“Ah! he’s going to ‘cast the lead’ in proper fashion, just as sailors do when they want to find out how deep the sea is,” explained Master Gyseburn. “Don’t forget that this is the Shipwrights’ pageant, and they are learned in all seafaring business, as you may imagine.” “Yes! he’s unwinding the line!” cried Colin; “and I suppose he finds that the water has gone down? He can see the tops of the mountains now—can’t he?” “The _whole_ of the mountains, I should think!” returned Master Gyseburn, laughing. “Listen! he’s going to speak.” “Now forty days are fully gone (Noah began), Send a raven I will anon; If aught were earth, tree, or stone, Be dry in any place. And, if this fowl come not again, It is a sign, sooth to say, That dry it is, on hill and plain, And God hath done some grace.” “Oh! he’s going to let out a _real_ raven!” said Margery joyfully. “What a big black thing! Look, how he’s clapping his wings!” “There!—now he’s flown!” exclaimed Colin. “He’s gone right over the roofs of those houses opposite. See how the people are staring after him. _He’ll_ never come back again!” “But the dove will!” declared Margery excitedly. “Noah’s going to let a dove fly now. He’s talking to him—see!” “Thou wilt turn again to me, For of all fowls that may fly Thou art most meek and hend [kind],” said Noah, as he threw the bird up into the air. “It won’t be the _same_ bird that comes back—will it?” asked Colin, looking up at Master Gyseburn, who smiled again. “No—there’s another dove already fastened with a cord from the top of the stage. We shall see it in a minute!” And, sure enough, while he was speaking, the bird came fluttering down, almost into Noah’s hands. “Oh! it’s got the olive-branch in its beak!” exclaimed Margery. “That shows that the trees are out of the water—doesn’t it?” “Yes; listen—then you will hear Noah saying that the flood has gone down.” “By this sight I well may say, This flood begins to cease (Noah was declaring). My sweet dove to me brought has A branch of olive from some place; This betokeneth God has done us some grace, And is a sign of peace.” By this time all the windows in the ark were open, disclosing the whole family, including Noah’s wife, who looked much subdued. “She’s glad she’s saved now!” Margery remarked. “Look!—they’re all coming out, and God is talking to them.” “He is promising that the rainbow shall be a sign from heaven that the earth shall never more be drowned,” said Master Gyseburn. “It’s all over now. Look!—the men are dragging the pageant away to the next halting-place.” “And _now_ it’s Abraham and Isaac!” said Margery joyfully. VI The Story of Abraham and of Isaac Both the children looked anxiously in the direction from which all the pageants coming from the gates of the Priory, approached the market-place.