"Am I my brother's keeper?"

Andy turned resolutely away from the college buildings. He set his face again down High Street, and swung out into Chapel.

"I'll go get him," he said, simply. "He's worth saving. Maybe I can't do it--but--I'll try!"

CHAPTER XIX

LINK COMES TO COLLEGE

With hesitating steps Andy pushed open the door of Burke's place and entered. At first he could make out little through the haze of tobacco smoke, and his return was not noticed. Most of the college boys were in the rear room, and the noise of their jollity floated out to Andy.

"I wonder if Dunk is still there?" he murmured.

He learned a moment later, for he heard some one call:

"Stand up, Dunk! Your eye on us!"

"He's in there--and I've got to save him!" Andy groaned. Then, with clenched teeth and a firm step he went into the rear room, among that crowd of roistering students.

Andy's reappearance was the signal for a burst of good-natured jibing, mingled with cries of approval.

"Here he comes back!"

"I knew he couldn't stay away!"

"Who said he was a quitter?"

From among the many gla.s.ses offered Andy selected a goblet of ginger ale. He looked about the tables, and saw Dunk at one, regarding him with a rather uncertain eye.

"There he is!" cried Andy's roommate, waving his hand. "That's him. My old college chum! I'm his protector! I always look after him. I say,"

and he turned to the youth beside him, "I say, what is it I protect my old college from anyhow? Hanged if I haven't forgotten. What is it I save him from?"

"From himself, I guess," was the answer. "You're all right, Dunk!"

"Come on, Dunk," said Andy good naturedly. "I'm going to the room.

Coming?"

Instantly there was a storm of protest.

"Of course he's not coming!"

"It's early yet!"

"Don't you go, Dunk!"

Mortimer Gaffington, fixing an insolent and supercilious stare on Andy, said:

"Don't mind him, Dunk. You're not tied to him, remember. The little-brother-come-in-out-of-the-wet game doesn't go at Yale. Every man stands on his own feet. Eh, Dunk?"

"That's right."

"You're not going to leave your loving friends and go home so early; are you, Dunk?"

"Course not. Can't leave my friends. But Andy's my friend, too; ain't you, Andy?"

"I hope so, Dunk," Andy replied, gravely.

Somebody interrupted with a song, and there was much laughter. Mortimer alone seemed to be the sinister influence at work, and he hovered near Dunk as if to counteract the good intentions of Andy.

"Here you are, waiter!" cried Dunk. "Everybody have something--ginger ale, soda water, pop, anything they like. Cigars, too." He pulled out a bill--a yellow-back--and Andy saw Mortimer take it from his shaking fingers.

"Don't be so foolish!" exclaimed the soph.o.m.ore. "You don't want to spend all that. Here, I'll hand out a fiver and keep this for you until morning. You can settle with me later," and Gaffington slipped the big bill into his own pocket, and produced one of his own--of smaller denomination.

"That's good," murmured Dunk. "You're my friend and protector--same as I'm Andy's protector. We're all protectors. Come on, fellows, another song!"

Andy was beginning to wonder how he would get his chum home. It was getting very late and to enter Wright Hall at an unseemly hour meant trouble.

"Come on, Dunk--let's light out," said Andy again, making his way to his roommate's side.

"No, you don't!"

"That game won't go!"

"Let Dunk alone, he can look out for himself."

Laughing and expostulating, the others got between Andy and his friend.

It was all in good-natured fun, for most of the boys, beyond perhaps smoking a little more than was good for them, were not at all reckless.

But the spirit of the night seemed to have laid hold of all.

"Come on, Dunk," appealed Andy.

"He's going to stay!" declared Mortimer, thrusting himself between Andy and Dunk, and sticking out his chin in aggressive fashion. "I tell you he's going to stay! We don't want any of your goody-goody methods here, Blair!"

Andy ignored the affront.

"Are you coming, Dunk?" he repeated softly.

Dunk raised his head and flashed a look at his roommate. Something in Dunk's better nature must have awakened. And yet he was all good nature, so it is difficult to speak of the "better" side. The trouble was that he was too good-natured. Yet at that instant he must have had an understanding of what Andy's plan was--to save him from himself.

"You want me to come with you?" he asked slowly.

"Yes, Dunk."

"Then I'm coming."