Some obviously new students milled around aimlessly, looking somewhat lost and more than a little frightened. Peggy wondered if she and Amy looked the same, and made a determined effort to appear at ease and knowing. But her pose couldn’t have been very convincing, for a small, thin boy with huge glasses and a shock of black hair came over to them with a grin and said, “You’re new, aren’t you?”
“Why, yes,” Peggy answered. “Do we show it?”
“Oh, no, not at all,” he assured them earnestly. “You look just fine. It’s just that I’ve been here two years, and I know everyone. I’m Pete Piper, but everyone calls me Pip. I just thought I’d help lead you through the maze, if you’d like.”
Peggy and Amy introduced themselves, and thanked Pip for his help.
“Oh, don’t thank me,” he said. “Everybody does it. Whenever we see new students on the first day, the old-timers introduce themselves and offer to help. It’s kind of a custom.”
Looking around, Peggy noticed that the “lost lambs” she had first seen were by now in conversation with other, older students, and all of them looked a good deal more relaxed.
“I think it’s a lovely custom,” Amy said. “It makes our Southern Hospitality look right cold by comparison!”
By this time, it was their turn at the elevator doors, which suddenly flew open with their usual wail of protest. Peggy, Amy, and Pip were almost carried in, with no need to walk at all, by the mass of students around them, and soon were packed as tight as berries in a basket. Protesting loudly, the elevator slowly ascended.
Upstairs, the halls which had been nearly empty when Peggy had last seen them were now swarming with students. The ones who seemed to know where they were going swirled and eddied around others who looked around doubtfully and hesitated to go anywhere.
Pip shook his head and said, “More waifs and strays up here, I see. I’ll set you on your way, and then gather up a new crop. You just go right into the little theater—ahead of you, through those doors—and take seats. From there on, you’ll be told what to do and where to go. I’ll see you around.”