“Yes, sir, the perfidious Missing Link; the ungrateful Missing Link that I warmed in this bosom, and that has turned and stung the hand that fed him.  But now I know all, the villain is unmasked, and if the slimy trail of the serpent enters the abode of peace again, by Heaven!  I’ll beat the life out of him.”

A crowd had now collected, and when Madame Marve dragged her husband into the tent all attention was turned upon Nickie, who cowered against the tree, his mind busy on a way out of the peculiarly unpleasant situation.  Thunder was still storming inside, and presently he reappeared, and hurled an armful of shirts, boots, trousers and other human habiliments into the air.  These were the belongings of Nicholas Crips.

The people of Catcat maintained a respectful distance, not knowing for certain what so formidable an animal might do next.

“Better mind out,” said one youth; “he bites!  He bit the bloke inside.  Didn’t yeh ’ear him say?”

On the whole the attitude towards the Missing Link was hostile.  It was felt that here was a dangerous brute at large.  Several armed themselves with stones and sticks.  Inside Professor Thunder was still raving to drown Madame’s rational arguments.  Twice he burst into the open with fresh invectives for Nickie, and some trifling piece of dress or property to hurl at him; but Madame Marve and the Living Skeleton hung on his coat-tails and dragged him back.

Nickie had a thought of lifting his mask and letting his humanity be known to the crowd, but there were many present who had paid to see the show, and these might take it into their heads to resent the imposition.  Besides, Professor Thunder might relent.  On the whole, it seemed better to await developments.  Crouched against the tree, the Missing Link glowered at the people.  If they came too near, he bared his fangs and growled ominously, and the venturesome ones backed away precipitately.

Somebody threw a clod of earth, and it smote Mahdi on the side of the head.  The Missing Link sprang towards the crowd with a fearful cry.  His antics were most alarming.  The people ran, but they edged back again, and another clod thrown.  Then came a stone.  A second stone hit Nickie on the shin, and with a yell of pain he took cover behind the butt.

There was a burst of laughter from the crowd, and a rush for stones.  Missiles fell about Nickie in a shower.  Suddenly the situation had assumed a dangerous complexion.  The crowd opened in a circle to get at the monster; stones rattled about his head.

With a horse cry, with eyes rolling and teeth bared in a shocking grimace, the Missing Link dashed at the spot where the circle was weakest, broke through, and went bounding up the township’s single street.

Believing now that the great monkey was afraid, the crowd trooped after him, yelling as they ran, snatching up stones and other missiles from the road.  Terror lent wings to the Missing Link.  He raced up the dusty road in the white heat of a blinding summer day, and the stones flew about him as he ran.