CHAPTER 6

Yes, we had been duped. The “ Doctor ” was a senior, and the “ Professor ” was a junior, and all that stuff they had been teaching and preaching was plain fakery. Yes, Dick and I, cocksure that we had been doing our part admirably, we who had believed ourselves fully sophisticated, had been made fools of, and left stranded at nine o’clock in a strange city, far from our destination—and at night! We felt sheepish, and I daresay we looked it.

It was a full hour later when we again turned up at that terminal and claimed our baggage. We there learned that to get to the college we must go back to the city and take another car, that it was only a few minutes ride from there to the college. So that terminal business was only another clever trick to mislead us, and to get us in a spirit to accept further suggestions on the part of our guides, like the dinner, because of the lateness of the hour.

Fifteen minutes later the conductor on the second car we took let us off, and we walked as he directed, toward the college. There was a little store and quick-lunch stand on the street across from the campus, where the students would gather for ice cream, soft drinks, or candy, and to talk and gossip. As we drew up to it we looked in. There sat our benevolent guides! They were talking with the old woman who owned the place. It was dark outside, and we paused to see what was going on, catching enough of the conversation to learn that the old proprietress was to be on the watch for us, and if we turned up very late, see that we got sleeping accommodations at her house, but Dick and I were not such fools as to fall into the trap of those fellows again, and we passed on, unobserved, not, however, without expressing a wish to fling eggs at them.

The college buildings were all alight, and knowing which one to enter from pictures we had seen, we mounted the steps of College Hall and walked down the aisle. The halls were lined with light baggage, and students were passing back and forth, or standing in groups, talking. Each group appeared to have a leader, on whom all other eyes were focused. Our approach was a signal to “ cease fire. ” Instantly we were recognized as new men by the older students, some of whom approached us, grinning. Down at the far end of the hall was a large group of students, rather youngish, who gave cautious glances about as they talked. We quickly learned that they were “ Ducks, ” for introductory students, and we hastened to join them as birds of our own feather. We knew that our safety the first few days lay in our being with our own classmates. The next higher class was the freshman class, avowed tormentors of “ Ducks. ” One of this group came up to us and asked our year, and it then flew around that two more men had arrived to augment our class strength. This temporary leader later on became our class president. We gave our names, then we had a regular fall-over with those boys. They gave us a hearty welcome, every one of them grasping our hands, for they knew we were the largest class, therefore, strong, and would be able to protect ourselves if upper men got rough.

We were soon relieved of our luggage, shown to a washroom and then taken over to the dormitory in search of a room for the night.

We tramped those halls ten minutes before we found an unoccupied room. This one had a small ante-room, and was one of the choice rooms that always fell to the seniors and juniors. We didn’t know anything about that, so we took it, temporarily, or until permanent quarters should be allotted. We opened our suitcases and laid out such things as we would need on arising, then threw ourselves on the bed and fell to talking. The student who had shown us about was Fred Stockton, and a right good fellow he seemed to be, a semi-mute with a good command of English, a thing I always liked in a new deaf acquaintance, as somehow, presumably because of my own lack of understanding, I was adverse to the signs. Dick, however, though a mute, had a way of expressing himself clearly in words and I had no difficulty in understanding him.

“ You want to lay low at first, boys, ” advised Fred. “ Don’t trust anyone out of our class, those upper men are sizing us up already and mean to have some fun at our expense. Don’t talk back; don’t swallow all they say; don’t be too nice, either, or they’ll feel emboldened and won’t show you any respect, nor give you any peace. ”

I then took Fred into my confidence and told him about our experience with those “ dignitaries, ” the “ Doctor ” and the “ Professor. ” Fred had a good laugh, surprised that we should have fallen for that. We next put our things in order, and when this was done, we decided to go downstairs and see what was going on.

“ I’m bunked with Sam Fletcher, from my school. Our room is on the next floor up, No. 38; if anything goes wrong with you two, come up, ” and so saying, he opened the door and we all went downstairs.

The students stayed up late that night, in fact, none of us wanted to turn in, as there was a world of interesting talk, and a fair show of school rivalry, which should later on pass away as the boys become obsessed in class affairs. Some of the boys seemed to me to be woefully ignorant of college life and requirements; others were too fresh, and I had an idea of what was in store for each of them before spring came around.

Our talk went far into the night. The lights began to flash out. Groups of students melted away and at last an upper man reminded us it was time to retire to our rooms; so we broke up and took divers ways to our respective domiciles.

It was the rule of the college to hold all door keys until rooms had been allotted, or drawn, the seniors having first choice, according to class standing, and then on down through the classes to the last Duck. The Ducks were allotted according to their rating on their entrance papers. Dick and I climbed to the second floor and walked down the now darkened hall. Dick stumbled, then I stumbled, and as we picked ourselves up and searched for the obstacles in our path we laid hands on what turned out to be our suitcases—both empty! Feeling over the floor, we picked up one article after another which we found to be our own belongings, and our ire was up. Dick let out a sort of cuss sign, and I followed suit as I found my socks tied in knots and water-soaked. It took about ten minutes in that darkened hall to gather together all our belongings, and when we could find no more, and all were crammed back in the cases, we reached our door and opened.

We had neglected to locate the electric switch button, so we had to grope about until we did. The lights flashed up, and then we saw what had happened. The room had been confiscated, and to our alarm and disgust we saw those two “ professors ” occupying the two beds, sound asleep!

“ Let’s get out of here—quick! ” signed Dick, and grabbing our luggage, we retreated, leaving the sleepers in blissful possession.

That night we slept in Fred’s room, on the floor.