t into a roar of laughter. "That's all right, old bloke," he
said. "You're a bonzer, but we all have our weak moments."

Nickie was furious. This assault, combined with the heat and burden of
the day, had dispelled his natural apathy. There was always a loose bar
in the front of his cage, placed there for effect, so that the Missing
Link might work up an occasional sensation by an apparent attempt to
break away. Nickie dashed at this bar. It broke before him, and he came
through, falling bodily on Ivo Hobbs, and bearing him to the ground. Ivo
uttered a yell of apprehension. His beery doubts seemed to fly before
this animal attack, and when he realised that he was being bitten and
clawed mercilessly, he howled for help at the top of his voice.

Professor Thunder rushed from his slumber, and discovered his Missing
Link and a total stranger rolling and tumbling on the ground. By this
time Nickie had inflicted no little grievous bodily harm upon the unhappy
Ivo, and he allowed Thunder and the Living Skeleton to drag him off, and
thrust him back into the cage.

Ivo arose in great wrath.

"This is unprovoked assault and battery," he cried, shaking his fist at
the Missing Link. "I'll have the law on you."

"But, my dear sir," protested the Professor, "you must have provoked the
poor animal."

"Animal be blowed. You can't jolly me. Think I don't know a fake when I
see one, I'll have him run in in half a tick."

Professor Thunder endeavoured to argue with Ivo, and hinted at
compensation, but the injured man fled from the tent in a state of blind
anger.

"Let him go." said the Missing Link, vindictively. "He won't come back,
He's had all the damages he wants."

But he did come back. Ivo returned in a quarter of an hour and he brought
a policeman with him, and on their heels came quite a crowd, Professor
Thunder, with business-like precision, charged a shilling a head to all
seeking' admission.

"There he is!" cried Hobbs, "There he is!" He pointed to the Missing Link
growling viciously and baring alarming fangs at the back of his cage. "I
give him in charge for grievous assault and attempted murder."

"Come, what's all this, me friend?" asked Constable Dunne, addressing the
Professor.

Hobbs had evidently had a few more beers to restore his faculties. He was
now courageous enough, but vague in his mind and unsteady on his legs.

"The man irritated my Missing Link, and the animal attacked him, as he
deserved," said