Why, among all these girls there must be some who would be friendly! This thought helped Nancy a great deal. She entered the building and joined the beginning of the line at the breakfast-room door, much encouraged.
"Look at these hungry young ones," exclaimed Corinne Pevay, coming down the broad stair from the West Side, like a queen descending to give audience to her subjects.
"Morning, Corinne! Morning, Miss Pevay!" were the cries of greeting.
"'Good morning, little myrtle-blossoms! Let me tell you mommer's plan!'" sing-songed the older girl. "'Do some good to all the folkses'--Hullo, Carrie!"
"'Good-morn-ing-Car-rie!'" sang the crowd of girls at the dining-room door as the captain of the East Side of the Hall appeared--Carrie Littlefield.
There was a burst of laughter, and Corinne held up her hand admonishingly.
"Not so much racket, children!" she said. "There! the gate is opened, and you can all go in to pasture. Little lambkins!"
Nancy was carried on by the line to the open door. The pleasant-faced woman who had stood in the doorway of the lodge the evening before, was here, and she tapped Nancy on the shoulder.
"Go to the lower tables, my dear. You are a new girl, and all your class will be down there. What is your name?"
"Yes, indeed. Your trunk and bag are here. Between eight and nine you may come to the trunk room in the basement and show me which of your possessions you wish carried to your room. Where is your room?"
"I am Jessie Pease," said the good woman, smiling kindly on the orphan. "If you need anything, my dear, come to Jessie; she's the big sister of all you girls," and she patted Nancy on the head as the girl, her heart warmed suddenly, went to her place at the end of the room.
The girls of her class--the incoming class of new girls, or freshmen--took places at the table as they chose. There were no more than a score as yet. Some had already formed groups of acquaintanceship. Some few, like Nancy, were alone; but Nancy did not feel that she could force her company on any one of these other lonesome souls. She must wait for them to speak first to her.
The sophomores filled their tables nearby, chattering and laughing. They looked with much amusement at the freshmen, but some of the teachers were in the room now and the second-year girls thought it best not to "rig" their juniors openly.