Madame was not disposed to quarrel with Nickie; he was a profitable adjunct; the Museum had never possessed so versatile a missing link, and, as for a little philandering—­pooh, it was all in a lifetime.

The tents were pitched at Catcat.  The situation was similar to that described above, but Professor Thunder had the bad taste to intrude when Nickie was in the act of forcibly extracting a kiss in revenge.  Madame Marve having playfully covered him with flour.

Professor Thunder was a jealous man, and an inflammatory one.  He uttered a roar that would not have discredited the Missing Link in its native jungle in the wilds of Darkest Africa.

“You infernal blackguard!” he yelled.

“Now, Jim,” cried Madame Marve in sudden alarm, standing between the men with her paste pin.

“Out of my way, woman!” cried the Professor, tossing her aside.

Professor Thunder fell upon Nicholas Crips, and smote him hip and thigh.  He was not content to smite—­he kicked.  He kicked hard—­and often.  His fury increased with the measures he took to wreak it.

“Jim!  Jim!” pleaded Madame Marve, “you’ll ruin the skin.”

The Missing Link’s skin was an expensive item, but the Professor forgot his cupidity in vindicating himself as an outraged husband.  He continued to kick, and then, taking Nickie by the scruff and the back, he rushed him from the tent, and pitched him headlong into the garish day.

There were a few youths and half a score of children loitering about.  Fortunately, the mask-like structure covering Nickie’s nose, cheeks and chin, had fallen into place, and what the loiterers saw was infuriated man kicking a gigantic monkey, and assailing him with vehement profanity.  The sight was sufficiently amazing.  The children fled, screaming, to carry the astonishing news through the township.  The youths stood off and yelled.

The Missing Link rolled to some distance, and backed against a tree.

“Don’t show your nose inside my show again, you dirty crawler!” said the great entrepreneur.  “If you do, by the Lord Harry, I’ll break every bone in your body.”

People were coming from all directions, and a small crowd had already gathered from the adjacent houses.  The inhabitants of Catcat drew as near as they dared, and gazed in open-mouthed amazement from Thunder to the Missing Link.

“I’ll teach you to come creepin’ and sneakin’ into a man’s home, tryin’ t’ ruin his happiness,” the Professor roared, and he made another dash at Nickie.

The Missing Link slipped round the tree, and Madame Marve caught her husband, by the arm and dragged him hack.

“What’s he done, mister?” asked a bystander.

“What’s he done?” bellowed Thunder, the actor instinct in him coming out strongly.  “What’s he done, sir?  This infamous scoundrel has tried to wreck my home, sir, to blight my peace of mind.”

“What, th’ bloomin’ Missing Link?”