The Ingram-Lewis Chronicles Pt. 06

Tomlinson soon located Patrick in the Prefects' common room where they usually held court: "Ingram-Lewis, sir, the Headmaster has sent me to find you; he wants to see you in his study immediately."

This announcement, made in front of several of the other prefects, who also happened to be present as Tomlinson delivered his message the news that something was "up" went round he school like greased lightning. But why had Ingram-Lewis been suddenly summoned to see the Headmaster? What was the reason? The school was soon burning with curiosity to find out.

Patrick himself had no idea why he had been called at such a late hour and with such urgency to the Headmaster's study, but clearly something important was afoot; but what? He soon found out when Mr. Godber told him of his chance encounter with the six boys from the upper sixth in the King's Head. He was at pains to explain to Patrick that it was by purest chance that he had seen one of the lads entering the pub and had himself followed the boy and found him and his classmates drinking and smoking at the bar. On hearing the names of the delinquents, Patrick heaved an inward sigh of relief that neither Roderick Pennington, his closest friend nor any prefect was involved. All six lads were from the upper sixth and aged over eighteen and so, as the landlord had said, he had not served alcohol to boys under the legal age.

"Ingram-Lewis," began the Headmaster, "The six boys in question will be here in a few minutes and I have to tell you that I intend to inflict on them the maximum and most severe punishment the school rules permit. And so, I wish you to give each of these lads twelve strokes of the of the maple birch, and when I say twelve strokes, I mean twelve really hard cuts so that these young miscreants realise that they cannot flout the school rules even though they are eighteen and about to leave Rigby: they are still at school and will obey the rules and if they break them bear the consequences as they are now about to learn."

"The argument that they are of legal age to smoke and drinking cuts no ice with me. They all know that the school rules forbid what they were doing and they are going to pay the price for their actions; and let me tell you, Ingram-Lewis, the price is going to be very, very painful. After you have birched the lads, I myself, as my swan-song as Headmaster, intend to give each lad's arse another twelve cuts of the senior cane, of which I have a good selection still available. Believe me Ingram-Lewis, these six young men are going to wish they had never been born when they leave here tonight."

"Can you imagine the damage done to the prestige and standing of the school by the fact that these six lads, in school attire, went into the leading public house of the town, no less, and stood brazenly around smoking and drinking at the bar for all and sundry to watch? No, Ingram-Lewis, it will not do and they are going to realise the error of their ways in a few moments. Now, in view of the heavy load we both have to bear in the coming minutes, if I might suggest you co-opt another prefect to help you in the punishment room as I do not want any disorderliness."

Patrick had listened to the Headmaster without interrupting him. He realised from the passionate way in which Mr. Godber had spoke that he was incensed by the action of members of the upper sixth and that he had little chance to palliate matters. He fully understood both sides of the argument. The sixth formers were of age and had broken no law of the land in smoking and drinking in the public house and as it was near the end of the final term, they saw nothing wrong in what they were doing. But they were nevertheless still under the protection of the school until they left at the end of term in little more than a week's time. In loco parentis, as the school still was, it was the school which was responsible for the well being of the boys and had anything untoward happened in the pub then it was the school which would have been responsible.

Patrick wished that he could in some way diminish the punishment that the Headmaster was clearly intent in inflicting the six lads; but having heard his impassioned delivery, he sighed inwardly and thought to himself that the idiots would just have to grin and bear it. Grin and bear it, an expression easy to say, but in view of what was now about to happen to them, possibly a little hard to stomach when the lads finally confronted the reality of their situation. Patrick had in principle no problem with being asked to give each of the lads a dozen cuts of the birch; in fact he was actually quite looking forwards to wielding the deadly maple rod on a series of mature buttocks. There was something very satisfying about beating a mature naked arse as distinct from the smaller anatomies of the younger boys.

Patrick went back to the prefects' common room and found his de facto deputy, Atkins, whom he motioned to come with him. The other prefects and indeed the entire the school were wondering what precisely was in the air.

