clapping the man-monkey heartily between the shoulder blades, "and if you
go on improving your interpretation and developing the character, by the
Lord Harry, I believe it'll be worth our while to do a world's tour one
of these days."

In consideration of Mahdi's perfections the Professor had twice
generously raised his salary by half a-crown a week.

"There isn't a Woolly Man o' the Woods or a Wild Man from Borneo now on
the roads' drawing the salary you are, Crips," said the Professor. "Two
pounds two and six a week is princely pay for a Missing Link. Let me tell
you there are stars playing Romeo and Hamlet that aren't getting such
good money, my boy."

Nickie certainly deserved his munificent salary, as he was the best draw
in the museum, and was improving the attractiveness of the show weekly,
with bright ideas and new schemes for inciting the interest of the
Professor's bucolic customers. It was Nickie suggested the idea of a ride
through Bullfrog town ship in character.

"I'm afraid, my boy," said the Professor, "it's risky--very risky. You'll
be giving the game away one of them days, and once it gets about that
Professor Sullivan Thunder's marvellous and only-living Missing Link is a
fake, the metropolitan press will be down on me like a ton of bricks, and
I'll come to running a Punch and Judy show at baby parties in my old
age."

"My dear Professor, have a bit of enterprise," replied the Missing Link,
"we are not drawing well! Bullfrog wants waking up. Run out the caravan,
and take a turn through the township, with the cornet playing and me