"Can't any one help him?" asked the ex-Pirate.
"He won't let any one. The Duck, who was educated in divers practices, offered his services as doctor, but the Dachshund would not have him. Said he was a quack." There was a brief silence; then the Gopher added: "They are trying to find out who opened the trap-door, and so I ran away. I came in that way; but I'm sure I shut the trap after me."
"We came in that way too," said the ex-Pirate.
"Yes, and I came up first," put in Tommy. "You were last up. Did you shut the door?"
"I guess I did not," admitted the ex-Pirate. "But it was the Sheep's fault; he put it out of my mind."
By this time the excitement had abated, and the animals were scattered in groups again. The Dachshund went waddling about the floor on his short crooked legs, to the great amusement of the Storks and Cranes, who still had long straight legs, and Tommy said,
"Well, I never knew before how it happened that those dogs had such funny legs." But the Gopher said nothing, and still trembled for fear some one would find out he had come in through the trap.
The wind was blowing fiercely outside, and as it howled around the corners and under the eaves of the Ark it sounded notes like those of an Æolian harp.
"Music, isn't it?" remarked Tommy. "It sounds like a fiddle."
The ex-Pirate almost jumped off the rafter.