of a blinding summer day, and the stones flew about him
as he ran.

Those of the inhabitants of Catcat who had had no hint of the partial
disruption of Thunder's unparalleled show ran to their doors, and beheld
the hunt with speechless wonder. They saw a huge, monkey-like creature
speeding up the street, pursued and pelted by a clamorous throng.

Nickie's physical condition was not good, he was ill-trained for a
footrace, his wind was bad; he felt that he must presently succumb, and
then Constable Daniel Mack loomed before him as a possible saviour.

Constable Mack had stepped from Hogan's store, drawn forth by the yells
of the pack. He looked and beheld a terrific creature rushing towards
him, erect like a man, but covered with thick, short, reddish hair, and
displaying a face of demoniacal ugliness. Constable Mack had his good
points; one of them an appreciation of the fact that discretion is the
better part of valour. He turned to run for his valuable life, but too
late; the monster was upon him, it grappled with him, it hung on, and the
pair rolled in the dust together.

The zealous and intelligent officer thought his last day had come, but
awoke presently to the knowledge that no harm was being done, and a voice
was crying crying in his ear:

"For God's sake, run me in! Arrest me! They'll kill me!"

Constable Mack sat up in the dust, and stared stupidly at the Missing
Link.

"Blarst me if it ain't Perfessor Thunder's man-monkey!" he said.

"Yes, yes," gasped Nickie. "Run me in. Be quick about it."

The crowd was forming about them, only refraining from using missiles out
of respect for the law.

"Be th' holy, th' baste can spheak!" murmured the policemen.

"They'll kill me. Put me in the cell," pleaded the Missing Link.

"Troth an' I will," answered Mack; "but niver a one iv me knows iv ut's
lagel arristin' monkeys."

Nickie was run in. Next morning he appeared to answer a charge of
insulting behaviour, inciting a breach of the peace, and assaulting the
police. Thanks to Matty Cann, a change of raiment was made in the cell,
and Nickie Crips appeared in court in his proper person, and was fined
two pounds.

Nicholas Crips paid his fine, collected his belongings from the Museum of
Marvels, and went forth into the great world again, a man amongst men.
His career as an artist was ended.

CHAPTER XX.

THE RETURN.

NICHOLAS CRIPS came back to Melbourne, the image of a reputable and
orderly citi