Billie turned, and as he did so a second stone from the same source struck him on the temple, and he fell to the ground.
A second later the ape sprang from a palm beside the station and ran toward him, stopping every few feet to see if the lad would rise.
When within a few feet of the prostrate lad the animal made a leap and landed upon his body. In another instant it had gained possession of Billie's weapon, which it examined curiously for a moment, ere it sprang away and stationed itself some two rods distant, where it sat watching with the weapon aimed directly at him.
For perhaps five minutes the two retained their relative positions and then Billie began to regain consciousness. Several times he moved uneasily and then he suddenly sat up and looked around.
"I wonder what happened," he finally thought, and then he became conscious of a pain in his head.
He raised his hand to the aching spot and his fingers encountered a big lump.
The truth came upon him like a flash. He dropped his hand to his holster, and sprang to his feet.
As he did so he caught sight of the ape and found himself looking into the business end of his own weapon.
With a yell he dropped to the ground as though the expected had happened.
But when no shot followed, he began to regain his wits and lay still trying to figure out once more just how much the ape might know about the use of the weapon.