He was about to obey the order when a terrific peal of thunder, accompanied by a blinding flash of lightning, struck a tree at the side of the road.
The tree fell with a tremendous crash across the road, burying two of the men under it as it fell.
The rest fell back, awed for the moment; it seemed as if the heavens had opened and sent a messenger to the aid of the detectives.
The instant’s delay had given Nick Carter and the inspector time to draw their revolvers, and when the villains had recovered from their surprise they were looking down the shining barrels of the weapons that were in the hands of the two detectives.
“The tables are turned,” rang out in Nick’s clear tones; “throw down your guns or we will shoot you full of holes!”
The only answer that the men made was the report from two of their guns. They did not propose to be taken without a fight.
The first shot that was fired struck the inspector in the shoulder, the second one just grazed Nick’s head, inflicting a slight scalp wound.
The inspector, wounded as he was, pluckily returned the fire of the villains. One of them gave an unearthly yell and dropped to the ground with a bullet through his heart.
Nick’s revolver spoke quickly, and the man at whom he fired dropped to the ground without a cry; Nick had shot him through the head.
The inspector had fainted from loss of blood. This left Nick alone with Meloy and the chauffeur of the taxi.