ing party;
"but I won't promise to use it unless we really have to. Somehow I
don't exactly like the idea, though I suppose it's all right for those
animal catchers to do anything at all in order to make their trip pay,
because with them it's a business. But that isn't true with us boys.
Perhaps we may find another way to get Link; it'll give us something to
think about, and if we succeed it ought to be a feather in our caps."

"And two hundred dollars in your pockets, don't forget that, son," the
circus man said, impressively. "Seems like the more I get to thinking
about that monkey the less I want to lose him. It took a long time to
teach him what tricks he knows, and he's always been a big drawing card
to my show. I certainly hope we manage to corral him in some way. And so
far as I'm concerned I'd as soon get him soaked as not, so long as I lay
hands on him. It wouldn't be the first time either that he knew what
strong drink is, because I'm sorry to say the man I hired to look after
Link especially, used to be very fond of his bottle, and he must have
taught the monkey to like the vile stuff. He's the silliest thing, when
on a jag, you ever saw, and does act too comical for anything."

"I can see from that it would be an easy thing to tempt poor old Link
with some of the stuff, sir," Max went on to say; "and if we fail in
every other way we'll just have to come down to what you suggest;
because the animal would die in the winter if left at large in this cold
country. Either emigration or captivity is the only thing to save him."

"Sensible talk, son," the circus man told Max. "And to tell the truth
I'm so sure you boys will be successful that I'm tempted to turn right
back, and get an early train for Greenburg, so as to be with my show
to-night. Things go wrong when the old man is away. It's a one-man
concern at best. Nobody knows what to do in an emergency but me. Yes,
Kline, after we're done eating take me back to your house, and then to
the station again for the first train. I'll gladly pay you what I
promised, and then wait to hear from these bright lads."

Of course this sort of talk gave the four chums more than a few pleasant
thrills because everybody likes to know that they are appreciated at
their true worth.

"That would m-m-mean another f-f-fifty for me, wouldn't it?" Toby was
heard to say, reflectively, as though the prospect might seem quite
pleasing, and he wondered whether he might not be able to