Nick went straight to the door and looked into the carriage. It was empty.
He put his head in to make sure.
As he withdrew it again, the driver, with a sudden movement, leaned over from the box and struck Nick a tremendous blow on top of the head with a blackjack.
The detective fell like a log, and the coachman, whipping up his horses, drove away rapidly.
CHAPTER VI.
A POINT GAINED.
The man who first came to Nick’s assistance was Chick.
It may as well be said at once that Nick was not badly hurt. His hat was not exactly what it seemed to be.
One would have taken it to be soft felt. In reality, it was a better helmet than those which the knights of the Middle Ages wore.
He had fallen under the blow because he believed that course to be the best policy.
Somebody had planned to kill or at least disable him, and he thought it wise to let that person suppose that he had succeeded.