n into shadow by an ingenious
device of the Professor's.

Professor Thunder was more at his ease in the bush towns. There patrons
are neither so inquisitive nor so exacting as in the metropolis. The
Museum of Marvels was opened to the public of Bunkers in the afternoon,
admission sixpence, children half-price, special concessions to schools
and other educational institutions.

Nickie found his sphere of usefulness enlarged in the country, since he
expected to assist in pitching the tent and striking it again, and had to
do his share of the camp work, cooking, &c. The quick changes prevented
outsiders from noticing that the absence of Nicholas Crips was always
coincident--with the appearance of Mahdi, the Missing Link; but, still,
nice judgment and caution had to be observed in effecting the
transformation.

Business at Bunkers was only moderate--for the first afternoon and
evening, but Professor Thunder had so worked his "splendid living
realisation of the Darwinian theory, the descent of man," as to induce
the proprietress of a local young ladies' school to bring her pupils on
the second afternoon.

There were twenty-five young ladies in all, daughters of the superior
families of Bunkers and the surrounding district. Miss Arnott, their
teacher, was a tall, bony spinster, with austere glasses and sharp elbows
that looked like weapons of defence.

The Professor had several manners adapted for various audiences, and
possessed costumes to Suit. He met Miss Arnott and her pupils in his
splendid impersonation of the studious naturalist and reverent authority
on the wonders of creation. A long black coat, a somewhat dingy
belltopper, and a pair of smoked spectacles went with the part. So
equipped, the boss conducted the seminary through his Museum of Marvels,
educating and edifying the pupils, first with the astonishing
mathematical calculations of Ephraim, the educated pig, then with Madame
Marve's amazing acts of mysticism and legerdemain.

The Living Skeleton was described as a unique freak of nature--"Teaching
us all how wise and wonderlul are the workings of Providence," said the
Professor, piously. "He is thin, ladies, but very--happy," he added.

This was Bonypart's cue to work off a long, wan smile, and he smiled
accordingly. The effort so worked on the feelings of one of the younger
pupils that she burst into tears, and offered the bone man her piece of
cake.

Matty Cann looked eager, but the Professor smar