“Come in.”
“Arise and open the door.”
Dolly smothered a giggle and glanced inquiringly at Elizabeth, who nodded her head. So she crossed to the door and swung it wide. Fifteen Sophomores in fantastic kimonos and stately head-dresses stood outside.
“Freshies, we have come to inspect your premises. Stand aside while we enter and examine you as regards your worthiness to remain within these sacred precincts. Stand in front of us, so!”
There was a moment’s pause while the fifteen uninvited guests took possession of the few chairs, window-seats and stools which the room afforded.
“Miss Alden, you may answer first. What is the chief duty of every Freshman?”
“To squelch the Sophomores,” returned Dolly promptly.
A deep groan sounded from all fifteen. “Wrong! Wrong! You have not the first idea of your fundamental duties. We shall be obliged to send you home, I fear. Miss Newby, answer!”
“Most potent, grave and reverend Sophomores, the great duty of every Freshman is to try and become a Sophomore herself, so that she may try to impress unsophisticated Freshies with a sense of her own importance and make everyone forget that she herself was nothing but a Freshman one short year–”
“Stop! Wrong! Wrong!” and a chorus of groans again broke forth. “The obvious duty of every Freshie is to run errands for the Sophomores and make life as pleasant as possible for them. Miss Alden, I see a banjo on the table there. Sing something to us.”