“Freshman?” one of the most attractive girls Mimi had ever seen asked as she entered the office.
“No—Prep.”
“Sorry,” the girl replied, and turned to another “lost sheep” and asked the same question. The new girl answered, “Yes.” The attractive girl took her in charge immediately. Mimi looked after them.
“That inimitable, incomparable creature of the inferior species,” said a sassy voice over Mimi’s shoulder, “is Elizabeth Lewiston, known to her fellow inmates of this particular prison as ‘Dit.’ She is a Senior in the College, Physical Ed major and assistant to Miss Bassett.”
Mimi already loved Miss Bassett and from afar she adored “Dit” the entire year.
“What oracle do I thank for this information?” Mimi turned to her informer to size her up.
“Ah! Charming! You understood—comprehended—savvied, in other words. I’d feared my comprehensive vocabulary was past your feeble comprehension and ’tis not!”
By now Mimi was laughing, but the girl, whom Mimi never heard speak the entire year without making some one goggle-eyed at her vocabulary, continued:
“You have the honor of addressing Olivia Pendleton, near-child prodigy, who this year with a straight A card, God wot, shall graduate from the Sheridan Prep. Yo—a—a Sheridan——”
“I’m new,” Mimi replied but she felt neither new nor strange as, arm in arm with Olivia, they went from hall to hall, room to room, visiting and getting acquainted. Olivia seemed welcome everywhere in spite of her bookwormish appearance and Mimi was welcome with her. In fact, many other new Preps took it for granted Mimi was an old girl; she seemed so at ease and was smiling and saying hello to every one. Friendliness was natural with Mimi, and her sunny disposition plus adaptability and independence developed by her camping experience made her popular immediately.