The flashes of lightning were closer now and the rattling of thunder was almost incessant and Bill’s heart sank as he realized he had made a mistake. “I should have landed,” he muttered as he gave the stick another pull. Then, almost as suddenly as they had entered the cloud, the plane burst into bright sunshine. “Hurrah, we made it,” Gordon shouted. “And just in time if you ask me,” Bill returned. “I was beginning to get scared.” “First time I ever was above a thunder storm,” Rogers told them as he looked over the side of the cockpit. “Just look at those streaks of lightning. Isn’t it a wonderful sight?” “It sure is,” Gordon told him. “But let me tell you it doesn’t seem half so wonderful when you’re down there in it. And, believe me, I know what I’m talking about because I’ve been there.” “It seems kind of lonesome up here when you can’t see the ground,” Rogers declared a few minutes later. “We’ll be going down pretty soon,” Bill told him. “We’ve pretty nearly passed it.” The sound of the thunder was rapidly decreasing and they could see that the heavy clouds beneath them were thinning out and soon Bill turned the nose of the plane downward. “Next time I think we’ll land if it’s all the same to you,” Gordon told them as he caught sight of the land. “Terra firma isn’t so bad after all when a storm comes up.” “I believe you’re right at that,” Bill agreed. It was about seven o’clock when they decided to land for the night. They were approaching what seemed to be a fair sized town, not too large but large enough to have a hotel and a few minutes past the hour they landed just on the outskirts of the village. About a hundred yards away was a house with a large barn and Bill suggested that it looked as though they could run the plane inside if permission were given. So Gordon went up to the house and at his knock a man appeared who readily granted his request. “And we can put you up for the night,” he added. “You see we take in tourists and supper is all ready. Matter of fact it’s about over but I guess there’s plenty left.” “That’ll be fine,” Gordon told him. Without much trouble they pushed the plane inside the barn, the doors of which happened to be especially wide and, a few minutes later, sat down to a splendid supper. “What town is this?” Bill asked their host as they started to eat. “Creston,” he told him. “Indiana?” “No, Creston, Iowa.” “We sure did make good time then,” Gordon declared. “Funny I didn’t hear your plane,” the man said. “No, it isn’t,” Gordon told him, “because it doesn’t make hardly any noise.” “How come?” “Well, you see, we have an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine,” Gordon explained. “First time I ever heard of that,” the man declared. “And I think ours is the first one of its kind,” Gordon told him. “Think we can make the coast to-morrow?” Gordon asked as they were getting ready for bed. “If nothing happens and we get away by five o’clock,” Bill told him.