is words were interrupted by a
deafening crash of thunder which followed close after a blinding
flash. "No tree for mine!" murmured Tom. "I forgot that they're
dangerous in a storm. I wonder where I can stay?"

He turned on all the power possible and sprinted ahead. Around a
curve in the road he went, leaning over to preserve his balance, and
just as the rain came pelting down in a torrent he saw just ahead of
him a white church on the lonely country road. To one side was a
long shed, where the farmers were in the habit of leaving their
teams when they came to service.

"Just the thing!" cried the boy; "and just in time!"

He turned his motor-cycle into the yard surrounding the church, and
a moment later had come to a stop beneath the shed. It was broad and
long, furnishing a good protection against the storm, which had now
burst in all its fury.

Tom was not very wet, and looking to see that the model, which was
partly of wood, had suffered no damage, the lad gave his attention
to his machine.

"Seems to be all right," he murmured. "I'll just oil her up while
I'm waiting. This can't last long; it's raining too hard."

He busied himself over the motor-cycle, adjusting a nut that had
been rattled loose, and putting some oil on the bearings. The rain
kept up steadily, and when he had completed his attentions to his
machine Tom looked out from under the protection of the shed.

"It certainly is coming down for keeps," he murmured. "This trip is
a regular hoodoo so far. Hope I have it better coming back."

As he looked down the road he espied an automobile coming through
the mist of rain. It was an open car, and as he saw the three men in
it huddled up under the insufficient protection of some blankets,
Tom said:

"They'd ought to come in here. There's lots of room. Maybe they
don't see it. I'll call to them."

The car was almost opposite the shed which was dose to the roadside.
Tom was about to call when one of the men in the auto looked up. He
saw the shelter and spoke to the chauffeur. The latter was preparing
to steer up into the shed when the two men on the rear seat caught
sight of Tom.

"Why, that's the same car that passed me a while ago," said the
young inventor half aloud. "The one that contained those men whom I
suspected might be after dad's patent. I hope they--"

He did not finish his sentence, for at that instant the chauffeur
quickly swung the machine around and headed it back into the road.