"Do you really? Then I'll tell you after you've rubbed down," and Socker hurried off after the towels. He was always telling of what he called his war experiences, though there was very much doubt that he had ever been farther than a temporary camp. He repeated the same stories so often that the boys had become tired of them, and lost no chance to escape from his narratives.
"There you are, Mr. Ranger," went on the janitor as he came back with the towels. "Now, as soon as you're dry I'll tell you that story about the Battle of the Wilderness."
"You'll not if I know it," said Jack to himself, as he went in the room where the shower-baths were, to take a warm one. "I'll sneak out the back way."
Which he did, after his rub-down, leaving Socker sitting in the main room of the gym, waiting for him, and wondering why the lad did not come out to hear the war story.
Jack reached his room, little the worse for his experience at the lake. He possessed a fine appetite, which he was soon appeasing by vigorous attacks on the food in the dining-room.
"I say, Jack," called Nat, "have you heard the latest?"
"What's that? Has the clock struck?" inquired Jack, ready to have some joke sprung on him.
"No, but Fred Kaler has composed a song about the race and your rescue. He's going to play it on the mouth-organ, and sing it at the same time to-night."
"I am not, you big duffer!" cried Fred, throwing a generous crust of bread at Nat, but first taking good care to see that Martin, the monitor, was not looking.
"It's to the tune of 'Who Put Tacks in Willie's Shoes?'" went on Nat, "and the first verse is something like this----"
"Aw, cheese it, will you?" pleaded Fred, blushing, but Nat went on:
"You have heard about the glorious deeds Of the brave knights of old, But our Jack Ranger beats them all-- He jumped in waters cold And rescued one whom he had beat In a race that he had led, And while he strove to find him, Unto me these words he said:
"'Never fear, I will rescue you, Dock-- Around you my arms I will lock. I will pull you right out of the hole in the lake, And then upon shore I will you safely take. For though you tried to beat me, In a boat race, tried and true, I came out ahead, Dock, so Wait and I'll rescue you!'"