The doggerel, gotten up on the spur of the moment, struck the fancy of fully a score of boys, big and little, and in an instant all were singing it over and over again, at the top of their lungs, and at this those who did not sing began to laugh uproariously.
"I say, what's it all about?" demanded Tom, as he slid from the turning-bar.
"Songbird Powell has composed a comic opera in Tubby's honor," answered Larry Colby, one of the Rover boys' chums. "I guess he'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."