Then came a stone.

A second stone hit Nickie on the shin, and with a yell of pain he took cover behind the butt.
There was a burst of laughter from the crowd, and a rush for stones.
Missiles fell about Nickie in a shower.

Suddenly the situation had assumed a dangerous complexion.

The crowd opened in a circle to get at the monster; stones rattled about his head.
With a horse cry, with eyes rolling and teeth bared in a shocking grimace, the Missing Link dashed at the spot where the circle was weakest, broke through, and went bounding up the township's single street.
Believing now that the great monkey was afraid, the crowd trooped after him, yelling as they ran, snatching up stones and other missiles from the road.

Terror lent wings to the Missing Link.