"What was the price you said the Government had put on your head, Dan, my
boy?" asked Professor Thunder. "Two hundred and fifty of the best? It's
mine, Daniel."

Heeley made no reply; his frightened eyes were fixed on the man-monkey
cowering in the shade, with the revolver tight in its right hand.

"The Missing Link will watch over you to-night, Dan," continued the
Professor, jauntily. "He's as strong as ten men, so don't try tricks with
him."

But the Professor did not get that £250. At day-break, to Heeley's great
amazement, the huge monkey cut him free, and made no attempt to resist
his flight. Nicholas Crips had very satisfactory reasons for not being
mixed up in a long, legal ceremonial such as the handing of Heeley over
to the police would have entailed. Nicholas remembered a certain strange
adventure in Bigg's Buildings, and his desire was to give the police of
Victoria as wide a berth as the most exclusive officer could possibly
long for.



CHAPTER XII.

A CURIOUS MISCHANCE AT BULLFROG.

PROFESSOR THUNDER freely admitted that Nickie the Kid was by far the best
Missing Link he had ever met.

"There ain't your equal in the whole profession, my boy," he said,