"Jack, I've had enough. In fact, I've had more than enough. You've been completely out of line for some time now and you're getting worse every day. It's just one thing after another. I would have thought that a seventeen year old would have a little more maturity and common sense, but I can see that is quite obviously expecting too much from you."
"Yes, Sir," Jack replied, "I'm sorry, Dad. I promise it won't happen again."
"You're dammed right it won't happen again and we'll make sure of that, boy. Seventeen years of age or not, you're never too old for a good whipping. Maybe that'll straighten you out."
"But, Dad, but don't you think I'm too old for a whipping," pleaded the boy. "You haven't given me the strap since I was in Year 9. Can't I have another punishment, please . . . please, Dad? I promise I'll obey you from now on."
"I couldn't agree with you more, Jack. I thought you had really grown up and were well past the stage when I had to use the strap to discipline you. But when you act like a child, you deserve to be treated like a child. Now get the strap out of the hall cupboard immediately and wait for me in the study, young man. I've had more than a gut full and I'm just not prepared to suffer this sort of behaviour any longer. Now move!"
Jack moved and moved smartly. It was three years since he had been thrashed by his father but he remembered well that his father did not administer the strap lightly when he felt it was time for any of his four sons to be punished.
Many times in his earlier years the lad had received anything up to a dozen lashes across the bare bottom for even relatively minor acts of disobedience but this was the third time in as many weeks that Jack had been reprimanded by his father for his persistent tardiness with his studies and he well knew that his father did not regard this as any minor act of disobedience.
Seventeen or not, as he collected the strap from the cupboard, he dreaded the thought of the punishment that was about to be administered.
It was no light strap. The strap was a thick leather belt over a metre in length and several centimetres wide with four separate strips of leather at the receiving end. Even the thought of the pain that was about to be inflicted was enough in itself to quickly have the boy in tears and he guessed he was in for a really solid flogging. He was right!
When his father arrived, Jack handed him the strap and again pleaded with his dad. But his tears had no effect. His father was determined that he was not going to have to speak to the boy again about his laziness.
"Stop your whimpering and act your age", his dad ordered.
He was told to strip completely and to assume the punishment position over his father's desk. The boy bent down low over the desk, his legs spread apart so that as much as possible of his buttocks were exposed for punishment and grasped the other side of the desk to hold himself steady. He knew he must not flinch when the strap cut across his buttocks.
To flinch instantly brought an additional flogging and to make matters worse the additional punishment was administered with a thick metre length cane, the pain of which was enormous.
"Now, young man. It's a long time since your last whipping. Let's be sure you remember the rules of punishment. Do you remember them or do you need reminding?"
"I remember, Sir. I'm to count out aloud each stroke aloud and not to move a muscle until the punishment is completed."
"And if you do?"
"Then each time I move I'll immediately be given two very hard cuts of the cane, before the strapping continues."
He waited for what seemed line an eternity whilst his father repeatedly flexed the strap and then gently positioned the split ends across his son's bottom, ready to take aim and to commence the beating.
Jack's father drew the strap back high over his shoulders in readiness for the first stroke. The strap flew through the air culminating in a loud thwack as the four supple thongs of leather were laid to rest across his son's naked bottom. As it flayed across Jack's buttocks, the lad called, "One, Sir . . . "Two, Sir . . . "Three, Sir . . . "Four, Sir . . . "Five, Sir."
The sixth stroke was particularly severe and the boy let out a mighty scream as his body writhed in agony. "Six, Sir."
"Get up!" Jack's father ordered.
The lad obeyed instantly and as he reached the upright position immediately began to rub his buttocks in an attempt to relieve the excruciating pain.
"Seventeen years of age and you can't even take your punishment like a man. You're like a snivelling little puppy. None of this would be necessary if you'd listened to me the first time I warned you about the laziness with your studies, now would it?"
"No, Dad," the boy gasped as the tears welled in his eyes.
"Well, you know the rules of punishment, young man. You are to remain perfectly still.. Now, what's the punishment for moving whilst you're being whipped?"
"A caning, Sir."
"Well, you know where the cane is kept. Go and get it, immediately."
Jack retrieved the cane from the hall cupboard and returned to the study whereupon he handed it to his father. The strapping was bad enough but he knew from experience that a caning on his inflamed buttocks would be even more agonising.
His father flexed the cane several times whilst the lad stood in anticipation. The sound of the two warm up strokes as the cane swished in the air sent shivers down his spine. Psychologically, the sound of the cane was almost as strong a punishment as the actual cuts.
"Right, boy, touch your toes."
The boy obeyed. His father positioned the cane and after a few light movements across the boy's buttocks, two mighty strokes thundered through Jack's entire body as the the cane made contact with the young man.
"Jack, would you like me to ask your brother in to hold you down for the rest of your strapping?" his father asked.
"No thank you, Dad. I'll try my best to stay still."
The boy obviously did not want to be humiliated by having his younger brother witness his lack of ability in being able to submit to punishment without flinching.
"Well then, resume the punishment position at the desk!"
The lad moved across to the desk and again spreadeagled himself, determined to hold firmly for fear of another caning.
"Spread your feet . . . further," ordered his father.
As the boy obeyed, his father again positioned the strap across the lad's buttocks.
