could divine this enmity from Ammonia's attitude and his gestures. His
flat, ugly face was thrust towards the Missing Link. He grimaced
horribly. With his eyes always on Mahdi, the gorilla slowly lowered the
baby to the roof and let it go. The roof was shaped like an M, and the
child rolled harmlessly into the gutter between the ridges. For a moment
Ammonia faced the Missing Link, his venomous little eyes luminous as
those of a cat, and then he ran along the ridge.

A cry broke from the crowd, but when Ammonia was within couple of feet of
the Missing Link he stopped as if shot, let go his hold, and rolled down
the roof, and lay in the gutter beside the child, limp and inanimate.

Mahdi clambered down the ridge, took up the baby, and, nursing it gently
on one arm, came along the roof and down the sloping verandah, and
lowered the son and heir of Kit See into Professor Thunder's arms amidst
a storm of cheering such as had never been heard at Wangaroo.

Nickie had predicted rightly. The Wangaroo "Guardian" next morning
contained a thrilling account of the rescue, and in a leading article the
editor pointed out that the humanitarian action of the Missing Link was
proof that it approached nearer to the standard of man than any other
known animal.

The enthusiasm provoked by Mahdi's action brought a tremendous rush of
business. In fact, the attention excited threatened to lead to an
exposure of Professor Thunder's daring imposition. Leading men wanted to
interview Mahdi; a section of the people of Wangaroo were even talking of
having the Missing Link adorned with the Humane Society's medal, and
another section prepared an illuminated address. Eventually the great
showman left the town in something of a hurry to escape notoriety that