The Christmas vacation was at hand and Andy went home to spend it in Dunmore. Chet, Ben and his other school chums were on hand, and as Andy remarked concerning the occasion, "a jolly time was had by all." Chet and Ben were with Andy most of the time, and when Andy told of the doings at Yale, Chet responded with an account of the fun at Harvard, while Ben related the doings of the Jersey Tiger. Andy's second term at Yale began early in the new year, and he arrived in New Haven during a driving snow storm. He went at once to his room, where he found a note from Dunk, who had come in shortly before. "Come over to the eating joint," the missive read, and Andy, stowing away his bag, headed for the place. "Over in here!" "Shove in, plenty of room!" "Oh, you, Andy Blair!" "Happy New Year!" Thus was he greeted and thus he greeted in turn. Then, amid laughter and talk, and the rattle of knives and forks, acquaintanceship and friendship were renewed. Andy was beginning to feel like a seasoned Yale man now. The studies of the second term were of increasing difficulty, and Andy and Dunk found they had to buckle down to steady work. But they had counted on this. Still they found time for fun and jollity and spent many a pleasant evening in company with their other friends. Once or twice Mortimer and his cronies tried to get Dunk to spend the night with them, but he refused; or, if he did go, he took Andy with him, and the two always came home early, and with clear heads. "They're a pair of quitters!" said Len Scott, in disgust, after one occasion of this kind. "What do you want to bother with 'em for, Mort?" "That's what I say," added Clarence Boyle. "Oh, well, I may have my reasons," returned Mortimer, loftily. "Dunk would be a good sort if he wasn't tied fast to Andy. I can't get along with him, though." "Me either," added Len. "He's too goody-goody." Which was somewhat unjust to Andy. The winter slowly wore on. Now and then there would be another of the mysterious robberies, and on nearly every occasion the article taken was of considerable value--jewelry, sporting trophies or expensive books. There was suspicion of many persons, but not enough to warrant an arrest. One day Hal Pulter, who roomed in Wright Hall, near Dunk and Andy, reported that an expensive reference book had been taken from his room. The usual experience followed, with no result. Then, about a week later, as Andy was walking past the small building at High and Elm streets, where the University Press had its quarters, he came up behind Mortimer Gaffington, who seemed to be studying a book. Andy wondered somewhat at Mortimer's application, particularly as it was snowing at the time. This enabled Andy to come close up behind Gaffington without the latter being aware of it, and, looking over the shoulder of the youth, Andy saw on the fly-leaf of the volume a peculiar ink blot.