Patrick quickly put Atkins in the picture and they went together to make sure that everything was in order in the punishment room; both the birchings and the canings would be administered there with each of the recipients mounted, arse naked on the dreaded Rigby Horse. Patrick wondered if any of the lads realised what was in store for them. That they were going to get their arses beaten must have been evident, as they had been ordered to appear before the Headmaster in their gym strips. But did they have any idea of the severity of the punishment which they were about to receive?

The news that no less than six upper sixth formers were appearing before the Headmaster in their gym strips, flashed around the school as soon as it was known. One of the prefects had hung around in the corridor near the Headmaster's study and had seen the six lads enter. So the whole school now knew: six sixth formers were about to be beaten; but why? And what neither the boys about to be punished nor the school in general knew, was just how severe the punishments were to be. This was to be the greatest bloodbath of the year, which in retrospect would make every boy shiver as he thought of what the Headmaster was still capable of inflicting on his charges.

The six delinquents, their names unimportant other than that of "Taffy" Evan, a barrister's son from Cardiff, who saw himself as spokesman for the group, stood there in a row in front of a very cross-looking Headmaster in his study. Evans made a vain attempt to mitigate what was clearly had all the makings of a painful disaster for the six of them; just how painful they had as yet know idea, but they were shortly to find out: "Headmaster, if I might just be permitted to explain our point of view, sir. We are all eighteen years of age and therefore legally allowed both to smoke and drink and we really do not see why we should not, on occasions, frequent a...".

"Stop right there, boy. I am not interested in the legalities of the situation in which I found you this evening, only in the fact that you were all breaking two of the school's cardinal rules: the prohibition of both drinking and smoking. Now, unless you are all deaf or were asleep when I announced, at the beginning of term, that any boy breaking these rules would be severely punished, you were all fully aware of the potential consequences of your actions when you entered the King's Head this evening. Moreover, in so doing you brought the school into disrepute in front of lord knows how many of town's people, who expect better behaviour from pupil of Rigby School."

"But sir..."

"Evans, kindly hold your tongue, young man. There is no excuse, none at all, for what you have just done and for that you are all now going to pay a very painful price. Drinking and smoking, both strictly forbidden, each carry a tariff of twelve strokes of the cane or birch, as I made clear to you all at the start of term and that, gentlemen is what you are now going to receive. So, gentlemen, to be quite clear and to ensure that you each understand exactly what is going to happen to you let me explain. Ingram-Lewis, as Head Boy in loco domini, is first going to give each of you twelve strokes of the senior birch: the maple birch."

"We will then take a fifteen minute pause, after which I personally shall give each of you twelve cuts across the naked buttocks with a senior cane, to ensure that each of you leaves here tonight with a well striped bottom: a testimony to your disregard of the rules. And believe me gentlemen, in view of the serious nature of your transgressions, I propose to use my very finest, mature cane, which I have over the years used with complete satisfaction on the bottoms of dozens of boys. I think I can promise you that those of you who had thought that I was getting too old to wield the cane will find themselves sadly mistaken, for believe me gentlemen, you will all go to bed tonight not knowing where to do with your your backsides. I intend to make this an occasion you will remember for a long time to come. Ingram-Lewis, might I suggest that we now get started on this unpleasant task. Gentlemen, you will all kindly follow the Head Boy to the punishment room, where the excellent maple birch awaits you."

Patrick and his deputy, Atkins, led the way to the punishment room. All six lads were told to enter, to take off their gym shorts and to stand facing the wall with their hands on their on their heads, their naked arses fully visible. The sixth formers were all members of the senior rugby team and as such had well developed buttocks: the ideal target for the birch. Patrick was, in fact, now quite looking forward to beating the lads as he finally agreed with the Headmaster that they had seriously let down the school. By now, any earlier feelings of sympathy he might have had for them having and illicit drag and a drink had evaporated and he fully intend to make sure that each and every one of the lads experienced the full pain of the birch across his naked arse.

