"Yes, stay and finish out," urged others.

Andy felt that it was a crisis. Yet he could say nothing. Dunk seemed undecided for a moment, and Mortimer renewed his pleadings.

"Be a sport!" he cried. "Have a good time while you're living--you're a long time dead!"

There was a moment's hush. Then Dunk gently removed Mortimer's arm and said:

"No, I'm going back with Blair. Come on, Andy."

And they went out together.

CHAPTER XV

DUNK GOES OUT

"Look at that!"

"Why, it's the same stuff!"

"There's a rose jar like the one I bought for seven dollars marked two seventy-five!"

"Oh, the robber! Why, there's a handkerchief box, bigger than the one he stuck me with, and it's only a dollar!"

"Say, let's rough-house Ikey and that j.a.p!"

Andy, Dunk, and their three friends were standing in front of a j.a.panese store, looking in the window, that held many articles a.s.sociated with the Flowery Kingdom. Price tags were on them, and the lads discovered that they had paid dearly for the ornaments they had so surrept.i.tiously viewed in the semi-darkness, under the guidance of Ikey Stein.

This was several days after they had purchased their bric-a-brac and meanwhile they had seen Ikey and Hashmi going about getting other students into their toils.

"Say, that was a plant, all right!" declared Dunk. "I'm going to make Ikey sh.e.l.l out."

"And the j.a.p, too!" added Andy. "We sure were stuck!"

For the articles in the window were identical, in many cases, with those they had bought, but the prices were much less.

"I thought there was something fishy about it," commented Thad. "Never again do I buy a pig in a poke!"

"I'll poke Ikey when I catch him," said Bob.

"Here he comes now," spoke Ted, in a low voice. "Don't seem to see him until he gets close, and then we'll grab him and make him sh.e.l.l out!"

So the five remained looking steadfastly in the window until the unsuspecting Ikey came close. Then Andy and Dunk made a quick leap and caught him.

"What--what is it?" asked the surprised student.

"We merely want your advice on the purchase of some more art objects,"

said Andy, grimly. "You're such an expert, you know."

"Some other time--some other time! I'm due at a lecture now!" pleaded Ikey, squirming to get away.

"The lecture can wait," said Dunk. "Look at that vawse for the holding of the rose petals from your loved one. See it there--now would you advise me to buy it? It's much cheaper than the one you and your beloved Hashmi stuck me with."

Ikey looked at the faces of his captors. He saw only stern, unrelenting glares, and realized that his game had been discovered.

"I--er--I----" he stammered.

"Come, what's your advice?" demanded Dunk. "Did I pay too much?"

"I--er--perhaps you did," admitted Ikey, slowly.

"Then fork over the balance."

"And what about my cracker jar--for the ashes of dead ancestors?" asked Andy. "Was I stuck, too?"

"Oh, no, not at all. Why, that is a very rare piece."

"What about that one in the window?" demanded Andy. "That's only rare to the tune of several dollars less than I paid."

"Oh, but you are mistaken!" Ikey a.s.sured him. "It takes an expert to tell the difference. You can ask Hashmi----"

"Hashmi be hanged!" cried Dunk, giving the captured one a shake. A little crowd had gathered in the street to see the fun.

"I--I'll give you whatever you think is right," promised Ikey. "Only let me go. I shall be late."

"The late Mr. Stein," laughed Andy.

"What about the rare satsuma piece you wished onto me?" demanded Ted.

"And that cloisonne flower vawse that has a crack in it?" Thad wanted to know.

"That's because it's so old," whined Ikey. "It is more valuable."

"There's one in the window without a crack for three dollars less," was the retort.

"Oh, well, if you fellows are dissatisfied with your bargains----"

"Oh, we're not going to back down," said Andy, "but we're not going to pay more than they're worth, either. It was a plant, and you know it.

Now you sh.e.l.l out all we paid above what the things are marked at in this window, and we'll call it square--that is, if you don't go around blabbing how you took us in."

"All right! All right!" cried Ikey. "I'll do it, only let me go!"

"No; pay first! Run him over to our rooms," suggested Dunk. They were not far from the quadrangle, and catching hold of Ikey they ran him around into High Street and through the gateway beside Chittenden Hall to Wright. There, up in Andy's and Dunk's room, Ikey was made to disgorge his cash. But they were merciful to him and only took the difference in price.

"Now you tell us how it happened, and we'll let you go," promised Andy.