Part 10 (1/2)
CHAPTER IX.
FREs.h.i.+E FIs.h.i.+NG.
The result of Leslie Cairns' rallying of her companions to her standard was made manifest when a fairly lengthy procession of automobiles, driven by Sans sped along the smooth roads to the station on the following Friday morning.
While Leslie was not at all on good terms with Miss Humphrey, the registrar, she had other sources of information open to her regarding college matters which were by rights none of her affairs. It was, therefore, easy for her to learn how many of the freshman cla.s.s had registered and govern herself accordingly. With the tactics of a general she went the rounds of the Sans, ordering them to be on hand all day Friday with their cars, provided these highly useful machines in the campaign had arrived on the scene. At least half of the Sans were already in possession of their own pet cars, these having been driven to Hamilton by the chauffeurs of their respective families. Nine automobiles accordingly went to swell the procession that sunny Friday morning and the Sans were in high feather as, two to a car, they set out on their self-imposed welcoming task.
Leslie had decreed that they were to meet every incoming train of importance that day and spare no pains to make themselves agreeable to the newcomers. In case the freshman yield was small, they were to use their judgment about being friendly with returning students of the upper cla.s.ses.
”If we can't fill our cars with fres.h.i.+es, you girls all know just about who's who at Hamilton. Don't pick up a soph, junior or senior unless you are sure that it will be to our advantage to do so. Keep an eye out for faculty. Nothing like being on the soft side of them.”
Such was Leslie's counsel to her followers who were entering the campaign with a malicious zest infinitely gratifying to her. While the other eight cars contained two occupants apiece, Leslie's pet roadster held a third pa.s.senger. Leslie had elected to invite Elizabeth Walbert to share the roadster with herself and Harriet Stephens. This was not in the least to Natalie Weyman's liking. Her own car having arrived, she was obliged to drive it. She had not emerged from her cloud of resentment against the officious Miss Walbert, nor was she likely to.
Meanwhile the faithful little committee, truly devoted to freshman welfare, was blissfully unaware that their duties were about to be s.n.a.t.c.hed from them by the predatory Sans. The absent members of the committee having arrived, the seven girls held a meeting on Thursday evening in Marjorie's room, dividing the trains to be met among them.
Marjorie and Jerry were to be reinforced by Leila and Vera. The others had also certain friends among the sophs, juniors and seniors who could be relied upon to help them.
Marjorie and Jerry having been detailed to meet the ten-twenty train from the west each morning, Vera and Leila never failed to be on hand with their cars by nine o'clock. This permitted of a delightful spin in the fresh air over the many picturesque drives in the vicinity of Hamilton College. Always punctual, Leila never failed to get them to the station in plenty of time for the train.
Driving into the station yard on this particular Friday morning, the sight of a line of s.h.i.+ning automobiles caused them to blink in momentary astonishment.
”The Sans!” muttered Leila, giving vent to her usual whistle of surprise. ”Now what are the heathen up to? Look at that line of cars!
Almost every color except violet. What do you make of that?”
”They must expect a delegation of their own friends,” guessed Marjorie.
”A lot of upper cla.s.s girls are expected at Hamilton today.”
”Fres.h.i.+es, too,” added Leila, as she brought her car to a stop and prepared to alight. ”Miss Humphrey told me she thought a large part of the freshman cla.s.s would be in on Friday and Sat.u.r.day. I was complaining to her of how few we had landed in the past week.”
By this time Jerry and Vera were both out of Vera's car and had come quickly up to Marjorie and Leila.
”Can you beat it?” saluted Jerry. ”We think the Sans have come fres.h.i.+e fis.h.i.+ng. What do you think?”
”Little Miss Charitable thinks they may be down here to meet their own friends,” remarked Leila with a mischievous glance toward Marjorie. ”You guileless infant! Don't you know what has happened? The Sans are going to do just what some of us said the other night they wouldn't take the trouble to do. They have gone into the welcoming business.”
”One, two, three----” Vera had begun to count the colorful array of automobiles. ”Nine machines.” She turned to Leila with a little laugh.
”It shows which way the wind is blowing, doesn't it?”
”We are going to have some fun with them this year,” predicted Leila with a touch of grimness. ”They are beginning to be afraid of losing their glory or you would never see them down here welcoming freshmen.”
”Let's get along and take a look at our rivals,” suggested Jerry humorously. ”I suppose they will all be dressed to kill. Too bad they can't appear in full evening dress. That would be so much more impressive.”
”I am not going to let them bother me,” announced Marjorie placidly.
”The kind of girls we are specially on the lookout to help will not be their kind. They will pick out the smartly-dressed ones and leave the humble ones, if there are any, to us. After all, there are not very many poor students at Hamilton. I suppose it is because of the high tuition fees and the expensive board here.”
”We had better hustle along. Hear that?” Jerry; raised a hand for attention. ”That is the train whistling.”
Without further delay the quartette hurriedly sought the stairs and reached the platform a moment or two before the train appeared in sight.