The dorm raid

Ponsonby squirmed and roared as the heavy stump descended upon him again and again. The dust rose in a cloud from his tightly-fitting trousers, and he gave ample proof that he was not of the stuff of which heroes are made. – Extracted from The Terrible Two, by Frank Richards,, The Magnet, 8 April 1916. Available to download here.

The Famous Five at Greyfriars school have been kidnapped and are being held at Highcliffe, a rival school. In the dead of night thirty boys led by Skinner set out to rescue them from a locked room. But first they must find Ponsonby, who has the key to the door in his pocket. He is asleep in the Fifth-Form dormitory.

Now read on  ...

Although they tried to make their approach as noiseless as possible, they were heard by the time they had gained the landing, and Ponsonby, leaping from his bed, shouted to his warriors to rally round.

The next moment the candle-light gleamed on a most wild and enthralling scene. Taking the inmates of the dormitory completely by surprise, the Greyfriars juniors sailed in to the attack.

The Highcliffe Fifth-formers were awake, but they took no active interest in the proceedings. It was no business of theirs, and they left Ponsonby & Co. to fight their own battles.

For a full five minutes the fierce conflict raged, and every second saw the Greyfriars fellows coming out on top. Micky Desmond was tackling Ponsonby, and when the valiant son of the Emerald Isle dealt Pon. a terrific knock-out blow there was a delighted shout of applause.

“Wrest the giddy key from him!” exclaimed Skinner. “Look sharp!”

In a flash half a dozen juniors pounced upon the prostrate form of Ponsonby. They went through his pockets – for he had not undressed – and Dick Penfold triumphantly produced the key after a brief search.

Meanwhile, the rest of Ponsonby’s followers had been thoroughly and completely conquered. They lay groaning on the floor of the dormitory, recognising that they had more than met their match. The whole thing was so totally unexpected that they had been put out of action almost before they realised the gravity of the situation.

“Now for the Trojans!” said Bulstrode grimly. “We’ll give ’em the biggest gruelling they’ve ever had in their natural! Where shall we find the breasts, Ponsonby?”

“I’m hanged if I’ll tell you!” snarled Pon. savagely.

“Then we’ll try a little gentle persuasion. Hand me that cricket stump, Pen!”

“What-ho!” chuckled Penfold.

Whack, whack, whack!

Ponsonby squirmed and roared as the heavy stump descended upon him again and again. The dust rose in a cloud from his tightly-fitting trousers, and he gave ample proof that he was not of the stuff of which heroes are made.

“Ow-ow-ow! Chuck it, you idiot!”

“Tell us where we shall find the Trojans, then” said Bulstrode. “And mind it’s the truth, or you’ll get another dose when we come back.”

“They’re in the Third-Form dormitory!” whined Ponsonby.

“Good! This way you fellows! We’ll set the captives free!”

 

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