The room was quite large and apart from the Rigby Horse and a couple of low chairs, was bare of furniture. The birches were to be seen immersed in deep pails of water. Taffy Evans again made an attempt to protest only to be silenced by Mr. Godber. The six boys stood as ordered, arse naked facing the wall, waiting their fate.

Mr. Godber took charge of matters and said: "You first Evans; come on boy, quick about it. Mount the horse lad and let's get started. Atkins, if you please; make sure that this miscreant is securely restrained with the leg and wrist straps with which this admirable apparatus is provided. I do not want any jumping around whilst Ingram-Lewis applies the rod."

Evans blanched as he realised that the moment of truth had now arrived and trembling like a leaf, mounted the horse and allowed Atkins to attach the straps to his ankles and wrists. Patrick now picked up the birch, shook off the water and advanced on Evans's attendant buttocks. He looked with a certain pleasure when he saw what a well muscled arse was presented to him. There was always a great deal more erotic pleasure in thrashing a senior rather than a junior boy, And let's face it, the members of the upper sixth, Patrick himself included, although still at school were all young men.

Patrick was also relieved that Mr. Godber had taken lead and was instructing him, in loco domini: in place of the master, to administer the most severe punishment the school had to offer. He felt, somehow, absolved of any responsibility for what was about to happen: for what he was about to do. He was just an instrument in the hands of the Headmaster, who himself was totally responsible for the bloodbath which was about to take place.

"Ingram-Lewis; please now kindly do our duty and proceed as ordered. I want you to see that this boy's buttocks are thoroughly birched all over, so feel free to move around to ensure that every part of this lad's anatomy experiences the therapeutic effects of the of the birch. I want him and his friends to realise just how seriously I view their iconoclastic actions. So, Ingram- Lewis; in your own time when you are ready; please begin and lay on the birch with as much force as you judge necessary. I want this to be a very painful start to this evening's punishment schedule. Atkins: if you please, young man: kindly call out the strokes. Evans; brace yourself, boy, as you are about to experience one of the most painfully awful moments of your entire school career. And let me emphasise that what you are now about to receive this is just the first half of this evening's programme. You have indeed a lot to look forward to; and that goes for the lot of you!"

Listening to the Headmaster's words, brought home to Patrick just how strongly the old boy felt about the damage to the standing and prestige of the school these six lads had wrought by their stupid action. For a usually mild man, the Headmaster was clearly so incensed, that was out for their blood his evening and nothing was going to stop him getting it. Patrick could never remember in all his time at Rigby, ever having seen Mr. Godber so seething with rage as he was today.

The first stroke of the birch landed forcibly across the exact equator of Evans's arse. The young man drew a deep audible breath as he felt the full horror of the birch mating with his naked flesh. Many observers remark that the first two or three stokes are not so bad and that that pain with the birch takes time to build up, but judging from the howls that Evans emitted from the second stroke onwards, this was clearly not the case at present. Patrick brought down the rod systematically in a serious of carefully timed and targeted strokes across the entire surface and flanks of Evans's arse. When he had finished and Atkins released the straps, Evans's backside was a rich, flaming red colour all over and was covered with the small superficial bruises so characteristic of a well birched arse.

The Headmaster said: "Ingram-Lewis; that was a truly stellar performance you just gave Evans with the with the birch, Now that is what I call, being vulgar, a truly well birched arse. I am sure that Evans feels the same. Now Evans, go back and stand with your classmates, face to the wall and keep your hands on your head; I want no massaging of your backside; is that clear?" Then pointing to the next lad in line, he went on: "Come on lad; you're next; so quick about. Get onto the horse and let the dog see the hare, or rather the birch your bottom. Atkins: if you please and Ingram-Lewis, when you ready, please begin and help this lad to repent the error of his ways. Make sure that he gets the thorough thrashing, which he so richly deserves."

