five o'clock
Gradually he was learning to distinguish between upper classmen and entering men , even though the freshman cap would not appear until the following Monday . Those who were too obviously , too nervously at home were freshmen , for as each train brought a new contingent it was immediately absorbed into the hatless , white-shod , book-laden throng , whose function seemed to be to drift endlessly up and down the street , emitting great clouds of smoke from brand-new pipes . By afternoon Amory realized that now the newest arrivals were taking him for an upper classman , and he tried conscientiously to look both pleasantly blasé and casually critical , which was as near as he could analyze the prevalent facial expression . At five o'clock he felt the need of hearing his own voice , so he retreated to his house to see if any one else had arrived . Having climbed the rickety stairs he scrutinized his room resignedly , concluding that it was hopeless to attempt any more inspired decoration than class banners and tiger pictures . There was a tap at the door . `` Come in ! ''