The bully takes his revenge
The cane slashed down again. This time Cardew uttered no cry; he set his teeth like iron, and by sheer force of will kept back every sound of pain. Again the cane landed. – Extracted from Tom Merry’s Foe, by Martin Clifford (a.k.a Frank Richards), The Gem, 5 January 1924. Available to download free-of-charge here.
CUTTS of the Fifth stopped, and fixed his eyes on the
two juniors. There was a light cane under his arm, and he let it slip down into
his hand. Cardew eyed him coolly. It was easy to guess that Gerald Cutts’
intentions were hostile; but Cardew was insensible to fear. Racke looked from
one to the other, and the rage in his face gave place to a grin of triumph. He
knew all about the ragging of Cutts, and he knew that the vengeful Fifth-Former
had followed Cardew to this lonely spot to “take it out” of him.
What Racke would have done but for his sudden break
with Cardew, was uncertain. It was not likely that he would have backed up the
Fourth-Former in a struggle with so redoubtable an adversary as Cutts of the
Fifth Form. As Matters stood, he openly rejoiced in seeing Cardew cornered by
his enemy.
Cutts raised his hand, and pointed in the direction of
the distant footpath.
“You can hook it, Racke.”
“Just going’,” said Racke coolly.
And with a leer at Cardew he went, and his footsteps
died away in the wood. Ralph Reckness Cardew did not move. He knew that Cutts’
grasp would be upon him the moment he attempted to follow Racke. He knew that
there was serious trouble for him now, and he faced it with his usual icy
coolness.
Gerald Cutts stood silent, without moving till Racke’s
footsteps had died away in the underwoods. His eyes were on Cardew like a cat’s.
“You’re takin’ it coolly!” he remarked.
“Takin’ what!” drawled Cardew.
“You know what I’ve run you down for.”
“Because you’re so fond of fashionable society?”
suggested Cardew. “Because pushin’ outsiders always like to thrust themselves
on a gentleman, asked or unasked.”
Cutts set his teeth.
“You batted me the other day,” he said.
“Oh, yes!” said Cardew, as if making an effort to
remember. “I believe it was you I batted, Cutts. I know it was some bullyin’
cad!”
“The Fifth haven’t let me forget it, yet.”
“Bit of a come-down, wasn’t it?” agreed Cardew. “You
carry your head so jolly high, Cutts – though there’s little or nothin’ in it –
that there’s bound to be a sort of general rejoicin’ when you’re taken down a
peg or two. And it’s a bit of an event for a Fifth-Former to be given six by
the Fourth.”
“I think you will be sorry for that six, by the time
I’ve given you sixty!” said Cutts, with deadly calmness. “You’re for it,
Cardew! I can’t imagine what made you come here, to this lonely place, alone,
exactly as I should have wanted you to. But it’s very convenient.”
A dark and bitter look came over Cardew’s handsome
face. It was his own intended treachery that had brought him alone to that
lonely place. There was self-mockery in the bitterness of his look. His
treachery, so tardily repented, had placed him at the mercy of an enemy who
knew no mercy.
Cutts made a stride towards him. Cardew put up his
hands. He knew that he was no match for the Fifth-Former. But there was no
escape, and Cardew intended to fight as long as his strength lasted. At east,
he would not submit tamely.
Cutts burst into a harsh, mocking laugh, as the
Fourth-Former out himself into an attitude of defence.
“You’ll make it worse for yourself,” he remarked.
He came on grimly.
Cardew was fighting the next moment. So fierce and
savage was his resistance, that for a few moments the powerful Fifth-Former was
held. And luck favoured Cardew at the outset, and he landed a heavy blow fairly
in Cutts’ right eye that made him stagger back dizzily.
An oath dropped from Gerald Cutts’ lips, and he rushed
furiously at the junior.
It was impossible for a Lower boy, of Cardew’s light
build, to resist that savage rush. He went down like a ninepin.
Cutts lost his footing and sprawled over him. A second
more, and he had a sinewy knee planted on Cardew.
“Now you young cad ....”
“You coward,” breathed Cardew.
He twisted round, and struck up at the Fifth-Former.
Cutts’ bending face caught the blow, and his nose streamed red. He returned it
with a savage blow that dazed the junior.
Cardew still resisted; but Cutts dragged him over,
dragged his hands together and knotted a short, thick cord about his wrists. It
was evident that the bully of the Fifth had come prepared. Cardew, with his
hands tied, was wrenched to his feet.
“Now!” breathed Cutts.
He dragged the junior to a tree-stump and forcibly
bent him over it. The ends of the cord were securely tied to jutting knots in
the stump.
Cutts stepped back.
Cardew was quite helpless now and “bending over” in
the approved fashion for punishment. The dandy of the Fifth paused to dab his
nose with his handkerchief, and to feel his eye with his finger – an eye that
was already growing purple. Cutts’ face was white with rage. He had intended to
thrash Cardew without mercy; but he had not expected any serious resistance –
far less any serious damage to himself. But he knew now that he was going to
have a black eye, and that knowledge enraged him to a pitch of ungovernable
fury.
He looked about in the frosty grass for the cane he
had dropped, and picked it up. Then he stood over Cardew, swishing the cane in
the air.
Lash!
The blow came down with all the force of Cutts’
powerful arm. In spite of Cardew’s courage, a cry of pain burst from his lips.
“That touches you, does it?” snarled Cutts.
He raised his arm again.
“You rotten bully,” breathed Cardew.
Cutts laughed.
“You gave me six!” he said. “I’m givin’ you sixty –
and a few over for the eye! Look out!”
The cane slashed down again. This time Cardew uttered
no cry; he set his teeth like iron, and by sheer force of will kept back every
sound of pain. Again the cane landed.
Lash! Lash!
Cardew’s face was white, and set hard. A Head’s
flogging was nothing to the punishment he was receiving now. But still he bore
it in iron silence.
Lash!
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