people near the bars. The crowd retreated in terror; all save one woman,
a grim-looking female with the indurated face of an old-established
lodginghouse-keeper.

This woman came forward, and jabbed at Mahdi the Missing Link with her
umbrella. "Gerrout, yeh brute!" she said. Mahdi backed into shades
carefully provided at the back of the cage, and the old woman reached her
umbrella through the bars, and made a hit at him. Mahdi seemed to cower.

"A prize of one pound and a silver medal to any person daring enough to
enter the cage of Mahdi, the man-monkey!" repeated Professor Thunder,
with great hardihood.

"Wha's that?" gasped the woman.

Professor Thunder repeated his intrepid words; aside he hissed "Bellow,
damn you--bellow!"

Nickie bellowed; he jumped with desperate energy, he clawed up the straw,
but he remained in the shadow.

"A pound!" cried the woman. "A pound jist fer goin' in with that ape?
Done! I'm yer man."

The Professor was thunderstruck, so also was Mahdi the Missing Link.
Never since Thunder invested in his famous fake of the man-monkey had man
or woman been found courageous enough to beard the monster in his den for
a pound. Never had any been expected to. Professor Thunder stood
non-plussed.