This continues the story of Justin, Jake, Brett and the other young Jackaroos of Diamantena Downs station. As we restart the story, after a long absence, (sorry about that) three weeks have passed since Jake rode back into the homestead paddock after his boundary riding ordeal with Taggart. As always - your comments are very welcome.
Jake was now the Foreman of all station workers. He had been replaced by Harry as Senior Jackaroo .
It was a mild early afternoon, when Jake was walking past the the Jackaroo's bunk-building, when he heard the distinctive crack of a cane against a young man's bum. With a slightly nostalgic sigh he decided to drop in and see who was "getting it". He was doubly interested as, who ever it was, was blubbering like a real wuss - and Jake couldn't remember any of the guys being like that !!
He looked around the door, and saw Harry give another hard stroke to the backside of the shuddering "offender" who was pleading for the caning to stop. Jake felt a stirring of interest in him, as he watched. Harry refused to cut the punishment and gave the "offender" the final stroke - very hard and very low down on his buns. Harry then told the crying lad to strand, at which point Jake entered the room and said "Hi mate".
Harry turned and smiled "hello" at Jake, whose attention had shifted and was riveted on the blushing and tearful face of the "offender", who had also just stood up and had turned around while buttoning up his shorts. Jake was shocked to see that it was Justin.
"What the hell has been going on" demanded Jake as his eyes bored into Justin.
"Aww this idiot" growled Harry "was mixing pesticides together in a combination that would have become explosive if Scotty hadn't realised when he noticed - so we had to dispose of the whole lot"
Jake looked shocked at Justin, and demanded "What is your story, mate ?"
"Ummm" mumbled Justin.
"And what is with all this blubbering and howling ? You're acting like a total wuss mate - what the hell is wrong with you ??? demanded Jake, as Harry looked on with interest.
Justin looked up at Jake, his friend and mentor, and burst into tears again. He didn't know why - he was just tired and bored with his work, and so he kept getting it wrong and so he kept getting striped and Harry wasn't a mate like Jake .. and he was mostly just feeling sorry for himself.
"Jeeez Jus " muttered Jake " pull yourself together mate".
Harry looked at Jake apologetically "Sorry about this Jake - I'll sort him out".
Jake shook his head. He was worried now. "No ... that's ok thanks Harry - I'd like to talk with Jus here myself, if you don't mind."
Harry shrugged and smiled "No worries mate - but I warn you - we've been seeing a lot water works from him lately !!!"
Jake smiled slightly and nodded as Harry walked out the door. He then looked over at the sniveling form of Justin wondered what had gotten into him.
Jake sighed and walked over to where Justin was standing, perched on the edge of the desk, leaned sideways to look Justin in the eye, and ruffled his hair in a friendly gesture and said "Ok mate - what is going on with you ?"
He then heard, in between sobs, a woeful tale of how miserable Justin was feeling, with the regular canings he was getting combined with the dull routine of work and the change in the mood of the Jackaroo's work shed since Jake had moved out.
Jake smiled and looked reassuringly at Justin - "Look mate you've just got to give it time, for the new guys to settle in - but in the meantime we need to do something to kick your arse into shape, and get you out of feeling so sorry for yourself !"
Justin sniffled, and , looking up into Jake's eyes, he smiled reluctantly and mumbled "I guess".
Jake nodded adding " ..... because after pulling a stupid, dangerous stunt like you did today mate - well you are lucky he just tanned that thick hide of yours"
It was then that an idea came to Jake. He realised that Justin was moping, and feeling sorry for the accumulation of little things that weren't going quite as he expected. All the guys were going stir crazy with nothing to do but work and drink most of the time - they were crying out for a hobby - something to give them some emotional release.
He looked at Justin and asked him if he liked to play footy. Justin nodded and so Jake continued to explain that a local competition was starting up and that the Station wanted to enter a team, and it seemed like the perfect way for the young Jackaroos to work off some steam and get away from their usual work environment.
Justin smiled at the suggestion and so Jake set the team up. And within a week, Jake had the whole Jackaroo group on his training squad.
It was on a Saturday afternoon that they met, in the back paddock. Jake looked over his squad as the puffed from running 5 km around the station roads. He said "listen guys that was a good start today " before adding ominously and with a small smile, - but you are going to have to keep your training schedules up, or my cane will get reacquainted with your backsides"
The group of young men all shifted uncomfortably at that thought, before Jake broke the tension to invite them all to grab a beer.
Justin was feeling re-energised by the footy squad. He enjoyed playing the game. he enjoyed the team camaraderie, and he enjoyed spending more time with Jake than he'd had for weeks. So with a cheeky grin we came up behind Jake and patting his backside said "Don't you blokes think that this backside should get reacquainted with the cane too, just like ours will be".
