Noah.
"Count the telegraph poles as we go along," suggested Ham. "I think there are about thirty to a mile, and see how long it takes to pass them."
"That's a good idea," said Mr. Jonah, but when they looked out of the portholes they couldn't find any telegraph poles.
And just then, all of a sudden, a pistol shot rang out clear and loud.
The Arkmobile came to a sudden stop, and a voice outside was heard to exclaim:
"Where's the chauffeur?"
Capt. Noah rushed up on deck, followed by his family, Mr. Jonah and Marjorie.
"What's the matter?" asked Capt. Noah, looking about to find the owner of the voice.
"Oh, that's what they all say!" came the reply. "You know jolly well what's the matter!"
"Who are you, and where are you?" asked Capt. Noah, vainly trying to find this remarkable person, who seemed to be nothing but a voice.
"Who am I? You'll find out pretty quick. Where am I? You'd better find that out even quicker!"
Looking up to the Weathercock, Capt. Noah shouted: "Ahoy, there, Lookout! Who's delaying us?"
"The Majesty of the Law," came the answering voice again—this time so distinctly that every one turned in the direction from which it came, and then a huge megaphone on the top of a post repeated: "The Majesty of the Law!"
"Well, I'll be blowed!" exclaimed Capt. Noah.
"You have exceeded the speed limit," said the Megaphone, "and you are fined $15!"
"Oh!" interposed Mrs. Noah. "I'm sure you must be mistaken. I'm sure we were not exceeding it $15 worth."
"So am I!" added Mr. Jonah. "In fact, I didn't think we were exceeding anything. We were just rolling along, don't you know, quite comfortably."
"Well, suppose I haven't the money with me?" asked Capt. Noah.
"Fifteen days in jail," answered the Megaphone.
"Mercy!" cried Mrs. Noah.
"Don't worry," whispered Capt. Noah. "I'll borrow the money from Mr. Jonah."
Mr. Jonah was very obliging and lent the money, saying he had had no chance to spend a cent while he was aboard the whale.
"Now, where shall I put the money?" asked Capt. Noah.
"In the little box back of me," replied the Megaphone. And as soon as the money was dropped in the Megaphone shouted: "The prisoner is discharged!"
"Prisoner!" shouted Capt. Noah, as mad as a hornet. "How dare you call me a prisoner!"
But before he had time to say another word the Arkmobile started off and the Megaphone was left behind.
"Jehosaphat!" exclaimed Capt. Noah, wiping the perspiration from his forehead with his red bordered handkerchief. "Bad enough to be robbed of $15, but to be called a 'prisoner'—well, that does make me angry."
"Never mind, my dear," said Mrs. Noah, soothingly. "All's well that ends well. Just think, if we hadn't been able to borrow that $15, we'd have spent fifteen days in jail!"
And then, all of a sudden the Weathercock shouted: "Everybody in the cabin! Water dead ahead!"
My goodness me! you should have seen the animals pull their heads in through the portholes. Poor Mrs. Giraffe didn't get hers inside in time and her bonnet got soaking wet, for as soon as the Ark struck the water the spray flew here and there and everywhere and the deck was flooded ankle deep.
But the Ark was a sturdy craft, and as soon as it once more felt the ocean beneath it, rode the waves as gracefully as a swan.
"I guess we won't be fined for speeding now," laughed Marjorie, and in the next chapter you shall hear what further adventures she had aboard this wonderful Noah's Ark.
The Weathercock called out that he could see the little red Ant on the life-preserver.