"Right, continue counting."
As the strap continues to whip across his bare bottom, Jack called, "Seven, Sir• . . . "Eight, Sir . . . "Nine, Sir . . . "Ten, Sir . . . and again he jumped.
"I'm sorry, Dad", he called "I couldn't help it."
"That's all right. It doesn't concern me . . . but it will concern you, young man. Hand me the cane."
Jack handed his father the cane and again touched his toes. Another two strokes were laid across his bottom. The boy was in tears.
"This time go and get your brother", his father instructed.
"But, Sir . . . "
"No, buts about it. Do it now and be quick about it. or we'll start the punishment from the beginning."
Jack left the study and headed straight for the lounge room where his fifteen year old brother, David, who was totally unaware of the situation that was occurring, was watching television.
He looked up as his naked brother, Jack, came into the room, trying desperately to hide his tears.
"David, I'm sorry, but Dad told me to get you to hold me down. I'm being flogged."
"Why, what have you done?" asked his brother, David.
"I'll tell you later", he relied. "Just hurry, will you or I'll get even more."
David jumped to his feet and followed his brother back to the study. Whilst David still received a beating when he was in trouble, he realised that it had been some considerable time since Jack had been flogged and guessed it must be serious.
"David, your brother is apparently unable to remain still for his punishment. Twice already he's had to be caned and I'm determined it won't happen again. Hold him down, please . . . and hold him firmly."
"Jack", his father continued. "Move again and your brother will not only take your caning, but he can also take the rest of the whipping as well. Do you understand?"
"But that's not fair, Sir", the boy pleaded.
"I'll decide what's fair around here, young man. Now get yourself over the desk . . . and David, for your own sake, you had better hold your brother firmly because I am not joking when I say that you will be punished if you don't do as you are told."
Jack again straddled the desk, feet apart while his brother held him down firmly by the shoulders, fearful of the consequences lest he move. It was less than a week since young David had a good taste of the strap and he certainly didn't want another dose!
"How many have you had so far, Jack?"
"Ten, Sir."
"Well, you've got five more to go. Are you holding him firmly, David?"
"Yes, Sir."
The boys' father again positioned the thongs of the leather strap across his eldest son's buttocks and after a few light flexes, drew the strap high across his shoulders and struck the lad severely.
"Eleven, Sir . . . "Twelve, Sir . . . "Thirteen, Sir" . . . and again he flinched. David had been unsuccessful in his efforts to hold his brother steady.
"I warned you both", said their father coldly. "David, you may strip and touch your toes. Jack, you may hand me the cane."
As David removed his shorts and singlet in trepidation, he could hear his brother pleading for him.
"But, Dad. It's not David's fault. He tried hard to hold me. Don't punish him, please. It's my fault, not his."
"It might well be your fault but you can't say you weren't both warned."
By this stage, David was completely stripped and had bent over ready to take his punishment.
His father motioned to David for the cane and the boy nervously handed it to him.
David took his two cuts of the cane and after handing the strap to his father, approached the desk for the remainder of his brother's whipping.
There was no question in his mind. He knew that he had disobeyed his father's instruction to hold his brother steady and he must now accept the consequences.
Fortunately it was only to be two strokes. If it were to be more he knew that he, too, may well flinch.
It was hard for the boys not to flinch when being beaten. Their father spared no mercy when the boys had to be punished and the strap with its four thongs at the end was no mild rebuke, to say the least.
Nevertheless, David was determined he would not move as he certainly didn't want an additional caning.
The boy took the the two lashes without the slightest sign of movement, whilst his brother, Jack, stood to attention and observed. David felt proud of himself for not even moving a muscle when his elder brother was unable to do so.
But, in his state of anxiety, he had neglected to count as each stroke lashed his buttocks.
As he stood up, believing his punishment was complete, his father asked, "And did you forget something, David?"
David remembered instantly.
"I forgot to count, Dad", he replied. "I'm sorry."
"Well, don't forget this time, will you? Get yourself back over the desk now and we'll try again."
The boy did as instructed and the whipping was repeated.
"One, Sir . . . "Two, Sir."
"Now, the punishment is completed. You may get up."
David and Jack both faced their father.
"David, you were told to hold your brother down firmly and you disobeyed me again. Can't I ever get it into your head that I will not tolerate disobedience?"
"I tried hard to hold him, Dad, but Jack's bigger than I am and it's hard for either of us not to move when we're being whipped. It hurts."
"I know _d_a_m_n_ed well it hurts. Punishing you boys would do absolutely no good if it didn't hurt. You'd never get the message then, now would you?"
"No, Sir."
"Well, next time I give you an instruction, make sure you carry it out, please, without failure. O. K?"
"Yes, Dad."
"And Jack, what lessons have you learned today?"
"Not to be lazy with my studies, Dad", he replied.
"Yes, well I certainly hope that's the last time I speak to you about laziness. Under no circumstances, do I wish to have to speak to you about it again. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And is there anything else you have learned?"
There was a long pause as Jack cast through his mind for something that was eluding him. Eventually, it came to him.
"Yes, Sir."
"Well?"
"That I'm never too old for a good whipping?"
"Right! and don't you forget it!"
The boys' father handed the strap to David and the cane to Jack and told them to return it to the cupboard.