Andy at Yale

by John Kendrick Bangs

  CHAPTER XXV

  THE MISSING WATCH

  Andy was "boning" on his German, with which he had had considerabledifficulty. The dusk was settling down that early December day, and hewas thinking of lighting a lamp to continue work on his books, when heheard a familiar step, and a whistle down the corridor. Then a voicebroke into a college refrain.

  "Dunk!" murmured Andy. "It sounds good to hear him, and to know thatthere's not much more danger of our getting on the outs. He sure wasworth saving--that is, what little I did toward it. He did the mosthimself, I fancy."

  "Hello, old top, hard at it?" greeted Dunk, as he entered.

  "Have to be," replied Andy. "You've no idea how tough this German is."

  "Oh, haven't I? Didn't I flunk in it the other day? And on something Iought to have known as well as I do my first reader lesson? It's nocinch--this being at Yale. Wonder if I've got time to slip down townbefore we feed our faces?" and he began fumbling for his watch.

  "What's on?" asked Andy, rather idly.

  Then, as he saw Dunk giving his shoes a hasty rub, and delving among aconfused mass of ties in a drawer, Andy added:

  "The witness need not answer. It's a skirt."

  "A which?" asked Dunk in pretended ignorance.

  "A lady. I didn't know you knew any here, Dunk!"

  "Huh! Think you've got the preserves all to yourself, eh? Well, I'llshow you that you haven't."

  "Who is she?" asked Andy.

  "Friend of a friend of mine. I think I'll take a chance and go down justfor a little while. Save some grub for me. I won't be long. May make adate for to-night. Want to fill in?"

  "If there's room."

  "Sure, we'll make room, and I'll get you a girl. Some of us are going tothe Hyperion. Nice little play there," and Dunk went on "dolling up,"until he was at least partly satisfied with himself.

  Dunk was about to leave when a messenger came to announce that he waswanted on the 'phone in the public booth in Dwight Hall, where the Y. M.C. A. of Yale has headquarters.

  "I guess that's her now," said Dunk, as he hurried out. "I told her tocall up," and he rushed down the corridor.

  Andy heard him call back:

  "I say, old man, look out for my watch, will you? I must have left itsomewhere around there."

  "The old fusser," murmured Andy, as he rose from the easy chair. "WhenDunk goes in for anything he forgets everything else. He'd leave hishead if it wasn't fastened on, or if I didn't remind him of it," andAndy felt quite a righteous glow as he began to look about for thevaluable timepiece belonging to his roommate.

  "He must have it on him," went on Andy, as a hasty search about the roomdid not reveal it. "Probably he's stuck it in his trousers' pocket withhis keys and loose change. He oughtn't to have a good watch the way heuses it. Well, it isn't here--that's sure."

  Andy, a little later, turned on the electric light, but no glow followedthe snapping of the button.

  "Current off again--or else it's burned out," he murmured. A look in thehall outside showed him other lamps gleaming and he knew that his ownlight must be at fault.

  "Guess I'll go get another bulb," he remarked.

  When he returned with the new one he was aware that some one was in thedarkened room.

  "That you, Dunk?" he asked.

  "No," answered a voice he recognized as that of Ikey Stein. "I saw yougoing down the hall and guessed what you were after, so I took theliberty of coming in and waiting. I've got some real bargains."

  "Nothing doing, Ikey," laughed Andy, as he screwed the lamp in thesocket and lighted up the room. "Got all the ties I need for my wholecourse in Yale."

  "It isn't ties," said Ikey, and his voice was so serious that Andywondered at it. "It's handkerchiefs," went on the student-salesman."Andy, I'm in bad. I bought a big stock of these things, and I've got tosell 'em to get my money out of 'em. I thought I would have plenty oftime, but I owe a bill that's due now, and the man wants his money. SoI've got to sell these handkerchiefs quicker than I expected. I need thecash, so I'll let 'em go for just what I paid for 'em. I don't care if Idon't make a cent."

  "Let's see 'em," suggested Andy. The talk sounded familiar. It was"bargain" patter, but an inspection of the handkerchiefs showed Andythat they were worth what was asked for them. And, as it happened, hewas in need of some. He bought two dozen, and suggested to Ikey severalother students in Wright Hall on whom he might call.

  "Thanks," said the salesman, as he departed after a lengthy visit inAndy's room. "I won't forget what you've done for me, Blair. I'm havinga hard time, and some people try to make it all the harder. They think,because I'm a Jew, that I have no feelings--that I like to be laughedat, and made to think that all I care about is money. Wait! Some dayI'll show 'em!" and his black eyes flashed.

  Andy felt really sorry for him. Certainly Ikey did not work his waythrough college on any easy path.

  "I'm only too glad to do this for you," said the purchaser. He could notforget what a service Ikey had rendered to him and Dunk, bringing themtogether when they were on the verge of taking paths that might neverconverge.

  "Well, I'll see if I can't find some other easy mark like you," laughedIkey as he went down the hall.

  Andy was about to go to the "eating joint" alone when Dunk came inwhistling gaily.

  "Ah, ha! Methinks thou hast had a pleasant meeting!" Andy "spouted."

  "Right--Oh!" exclaimed his roommate. "It's all right for to-night, too.I've got a peach for you."

  "Light or dark?" asked Andy, critically.

  "Dark! Say, but you're getting mighty particular, though, for a youngfellow."

  "The same to you. Where do we meet 'em, and where do we go?"

  "I've got it all fixed. Hyperion. Come on, let's get through grub, Iwant to dress."

  He began searching hurriedly through his pockets, a puzzled look comingover his face.

  "Where in the world----" he began. "Oh, I know, I left it here."

  "What?"

  "My watch. I called to you about it when I went out to the telephone,and----"

  "It isn't here. I looked."

  "What!"

  "Fact! Unless you stuck it in something."

  "No, I left it right on my dresser, on a pile of cleanhandkerchiefs--hello, where'd these come from?" and he looked at theones Andy had bought of Ikey.

  "Oh, another bargain from our mutual friend," and Andy mentioned theprice.

  "That is a bargain, all right. I must get some. But look here, where'smy watch?"

  "I'm sure I don't know. Did you leave it here?"

  "I certainly did. I remember now, I put it on the pile of handkerchiefsjust before I went to last lecture. Then I came in here, to go out tokeep my date, and I didn't have it. I was going to slip it in my pocketwhen I was called to the 'phone. Look here, here's the impression of itin the handkerchiefs," and Dunk pointed to a round depression in thepile of soft linen squares. It was just the shape of a watch.

  "It was there," said Dunk slowly, looking at Andy.

  "And now it's gone," finished his roommate. Then he remembered severalthings, and his start of surprise made Dunk look at his chum in astrange way.

  "What's the matter?" asked Dunk.

  "I'll tell you in a minute," said Andy. "I want to think a bit."