's first student there, he had to be a paragon--even if he turned
out to be more awkward in this situation than the farmer on Earth
everyone had called Rube.

"I think I will go to sleep," Smith said.

"Why, don't you men of Earth ever eat, Smith?"

Smith said yes, they ate, but he wasn't very hungry now. As a matter of
fact, he was ravenously hungry, but he did not relish the idea of going
to some public eating place either with Jorak or alone. His heart began
to beat a little faster when he thought that he might meet Geria if he
did, but then he felt the heat rise up his neck and into his cheeks.
He'd hardly know what to say to her, and besides, he knew there was
something he should remember but couldn't quite. No, he'd skip dinner
this first day at the school.

Now he watched Jorak open the door and step into the hallway, and for a
moment he heard gay voices and the shuffling of many feet, and Jorak's
voice louder than the rest: "Kard of Shilon! How long has it been? I can
remember that day near Raginsdild...."

Smith turned to the window, and for a long time he sat watching the fat
red sun.

* * * * *

He got up early and he showered, and then he heard a clicking sound. Two
cards had been deposited in a tray from a slot in the wall. At the top
of one were the words "Jorak of Gyra," and Smith's name and planet were
printed on the other. He picked it up and began to read, and then Jorak
sat up and took the other card.

"Programs," said Jorak. "Everyone takes transtellar history, of course,
and a section or two in the humanities. My electives are Wortan fighting
and dream-empathy."

Smith smiled. "Me too--same program. I suppose we'll be in class
together, Jorak."

"Rather stupid," the purple man observed. "They've given you a
dominant's program. But then, I remember you questioned your receptive
classification, and the registrar's known to do this on occasion, just
to put you in your place. You'll be in Garlonian dancing in a few days,
Earthsmith."

"Well, I sure hope not. I didn't come here to learn how to dance--"

"Hah! So what? If you're an R you'll learn how to dance and like it.
Cook, too. There's no such thing as a misfit at the school, not
permanently. They'll find you out soon enough, Earthsmith. Hmmm, wait
till Kard of Shilon finds out what they've put in Wortan. Kard's top man
in his sector, and it's just possible they'll pair you off with him.

"Well, you goi