Mahdi backed into shades carefully provided at the back of the cage, and the old woman reached her umbrella through the bars, and made a hit at him.

Mahdi seemed to cower.
"A prize of one pound and a silver medal to any person daring enough to enter the cage of Mahdi, the man-monkey!" repeated Professor Thunder, with great hardihood.
"Wha's that ?" gasped the woman.
Professor Thunder repeated his intrepid words; aside he hissed "Bellow, damn you--bellow!" Nickie bellowed; he jumped with desperate energy, he clawed up the straw, but he remained in the shadow.
"A pound!" cried the woman.

"A pound jist fer goin' in with that ape?
Done! I'm yer man." The Professor was thunderstruck, so also was Mahdi the Missing Link.
Never since Thunder invested in his famous fake of the man-monkey had man or woman been found courageous enough to beard the monster in his den for a pound.

Never had any been expected to.

Professor Thunder stood non-plussed.
Madame went to the back of the cage.