eet," said Chester after a glance at the indicator.

"Doesn't seem like it to me," said the colonel. "Think I can see the
ground below."

"You shouldn't at this altitude," said Chester.

"I know it. Guess I was mistaken."

Half an hour later the colonel spoke again. "Have you come down
any, Chester?"

"No; why?"

"I'm sure I can see the ground below," returned the colonel.

Chester glanced over the side of the plane.

"By Jove! So can I," he exclaimed. He glanced at the indicator again. It
still read a trifle over a thousand feet. "Something wrong some place,"
he said to himself.

He tilted the elevating lever, but the plane did not answer by a sudden
rush upward. Chester gave a long whistle.

"What's the matter?" demanded Colonel Anderson.

"I don't know," returned Chester. "We're going down gradually, I know
that, but the indicator still reads a thousand feet and I can't move the
plane any higher."

"And you don't know what is wrong?"

"Haven't the slightest idea. I'm no airship expert."

"Then you shouldn't try to run one," declared Ivan.

"Now don't get worried, Ivan," said Chester with a laugh. "We'll get down
again all right."

"We'll probably get down," said Ivan, "but the thing that worries me is
whether it will be all right or not. I want to die with my feet on the
ground and not be dashed against the earth head first."

"I'm sure there is no danger," said Chester. "We're just sinking gently."

He cut off the engine and allowed the craft to volplane to earth more
abruptly. It came to rest on the ground as lightly as a bird.

"Well, what will we do now?" demanded Ivan.

"You have as much idea as I have," returned Chester. "I can't fix this
thing here in the darkness; in fact, I don't know whether I can fix it at
all. We'll either have to walk or stay here until I can have a look at
this craft in daylight--and maybe that won't do any good."

"I vote we walk," said Colonel Anderson. "There must be houses along here
some place. Maybe we can commandeer three horses, or an automobile or
something."

"Most likely what we'll commandeer will be trouble," grumbled Ivan.

"Now what are you kicking about?" demanded Chester. "You have been
hunting trouble ever since I have known you. Maybe you'll be satisfied
this time."

"Do you think so?" demanded Ivan eagerly.

"No, I don't," returned Chester. "If I did I'd sit right here. I don't
want to run into any trouble now if I can help it. We've go