The night journey was begun, and, while it was pleasant enough at the start, it was soon made miserable, for it began to rain, and the roads were slippery and dangerous, necessitating slow progress. At midnight they stopped at a roadside-inn to get something to eat, and inquire as to the progress they had made. The distance covered was rather disappointing.
“At this rate we won’t get there until nearly noon,” said Jerry.
“Well, there’s one consolation. If the storm keeps up Noddy won’t be likely to go off in the airship,” remarked Ned. “He probably thinks he’s far enough off now so that we can’t catch him.”
They kept on, the storm becoming worse as they proceeded. About two o’clock that morning they ran into a deep mud hole and it took them an hour to work the auto out.
When they had managed to extricate it, they were all wet through from the driving rain, and there was no chance to don dry garments, which they had in their suit cases.
“This is fierce!” exclaimed Jerry, as he resumed his place at the steering wheel. “If I had Noddy Nixon here now, I’d stick him, head first, in that mud puddle.”
“Let me drive it for a while,” suggested Ned, “and you go back in the tonneau with Bob.”
To this Jerry agreed, for he was very tired and there was some protection under the top that covered the tonneau. He managed to get a little broken sleep, by curling up on the seat, while Ned directed the car along the muddy roads.
Morning came at last, and with it the spirits of the three boys rose somewhat. By signposts they learned that they were within ten miles of Platville, and, as they got on a highway that was not so soft, they could make better speed. They were soon in sight of the city, which nestled in a small valley.