midnight
Thereupon John threw on the gas by degrees until the indicator showed them to be whizzing along at 150 miles . He easily could have gone fifty more on the one engine had he chosen , but was afraid such a speed would carry them beyond their destination and out into the Atlantic before daylight could show them their position . Had they not previously been running somewhat behind scheduled time , he would not have accelerated even now . Shortly after midnight Tom relieved him at the throttle , and running slightly slower , to make sure they would not pass over Georgetown in the darkness , Tom began to hum softly to himself as he kept a sharp lookout upon his instruments . John settled back in the seat behind , as alert for any sudden peril as his mate had been before . But no mishap marred the night 's run , which was as smooth up there above the clouds as any veteran flyer could have wished . And when at last the bright sun of another day chased the moon and its haze into obscurity , it lighted up the flying craft some time before its orb had peeped high enough over the Atlantic 's horizon to shed its rays upon the affairs of earth itself .