The Professor observed him with growing resentment.
He suspected the intentions of the sandy man, and he was not wrong.
Next day, shortly after the show opened, McKnight came again, with the same notebook and the same suspicious air.

He brought five men with him, all solid men in Wildbee, one of them the local constable.

This party assembled near the cage of the Missing Link, and listened carefully while the Professor reeled off the familiar story of the taking of Mahdi.

They witnessed the stirring and entertaining dinner, and when the Professor had finished, and Mahdi had resumed his conch in the straw, McKnight stepped forward.
"And do you expect us to believe all that rubbish, Professor ?" he said.
"I do," said Professor Thunder, with dignity, "but I don't care if you don't." "Well, we don't, sir, and what's more, we know you to be an impostor--a rank impostor--and as editor of the Wildbee 'Guardian,' it is my duty to expose you and your shameless fraud upon the public of this town and district." At this the Missing Link came out of his straw, growling, and springing to the perch hung by one hand, with his legs drawn up in a very monkey-like attitude.
"What the deuce do you mean ?" thundered the Professor, manfully.
"I mean this," said McKnight, addressing the crowd "you have been victimised.

That creature is no monkey.