Busy days followed. After the football game, the quarrel of Dunk and Andy, and their reconciliation, brought about so effectively by Ikey Stein, little of moment happened except the varsity football games, which Andy followed with devoted interest, hoping that by the next term he would be chosen for a place on the team.

The students settled down to hard work, with the closing of the outdoor sporting season, and there were days of hard study. Yale is no place for weak students, and Andy soon found that he must “toe the mark” in more senses than one. He had to give his days and some of his nights to “grinding.”

For some time Andy did not understand how Ikey had brought about the meeting of Dunk and himself—at least, he did not know how the peacemaker had induced Dunk to go to the park. But one day the latter explained.

Following the dramatic scene in Burke’s, Dunk had gone out. Not wishing to face Andy he had stayed at a hotel all night. In the morning, while he was remorseful and nearly ill, Ikey, the faithful, had sought him out, having in some way heard of the quarrel. Ikey was not given to frequenting Burke’s, but he had his own way of ferreting out news.

To Dunk he had gone, then, and had told much the same story he had related to Andy, giving it a different twist. And he had so worked on Dunk’s feelings, picturing how terribly Andy must feel, that finally Dunk had consented to go to the park.

“Well, I’m glad I did, old man!” said Dunk, clapping Andy on the back.

“And so am I. I’m only wondering whether Ikey faked that qlsob story’ or not.”

“What of it? It certainly did the business, all right.”

“It sure did.”

Dunk and Andy were better friends than ever, and, to the relief of Andy, Mortimer and his crowd ceased coming to the room in Wright Hall, and taking Dunk off with them.

Occasionally Andy’s chum would go off with a rather “sporty” crowd, and sometimes Andy went also. But Dunk held himself well in hand, for which Andy was very glad.

“It’s all your doing, old man!” said Dunk, gratefully.

“Nonsense!” exclaimed Andy, but his heart glowed nevertheless.

The quiet and rather calm atmosphere of college life was rudely broken when one night, following a mild celebration over the victory of the basketball team, several robberies were discovered.

A number of rooms in the college buildings had been entered, and various articles of jewelry and some money had been taken. Freshmen were mainly the ones who sustained the losses, though no class was exempt.

“This is getting serious!” exclaimed Dunk, as he and Andy talked the matter over. “We’d better get a new lock put on our door.”

“I’m willing, though I haven’t got much that would tempt anyone.”

“I haven’t either, only this,” and he pulled out a handsome gold watch. “I’m so blamed careless about it that most of the time I forget to carry it.”

“Well, let’s put on a lock, then. The one we have doesn’t catch half the time.”

“No, it’s been busted too many times by the raiding sophs. I’ll buy another first time I’m down town.”

But the matter slipped Dunk’s mind, and Andy did not again think of it.

The thefts created no little excitement, and it was said that a private detective agency had been engaged by the faculty. Of the truth of this no one could vouch.

Another warning was given by the Dean, and students were urged to see to the fastening of their doors, not only for their own protection, but in order not to put temptation in the way of servants.

Andy came in from a late lecture one afternoon, to find open the door of his room he had left locked, as he thought. At first he supposed Dunk was within, but entering the apartment he saw Link Bardon there. The helper arose as Andy came in and said, rather embarrassedly:

“Mr. Blair, I’m in trouble.”

“Trouble!” exclaimed Andy. “What kind?”

“Well, I need money. You see I’ve got a sick sister and the other day she wrote to me, saying she’d have to have some money to buy an expensive medicine. I sent it to her. She said her husband would get his pay this week, and she’d send it back to me. Now she writes that he is sick, and can’t earn anything, so she can’t pay me back.

“I was counting on that money, for my wages aren’t due for several days, and I have to pay my board. I don’t like to ask my landlady to wait, and I thought maybe——”

“Of course I’ll let you have some!” exclaimed Andy quickly. “How much do you need?”

“Oh, about seven dollars.”

“Better have ten. You can pay me back when you like,” said Andy as he extended the bill.

“I don’t know how to thank you!” exclaimed Link, gratefully.

“Then don’t try,” advised Andy, with a smile.