The other guys cheered the idea, and Jake turned to smile indulgently at Justin. "Sure mate," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "If I deserve it."
"If he deserves it !!" mocked Justin, before demanding " and who decides who deserves it ? ".
The other Jackaroos all chimed in together "he does !!".
So with a laugh, Justin patted Jake's bum again and said ".... So there is no chance this will get caned."
Jake turned quickly and grabbed Justin's wrists and said "Unless you have the guts to make it happen !!"
"What do you mean? " asked Justin, cautiously.
"You are talking big Jus - do you have the balls to back it up ??" demanded Jake. "I will agree to submit to being caned, if I can't beat you in a fitness test, provided that you agree to be caned if you lose !"
Justin started to back away from the grinning Jake saying "Now, waaaait a minute ...."
But Jake continued "Yeah it is all settled - let's do it next Tuesday - we can run around the 5 km track, and as Jus suggested it, he can be the one to race me.
The rest of the group agreed heartily that this was a good idea, and Justin knew that he would soon be feeling the cane again.
+ + +
And so it was on that following Tuesday that Justin was sweating and breathing heavily, as he ran up the final hill towards the homestead. He knew that Jake was only a few steps behind him, jogging easily .
With an inward groan Justin head Jake's taunting tone - "Is this the best you can do mate ?
He glanced over his shoulder to see Jake running easily and barely raising a sweat, and grinning at him.
Jake looked ahead at the sweat soaked back and shorts of Justin, and admired his friend's physique. He particularly noticed how Justin's old footy shorts clung to his backside as he struggled to run up the hill. With an evil grin, Jake couldn't help but add ".. and I'm getting a great view of a backside that will be getting caned really soon mate - I hope you have remembered our little bet !!"
Justin groaned and tried to speed up for the last 2 kilometers to the finish. He certainly did remember their bet , which was - unless he beat Jake to the homestead he would get as many strokes as the number of 10s of seconds he was behind Jake. Of course if HE beat Jake .. then Jake would get those strokes ... but they both knew THAT wasn't about to happen - at least not this time.
Jake smiled as Justin's renewed efforts, but decided it was time he ensured his own victory and so pulled out from watching Jus's bum, and accelerated - easily passing Justin and running quickly to the homestead. After touching the wall he activated a stop watch and waited for Justin - who was still struggling up the final driveway.
Jake kept watching the clock, and noted that it was 220 seconds after he touched that Justin made it.
"Jake" whistled meaningfully " whoa mate - that's gonna hurt !!" and then laughed uproariously.
Justin, who was still breathing heavily, frowned and asked "that's not bloody funny mate - how many is it gonna be ?"
Jake rechecked the time and said "that will be 22 mate - so go and get yourself ready"
"TWENTY-TWO ????" gasped Justin " jeeez mate - what are you trying to do to me ???"
Jake just laughed and slapped him on the back and said "Get you into shape for the footy season mate !"
With a sigh Justin walked into the shed where the Jackaroos kept their recreation gear. Over the years the guys working at the station had all chipped in to buy some basic weights and other exercise equipment, and now it was a well equipped gym. Justin groaned as he spied the room was full of other Jackaroos who were all suspiciously "exercising" very keenly.
"I guess you guys are here for the floor show ?" he muttered.
Brett and Scotty looked across at Justin and laughed and nodded. Brett then asked "So how many are you getting ?"
Justin looked at them and said "What makes you think it's ME getting it ?"
Brett just laughed and said "Come off it mate ! There is NO way you were ever going to beat Jake ".
Justin just sighed and went over to the bench in the centre of the room. He gave a small embarrassed smile as he noticed all the guys in the room were watching him. He stretched over the bench, stretching his old shorts very tightly across his buns.
Jake had watched all over this with a small smile, leaning against the shed entrance. He went over to the equipment cupboard and unlocked it. He pulled a medium cane and swished it about.
He announced to the room "Now you all know about the bet Jus and I had. Well he was 220 seconds behind me in the run - so he will take 22 strokes of the cane across his shorts this time. This is to teach him, and all of you, just how seriously I expect you all to train for the town footy team this season".
All pretense of working out had stopped and all the young men in the room watched as one of their own was about to GET IT.
Jake tapped the cane on Justin's bum, softly. He traced the tip of the cane across both cheeks and around the seam of his shorts. He then drew the cane back, and swished it, before stopping just short of Justin's butt. Jake smiled at the way this was causing Justin to contract his cheeks constantly.
"Can we get on with it ?" muttered Justin, who was starting to sweat again.
"Sure Jus" said Jake, before pausing and running the tip of the cane along the bottom of Justin's t-shirt. He said "But maybe you'd better take that shirt off - you looked soaked."
"It's ok " muttered Justin.