And so for about three quarters of an hour, the time it took to birch the six lads, all of them had to suffer the indignity of standing there with their arses naked, first waiting to be told to mount the Rigby Horse horse and then in agony, with their backsides raw from the birch until the Headmaster finally decided after some fifteen minutes pause, that it was time to move on to the next stage of their punishment. "Ingram-Lewis, I seem to have left my cane in my study; could I trouble you to go and fetch it for me as I intend to beat the boys over the Rigby Horse: it just seems so appropriate."

Cane in hand, the Headmaster told Evans to remount the horse, which Evans did with some understandable reluctance "Come on boy, get back up there. I haven't got all night to spend on you, with five of your classmates eagerly awaiting their turn." A discerning observer would have been hard pressed to detect any trace of eagerness in the demeanour of the waiting boys. Fear would have been a better description of what filled their faces. "So Evans, let's get on with it. And just to remind you in case you have already forgotten, you are to receive a further twelve cuts of this cane to bring up your total punishment for your appalling infraction to the maximum of twenty-four strokes as allowed by the school rules. And just let me tell you, Evans, that I consider twenty-four cuts a very modest punishment in view of what you have done. Now boy, brace yourself whilst I apply the cane to your backside. I have to say, Ingram-Lewis, that you have done a sterling job with the birch and this boy's bottom is in perfect condition for a therapeutic dose of the cane."

And with that the Headmaster applied the first stroke of his cane directly across the midpoint of Evans's arse; everyone, including Patrick, Atkins and Evans's waiting classmates winced, as the cane mated with a resounding thwack with Evans's naked flesh. The lad took a sharp breath before letting out a howl of pain. Patrick had for the first time seen the Headmaster himself wield the cane fairly recently when he had decided to give Tomlinson major's arse a complementary beating for his truancy. He had then marvelled at the accuracy and speed with Mr Godber handled the cane.

But today Mr Godber was like a man possessed. The vigour, speed and force with which he applied the cane was way beyond what he had done to Tomlinson. Patrick looked on with awe and admiration as the Headmaster thrashed Evans's naked arse. He was reminded of the maxim "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and thought how appropriate a modification would be: "Hell hath no fury like the Headmaster disobeyed." The Headmaster judged every stroke and applied it with the maximum force; a force so expertly judged as to impart the maximum possible pain to the recipient's buttocks, but always without breaking the skin.

Poor Evans howled, protested and yelped with pain, all to no avail as cut followed searing cut. The pain the boy was enduring was intense; Patrick had never seen anyone beaten so thoroughly in his life and he sighed inwardly with relief that he was not in line for a dose of the Headmaster's fury. It was quite clear that the Headmaster had decided that Evans and his classmates were going to rue the day when they had broken his rules and would serve as an example to the rest of the boys as to what would happen to them if they were caught drinking or smoking.

Today the Headmaster's promises made at the first assembly of term were being acted upon. If anyone had thought that they were just words, then the present demonstration made the whole thing real: break the cardinal rules and arses would be birched and caned. The other five lads, standing, hands on head, their birched arses naked and already painfully raw, were trembling with fear as they realised that they were about to undergo the same treatment in a few minutes time; their moment in hell was not far away and it was not a very pleasant prospect.

Evans's beating was finally over: he was completely in tears, which is not surprising in view of the nightmare he had just experienced. But he was still made to do further penance in being made to resume his place against the wall, hands on head, his flaming arse, still naked, but now richly embellished with the the livid stripes from the Headmaster's cane. The Headmaster had exercised his considerable skill and superimposed upon Patrick's birching a series of ten evenly spaced parallel welts with his cane, and had finished off with two diagonal cross cuts, drawing the whole together. Patrick realised that he had just witnessed an example of truly virtuoso caning, the likes of which he had never before seen; nor was he ever likely to see the like again. Truly Mr. Godber, when he set his mind to it, was still an absolute crack.

And so the punishment continued as each of the other five boys in turn was made to mount the Rigby Horse and offer his already sore backside to the excruciating ministrations of the Headmaster. If ever anything warranted the description "bloodbath" this had to be it. When it was all over, the six tearful young men, each wondering if his arse would ever feel the same again, were told to put back on their shorts and leave.