Gathering his wits in an instant, Billie would have fired
again--in fact, raised his revolver to do so, when the strange
creature fell to its knees and raised its hands in supplication.
"By George!" exclaimed the lad as he stood with lowered weapon.
"What kind of a thing is this? I wonder if it can talk?"
Then as he took a step toward it: "I'm not going to hurt you.
Come here."
The creature arose to its feet and came slowly toward him. As it
did so Billie noticed that blood was running from a wound in its
scalp.
"Poor thing," he said. "That must have been where the bullet hit
him. It was a close shave."
"Can you talk?" he finally asked.
The strange creature turned its head to one side and eyed him
closely, but no sound came from its lips.
"It must be an ape of some sort," mused the boy; "but how did it
become so tame?"
He slowly returned his automatic to its holster, thinking in the
meantime how he could dress the creature's wound; but no sooner
had his hand left his weapon than the ape sprang at him with the
utmost fury. It landed on his shoulder, wound its legs about his
neck, and with its long arms made a wild grab for the revolver.
Then began a strange and terrible struggle for the possession of
the weapon.
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