Had this infernal device been generally available to modern criminals,
Nick would have been warned by the significant words he had heard, and
would have guarded himself against it.
As it was, however, he had been caught; and in the mouth of any ordinary
man the "choke pear" would have been irresistible.
But the muscles of Nick Carter's jaws were like fibers of steel, and the
instant he realized his situation he opened his mouth no wider. Instead,
while hands and arms were still engaged in the furious conflict with his
assailants, he brought his jaws together as if with superhuman power,
and with a force that crushed the infernal device between them, much as
if it had been little more than an eggshell.
One of the ruffians heard the snapping crunch, and uttered a cry of
amazement.
The cry was echoed by hurried footsteps in the house.
Then a rear door was suddenly thrown open by Rufus Venner, and a flood
of light revealed the struggling men, still battling furiously on the
pavement.
Nick now had both opponents down, and within another minute he would
have had them at his mercy, a fact which Venner instantly perceived.
He sprang nearer, drew his revolver, and dealt the detective a single
swinging blow upon the head.
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