"NO Justin" said Jake firmly "Take it off." With a sigh - Justin stood slowly and pulled the shirt off revealing his muscular and sweaty chest. Jake also noticed the massive bulge in the front of his shorts.
"That's better " said Jake "looks like you are looking forward to it, so i wanted you to be comfortable". Justin blushed at this comment and the other guys laughed. So Justin was glad to be told to bend back over again.
Jake lined the cane up and drew it back and THWWWWAAAACKED it hard across the shorts .
Justin groaned deeply.
Jake took aim again and THWWWWAAAACK .... THWWWWWAAAAACK .... THWWWWWWWWAAAAACKED three hard strokes.
Justin gasped in pain and shifted his legs to try and make his stinging bum more comfortable. But Jake kept THWWWAAAACKING the cane across his shorts, 5, 6 7, 8, 9, 10 times. Each stroke harder than the last.
Justin was trying manfully not to cry out as the 11th and 12 strokes cut across his backside, but by the 13th he couldn't help but grunt "yeeeouch": Jake nodded in satisfaction that he was getting through to Justin, and lined up for an even harder 14th stroke.
"Arrrgh" groaned Justin "jeez ..... mate can I have a rest?"
"No way" snapped Jake as he cracked the 15th and 16tth strokes hard across Justin's buns, causing him to almost stand from the impact., as a loud "yeeeowww" escaped from his lips.
Jake paused to let Justin get his breathing back under control. He traced the tip of the cane around his backside for a few moments, before drawing it back and giving four hard and sharp strokes. Justin yelped at the sharp pain and tears pricked his eyes.
"Two more" announced Jake to the hushed room as he drew the cane back and THWWWWWWWWWWACK ... THWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAACKED Justin's bum , causing him to yelp "yeeeeoooouch".
"Ok mate - you can stand up" said Jake trying to sound gruff. He couldn't help but smile as a red-faced and heavy breathing Justin stood slowly, rubbing his backside gently. Jake gave his mate a bear hug and ruffled his hair saying "Now take your training more seriously, and I won't have to do this again !!"
"Ok mate" said Justin, smiling from the welcome hug.
"i mean it Jus ! " said Jake "next time you'll take it bare in front of everyone ". Justin just stared in horror at Jake - and vowed not to let THAT happen. With a wave to the room Jake went out to get changed and ready for dinner.
The remaining 6 or so guys soon either went back to their work-outs or went back out of the shed to do other things. Justin took his time recovering his composure and gently warming down from the run. Brett came over to him and tentatively asked "uh ... mate ?"
"Yeah ?" said Justin trying not to cry out in pain from stretching his buttocks too far.
Brett looked at Justin and asked " D'you reckon you are fit enough to play the full game ?"
Pain or no pain Justin looked up in surprise. "Of course I am !!"
Brett looked at him and smiled mischievously " Could have fooled me "
"What do you mean ?" said Justin, standing slowly.
"Just wondering if you need some extra coaching "said Brett with a _c_o_c_k_y grin.
"No bloody way mate !!" said Justin with a smile " you watch your cheek or you'll get a sore backside too"
"Yeah ... right " sneered Brett, grinning broadly, " you don't have the guts".
"Don't push me mate" warned Justin, also smiling broadly.
The another voice boomed " ... or WHAT ???" . Both Just and Brett looked over to see Harry standing and watching them both, hands on hips."I hope you blokes weren't planning to fight" he said.
"Awww no way " said Brett with a smile "we were just mucking around". Justin nodded his agreement.
"Sounds like you were looking for a few stripes Brett mate " said Harry.
"uhhh . no ... ummm .. I mean I was just kidding" said Brett nervously.
"Hmmmm" nodded Harry "so it's interesting for me that you were supposed to report to me 10 minutes ago .... "
Ohh ...noooooo" gasped Brett and he squeezed his hands to the top of his head, " oh jeez Harry mate I'm sorry, I just got so carried away watching Jus get it that I lost track of time."
Harry shook his head. "well mate - I'm afraid you'll get extra and Jus here can watch you get it, as you are going to get it here and now. Justin just stood back to watch, a small smile playing on his lips.
With a sigh, and muttering, Brett bent over and grabbed his ankles as Harry grabbed a cane out of his cupboard. Harry tapped the cane on Brett's tightly stretched shorts, pausing to admire his lean backside, and drew the cane back and THWWWWWWWAAACKED it across, once, twice and then three times.
"Ok mate - get off to work" said Harry. Brett stood, smiled sheepishly and nodded to Justin and Harry as he rubbed his shorts briefly and ran off to get to work. It was a token caning, and they all new that Brett would be able to take it so well.
They were all hopeful that with the new hobby of the footy squadron to keep them interested, none of the Jackaroos would be needing any more of the severe canings they had been getting lately.
Only time would tell, if that would prove to be the case.
To be continued .....