“I’ve—­I’ve had enough,” said Ritter, in a low tone.

“Very well; see that you remember this lesson,” declared Andy, and then turned on his heel and walked towards the Hall, followed by a dozen of his admirers.

“Andy, it was great, the way you jumped on him!” declared Pepper.

“It was only a little acrobatic stunt,” declared Andy.  “But it came in mighty handy.  I shouldn’t have tried it only he didn’t fight fair—­hitting me before I was ready, and kicking me when I was down.”

“You watch out that he doesn’t play you foul,” said Dale, who was present.

“I’ll keep my eyes open.”

It was soon whispered around the school how Andy had met and vanquished the bully, and as a consequence many of the fellows who had toadied to Ritter deserted him.  Even Paxton gave him the cold shoulder openly, and Baxter simply sneered at him.  Only Gus Coulter clung to Ritter, and the pair seemed to become greater cronies than ever.

After the election of officers, and the fight, matters ran along swiftly until the midwinter holidays.  During those days many of the boys visited their homes.  Captain Putnam spent his time in trying to clear up the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the things from the Hall, but without success.  The detective he had hired unearthed nothing of importance and was discharged.  One of the waiters left of his own accord, and the master of the school could not help but wonder if he was the guilty party.

In the meantime, Andy and his chums had been trying to find out something about Cameron Smith.  They were equally unsuccessful, for no one they knew in Boston had ever heard of that individual.  His name was not in the directory.

“There was something strange about him,” said Andy.  “I wish Ritter would tell us more about him.  But I know it would be useless to ask Reff.  He hasn’t spoken to me since the fight.”

After the holidays came some fine skating on the lake, and also some iceboating.

Fred Century had had a new iceboat built at Cedarville.  It was called the Skimmer, and he was exceedingly proud of the craft.

“You must come out with me,” he said to Jack, Pepper and Andy, one Saturday afternoon.  “The ice is as smooth as glass, and the wind is just right.”

“All right!” cried Pepper.  “A sail will suit me down to the ground.”

Jack and Andy were also pleased to go, and the quartet of boys were soon down at the boathouse, where the Skimmer was tied up.

They were just getting aboard of the iceboat when they saw another craft heave in sight.

“Who is that on board?” asked Andy.

“It is Reff Ritter,” answered Pepper, “and Gus Coulter is with him.”

“The iceboat belongs to a fellow in Cedarville,” said a cadet standing near.  “Ritter hired it for a week.”

The second craft was called the Rosebud, and was rather a fine-looking outfit, with steel runners and a snowy-white sail.