"Certainly; five hundred dollars."
"Well, we've got him, too."
"You have? How did you do it?" asked the man, and very briefly Snap related the tale, but did not give Tommy's name.
"That boy is in luck, for the half thousand is his," said the circus man. "Glad you got Abe," he added. "He is a great drawing-card and worth a dozen lions to us."
A visit was made to the lion pit, and after a good deal of trouble the lion was brought to the surface of the ground and chained and muzzled. One of the men knew the beast well and had little trouble in walking the lion to the lake shore, where he was chained to a tree, and left in charge of one of the party.
The circus men were vastly surprised when they learned that it was Tommy who had captured the chimpanzee. At first they did not think they ought to pay the lad the reward, but Shep told them they could not have Abe unless they did so.
"A bargain is a bargain," said the doctor's son. "You'll not touch the chimpanzee unless you pay up."
The matter was argued hotly, but in the end the circus men gave in, and two checks were made out, both payable to Dr. Reed, and the boys signed the receipts. Then the circus men took the chimpanzee, and walked down to the lake shore.
"Guess you don't want Tommy any more," cried Shep after them.
"No; we've got another kid to take his place," answered one of the men.