"Hello! who is that?" he exclaimed, as he felt himself lying on thebare and rather damp ground.

Some one was struggling to his feet with a startled exclamation, andBilly snatched quickly at him, and caught a leg or an arm, he couldnot be certain which.

"I've got you now!" he cried, "and you have got to give an account ofyourself, my man!"

The stranger, whoever he was, certainly did give an account ofhimself, but not in the manner which Billy meant.

There was a sudden shooting out of a brawny fist, and Billy was takenbetween the eyes, and for a moment saw stars.

"0uch!" he ejaculated, letting go of the person he had seized,

Then somebody rolled him over with a quick move of the leg, and bythe time the unfortunate joker arose his nocturnal combatant was outof sight, as well as hearing.