"When you were growing up, John, what do you think was the most effective way to teach you how to behave yourself when you got out of line?" Harry asked of his eldest son, now 23 years of age.
"Probably a good whipping, Dad. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I think it's time you also taught your brothers how to behave. I want you to take the boys down to the shed. They're to be stripped and flogged solidly until they've learnt the meaning of the words discipline' and obedience'. Do you understand?"
"Sure."
"And when they return I want to be able to see at least a dozen welts of both the whip and the cane on each of them. And if I can't see every one of the welts, I shall consider the punishment as too light. Do you understand, John?"
"All right. I'll make sure it's laid on hard enough."
"If it's not, then I shall repeat the entire punishment myself. Go on you boys. Off to the shed with your brother."
Neither Roger nor David had ever had the whip before. They had both had regular canings across the palms of their hands when they misbehaved but this was to be a new experience for them and one they would remember for a long time. It was also the first time that their father had instructed their elder brother to administer the punishment but he felt the time had come for John to assume some of the responsibility for the upbringing of his siblings.
The two younger boys both headed for the shed, whilst John collected the whip and the cane from the bedroom cupboard. The pair of them felt quite optimistic that John was the one to be administering the punishment rather than their father. This way they felt they would get out of it much better.
Nevertheless, they knew that a punishment was still a punishment and it was going to hurt. The pair of them removed their shirts for the whipping and waited for John.
But when John arrived, it soon became obvious that the whip was not to go across their backs as they had thought.
"Why have you only got your shirts off?" John asked.
"Because Dad said we were to be stripped for the whipping," Roger replied.
"Well, I'm sorry to have to tell you this," John said, "but when both the whip and the cane are awarded together, you get them both across your backsides. That's what always happened to me and I guess that's what's about to happen to you. Right, boys?"
David, particularly, was quite concerned, to say the least.
"Right, now I want you both to strip down to your underpants," John instructed.
"How hard is it going to be, John?" he asked. "Can you make it as light as possible, please? Neither of us have ever been punished like this before."
"No, David, I don't think you really want that for two reasons. First, a light punishment doesn't teach you anything whereas you learn better from a heavy punishment and it keeps you out of trouble for a long time. Also, if the punishment is light and Dad can't see the marks, you'll get it again and I can assure you that you won't want that. Now do as you were told and strip."
Fearful of what was to come, the boys obeyed. Roger stripped to his jockettes and David to his boxer shorts.
"When you were younger did you have to strip when you were whipped?" David asked.
"Yes," John replied, "always."
"How much is it going to hurt?" Roger asked.
"Roger, it's going to hurt a hell of a lot. I can assure you that I know what you are going through. I've been through it myself on many occasions. But I also know that it is going to do you both a great deal of good."
Right, who's first?" asked John.
Roger and David looked at each other, wondering which one of them was going to volunteer.
"Actually," John continued, "I think you'd better go first, Roger. You're the oldest."
Roger did as he was told and stepped forward for his caning.
"Get your briefs off and touch your toes," John instructed.
"Do I have to get it on the bare bum?" Roger asked.
"That's correct."
The boy removed his jockettes, bent over and touched his toes ready for punishment. His brother placed the cane lightly across his buttocks and paused.
"Are you ready?" John asked.
"Yes," the boy replied.
Roger was not expecting anything like the force of the first stroke and jumped high into the air as the cane cut across his bare buttocks. David, witnessing the punishment, also flinched.
"Do you have to make it quite so hard?" Roger cried.
"That's up to you. I'm prepared to make it as light as you like. But you heard what Dad said. If he can't count every single mark of both the cane and the whip, you'll have to get the whole punishment again. Is that what you want?"
"No way."
"Well, what do you want me to do?"
"Lay it on hard."
"O. K."
Roger resumed his position and John laid into him with another eleven strokes, each one causing an immense bolt of pain to shoot through his entire body. He even lost count as the caning continued and was relieved when John finally told him the caning was completed.
However, his relief was only short lived as he saw John reach for the whip.
"John, could I have a break for a while?" the boy pleaded as he cried pitifully.
"Why, not?" replied John. "You can wait until I give David his caning and then you may take the rest of your punishment. All right?"
"Thank you."
"All right, David. Over here young man. Get your shorts off and touch your toes."
David dropped his boxer shorts and approached the centre of the room. Just how bad would this be, he thought to himself, as the boy assumed the punishment position.
He soon found out as John laid into him with the first stroke. It was every bit as hard as he imagined.
The remaining eleven strokes were then duly administered, each one cutting savagely across David's bare bottom. David had never experienced a punishment as hard as this and was relieved when the twelfth stroke was over.
John reached for the whip. Roger immediately stepped forward and bent over for punishment.
"Stand against the wall, please Roger," John commanded.
The boy resumed his upright position.
"Face the wall. Take one pace backwards and place your hands high above your head and lean against the wall."
Roger did as he had been instructed.
"Spread your feet," John snapped.
John positioned the end strands of the whip across Roger's buttocks, took careful aim and then commenced to lash at his brother's naked bottom.
Seven thin strands of leather lashed across the boy and he screamed in agony.
"I hope we're not going to have that performance repeated for the rest of this punishment?" John enquired.
"I'll try not to," replied Roger, "but it's going to be hard not to."
He lasted a further five lashes without a sound and then turned and pleaded with his brother.
"Please, John, may I have a break for a few minutes?"
"No way. You've already had a break after the caning. Now face the wall again and let's get this over with."
As Roger turned and again faced the wall, another stroke of the whip cut across him and he screamed.
The tears ran down his cheeks continuously as another five forceful lashes were laid across his backside.
Immediately the last stroke of the whip was delivered, Roger's position at the wall was taken by his brother David and another twelve lashes were administered.
"Well," asked John, addressing his two brothers. "Do you think you know now what 'obedience' and 'discipline' means?"
"Yes," they both replied.
"Well, unless you want to take the risk that Dad'll repeat your punishment, I think it might be an idea if you both checked that all the marks are clearly visible," John advised.
The boys counted the welts on each other's buttocks. It was impossible to count twelve distinct lashes of the whip as each stroke had left up to seven marks. However, the welts from the cane were simpler to count. Roger was only able to count nine marks on David's buttocks and the boy knew what this would mean.
"Please, John," could you give me another three cuts of the cane? I don't want Dad to see only nine."
"Sure."
John picked up the cane again as David bent over and took another three strokes.
Both boys returned to the house where Dad checked the welts. They were relieved when their father confirmed that the punishment was satisfactory.
"I hope you thanked your brother," he admonished them.
"Thanks, John," they both acknowledged.