's going to have
it put on the stage after the holidays, with Tubby as leading man."

"See here, I won't have this!" roared the rich youth, waving his hand
wildly first at one boy and then another. "I don't want you to make up
any songs about me."

"Songbird won't charge you anything," put in Fred Garrison, another of
the students. "He's a true poet, and writes for nothing. You ought to
feel highly honored."

"Make a speech of thanks, that's a good fellow," put in George Granbury,
another student.

"It's an outrage!" shouted Tubbs, his face growing redder each instant.
"I won't stand it."

"All right, we won't charge you for sitting on it," came from the back
of the crowd.

"My right name is----"

"Barrel, but they call me Tubbs for short," finished another student.
"Hurrah, Tubby is discovered at last."

"Don't blush, Washtub! you don't look half as pretty as when you're
pale."

"If you feel warm, Buttertub, go out and sit on the thin ice. It will
soon cool you off," came from Fred Garrison.

"I'll cool you off, Garry!" burst out the rich youth, and made a wild
dash at his tormentor. But somebody put out a foot and the tormented boy
stumbled headlong, at which the crowd set up another shout, and then
sang louder than ever,

"Rub-a-dub-dub!
One man in a tub!"

"I say, who tripped me up!" gasped Tubbs, as soon as he could scramble
up. "Tell me who did it, and I'll soon settle with him."

"Who rolled over the buttertub?" asked Tom solemnly. "One peanut reward
for the first correct answer to this absorbing puzzle. Please don't all
raise your hands at once."

"I believe you did it, Tom Rover!" bellowed the rich youth.

"I? Never, Tubby, my dear boy. I never rolled over a buttertub in my
life. You've got the wrong number. Kindly ring the bell next door."

"Then it was Sam, and I'll fix him for it, see if I don't!"

"No, it wasn't Sam. He never touched a washtub in his life."

"I say it was Sam," cried Tubbs, who was almost beside himself with
rage. "And I'm going to teach him a lesson. There, Sam Rover, how do you
like that?"

As the rich youth finished, he caught the youngest Rover by the shoulder
with his left hand and with his right gave Sam a slanting blow on the
cheek.

"Stop! I didn't trip you!" exclaimed Sam; and then as Tubbs aimed
another blow at him he ducked and broke loose and hit out in return. His
blow was harder and more truly aimed than he had anticipated, and it
took