“I don’t suppose I ought to speak about it, but it is bound to get out sooner or later.  It seems Mr. Ritter, Reff’s father, was a rich stock broker and promoter of various mining companies.  Well, this summer he got himself tangled up in some mining companies that were trying to make money too fast.  As a consequence he lost the most of his wealth, and some folks who had bought mining stock from him came close to having him arrested for fraud.  It was that state of affairs that made Reff give up his trip to the Adirondacks and go home.  I got it from some close friends that the Ritters were almost cleaned out, and that Mr. Ritter wanted Reff to give up school and go to work.  But Mrs. Ritter was too proud and insisted that Reff be returned to Putnam Hall.  So he is back.”

“Well, that certainly is hard luck,” returned Fred.  “I wonder if Coulter and Paxton will stick to him, now he is poor?  My notion of it was, Coulter stuck to him mainly for what he could get out of it, he not having much spending money of his own.”

“Well, I shan’t throw it up to Reff that he is poor,” said Jack, quickly.  “All he has got to do is to behave himself and I’ll treat him as well as anybody.”  And then the young major left the dormitory, to bathe his head in the bathroom, and wash up generally.

In the meantime those in the carriage had driven along the country road until they came upon the unconscious form of Andy.  All leaped out and gathered around while Captain Putnam made an examination.

“He has had a bad fall,” said the master of the school.  “But I doubt if any bones are broken.”

They raised the sufferer up, and presently Andy stirred and opened his eyes.

“Whoa!” he murmured.  “Whoa!”

“He must think he is still on horseback!” cried Pepper, and but for Andy’s pale face he would have laughed outright.

“Snow, are you hurt much?” asked Captain Putnam, kindly.  “The horse is gone.  You are safe.”

“Oh!” gasped poor Andy, and then he stared around in bewilderment.  “I—­I was hung up in the—­the tree, wasn’t I?”

“If you were, you must have dropped down,” answered Bob Grenwood.

“Yes.  I remember now.  I got caught by the throat and then I dropped—­and that’s all I know.  Where is the horse?”

“Went on, I guess,” answered Stuffer Singleton.  “He was streaking it like an Indian when you passed the Hall.”

“Shall we help you to get up?” asked Captain Putnam.

“I—­I suppose so,” faltered Andy.  “Oh, dear, but I’m weak!” he added, as he tried to rise.

“Let us carry him to the carriage,” suggested Pepper, and this was done, and he was made as comfortable on the cushions as possible.

“I wonder did anybody catch the horse?” asked the acrobatic youth, as the turnout was on its way to Putnam Hall.

“I don’t know.  I’ll find out after you have been taken care of,” answered Captain Putnam.  “You cadets are certainly arriving this term in an unusual manner,” he added grimly.