Jason, 17 and Jeremy, 16, had been caught smoking behind the pool and were now standing in the Year 12 office, awaiting the arrival of the Division Master. Jeremy was new to the school and not used to the discipline code.
"You can guess what we're going to get, can't you, Jeremy?" the elder lad commented.
"I can guess and I don't like the look of it. I've never had a beating before," replied Jeremy.
"Well, it looks like this will be your first whipping and I can assure you it probably won't be the last you get round here so get used to it. It's fairly standard punishment for any disobedience."
"What will he use the whip or the cane? Do we get it on the hand?" asked Jeremy.
"Probably both and no, you don't get it on the hand. You get it on the bare backside. Don't be surprised if neither of us can sit down for a week!"
Suddenly the door burst open and Mr Wickham entered.
"Strip to your briefs, Jason!" he commanded and the boy obeyed instantly.
"Smoking again, eh? You've been punished for this before, haven't you, boy?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And now you lead a new boy astray as well. Haven't you explained that I will not tolerate boys smoking?"
"I just did, Sir," the lad replied.
"And did you advise Jeremy what the punishment for smoking is?" he asked as he grabbed the whip from the table.
"Yes, Sir. I told him we'd probably get a thrashing."
"I am at a loss to work you out, young man. It is less than a month since you were punished for the same thing. Can't you ever learn what the meaning of obedience is?" he asked the boy.
"I'm sorry, Sir," the boy replied.
"Sorry is no good to me, young man. I simply want your obedience."
"Sir, it was all my fault. I was the one who persuaded Jeremy to come for a smoke. They were my smokes. They weren't his. What's more, he really didn't even want to come. I talked him into it. I'm prepared to take all of the punishment," Jason pleaded.
"Oh, no you won't," Mr Wickham replied. "You'll both get a _d_a_m_n_ good flogging and let's hope this time it teaches you both a lesson."
Addressing the younger boy, Mr Wickham asked, "Will this be your first thrashing since you've come to this school, Son?"
"Yes, Sir," Jeremy replied quiveringly.
"Well, Jason you may demonstrate to Jeremy how boys take punishment for their disobedience."
"Drop your briefs and get over the table."
Whilst the boy was preparing for punishment, Jeremy observed the lethal looking instrument. He could see this was going to be no mild reprimand.
"When boys get to your age they need solid punishments," he proclaimed.
"For a young boy, maybe a milder punishment. But at your ages, anything less is a waste of time," he added.
Mr Wickham held the whip firmly by its handle. The receiving end was comprised of seven thin strands of leather at least forty centimetres long. It caused much anguish, to say the least, when lashed across the bare buttocks of his charges.
Jason had now assumed the punishment position across the table. His feet were spread wide apart so that his buttocks would take the full force of the whipping.
"I'm ready, Sir," Jason intoned.
"Jeremy, you're next. Get your shorts off and get ready and then observe closely."
Mr Wickham separated the leather thongs with his hand and then positioned the whip across Jason's bottom.
He drew his arm back high over his shoulders and lashed solidly at the boy. The whip swished through the air and the seven strips of leather spread themselves wide across Jason's naked buttocks.
Jason twitched as the intense pain shot through his entire body, but he remained at his position across the table.
A further seven lashes were administered to the boy as Jeremy watched petrified.
After the eighth stroke cut across Jason's backside, the boy was told that his whipping was complete. The boy stood slowly and painfully. He was crying uncontrollably.
"Well?" asked Mr Wickham.
"I'm sorry for my disobedience, Sir. I knew the rules. I deserved to be punished," the lad replied.
Jeremy not only genuinely sympathised for his friend, but he was well aware that his turn was coming. Neither of them, however, had forecast what Mr Wickham was about to announce.
"That's perfectly correct, Jason. And we haven't finished yet. Remain as you are!" he commanded.
"You, boy," Mr Wickham intoned, addressing Jeremy. "Off with your underpants at once!"
Jeremy obeyed the instruction instantly. He was about to taste his first flogging from the Division Master. He was about to really learn the result of his disobedience.
"Well, boy. You know what to do. Get yourself over that desk and be quick about it"
Jeremy bent low over the desk and grabbed the other side to hold himself steady.
"Get your legs apart and spread those buttocks," Mr Wickham bellowed.
The boy did as instructed and almost lost his balance as he did so.
"We'll give young Jeremy his first taste of the whip," he announced.
"And then we'll finish you both off with a good dose of the cane just to make sure the message really gets through to you this time, Jason," he concluded.
The pair of them shuddered. Eight lashes of the whip across the bare buttocks was no light punishment in itself, even for sixteen and seventeen year old boys, but a caning as well seemed just too much for the two boys.
"But, Sir," pleaded Jeremy. This is my first offence."
"And let's hope it will be the last for a long time."
"Right, said Mr Wickham addressing Jeremy. As this is your first whipping, would you like Jason to hold you down?"
"No thank you, Sir. I can manage," the boy replied.
"All right. Your decision," he replied as he positioned the whip lightly across the lad's bottom. He flexed it lightly several times and took aim.
Jeremy held his breath as the whip suddenly flew high into the air and crashed across his naked buttocks. The boy screamed as the pain shot through his entire body. He jumped high into the air.
"I thought you said you could maintain the punishment position. Jason, hold him down."
Jeremy again positioned himself across the desk. This time Jason pressed down firmly on the boy's shoulders.
Seven more strokes lashed across his buttocks. The boy was really regretting his disobedience now.
"Right, both of you can get up now," Mr Wickham commanded and the two boys stood at attention.
"Well, Jeremy?"
"I'm sorry, Sir. I've learnt my lesson."
"No, boy, not yet. You've both half learnt your lesson. That was just the start. Now comes the caning. Jason!"
Jason knew exactly what he had to do. He had experienced several severe canings during his years at school. What's more, he guessed this probably wouldn't be the last.
The boy went to the centre of the room, spread his feet apart and bent over to touch his toes.
The instant he had done so the caning was commenced. Mr Wickham was a strict disciplinarian and a firm believer than when punishment had to be administered it was never to be delivered lightly either in quantity or in severity and he administered another eight solid strokes.
Jeremy was frozen in fear as he first saw and heard the swish of the cane as it flew through the air and then the crack as it landed across his friend's buttocks. The boy's backside was now raw and covered in welts.
But this time Jason did not cry out. Jeremy was determined to do the same.
As Jason stood, Jeremy assumed the correct punishment position and awaited the correction for his misdemeanours. He didn't have long to wait.
But he withstood the temptation to move and he did not cry out once. Maybe by this stage his bottom was too numb to even feel the pain.
The eight strokes were duly administered and the boys stood smartly at attention. Indeed they were probably to stand for the next few days as sitting would be too painful to even contemplate.
But one thing was certain. They both knew that their Division Master would not tolerate disobedience but they also both knew in their hearts that it would probably only be a matter of time before they again had to face punishment.
After all, they reasoned, it was a part of growing up!