Noah's ark--an' if it was the Toyman's, why he'd let me in anyway."

Jehosophat had no answer at all for this, and all they could do now
was to watch the rain and the Pond and the Brook, but Marmaduke was
very happy picturing to himself the big Ark which the Toyman would
build, and how he would help, and the fine time, too, he and all the
animals would have, living together under the very same roof.

Of course, the rain had to stop some time. It always does in the end.
And on the sixth day the Sun came out jolly and warm again, and the
boys put on their rubber boots and went out to the Pond. They couldn't
get quite as near it as usual, for the edge was almost at the Ducks'
house now, and not so very far from the house of the White Wyandottes,
who seemed to think the end of the world had come, and looked very sad
with their draggled feathers.

For a little while the boys threw sticks in the water. When the dogs
had fetched the sticks they would shake the water from their coats and
over the boys, just like shower baths. It was all very jolly, and I
don't know which the children enjoyed more, throwing the sticks or the
nice cool showers.

But after a while they tired of this, too, and walked up the pasture
to see the Brook.

There it was, racing and romping and tearing along for dear life. It
wasn't clear and silvery now, but muddy and brown as if a thousand
cups of coffee had been spilled in it. And on it floated many strange
things,--branches of trees and a fence-rail, the roof of a pig-pen, an
old shoe, and one poor drowned sheep.