Authors note: I wrote this story a while ago because an idea came to me out of the blue. I was going to keep it and try and fit it into Role Of a Father or Mischief-makers somewhere, but as I decided to make the characters quite a bit older, I had a rethink and decided it deserved to be posted alone. There are two chapters - longish ones for those that like to read them and the whole story as it is, is complete and I will post chapter 2 next weekend. Those that are familiar with my other stories will I hope enjoy this one. And vice versa, if you enjoy this one I hope you will consider checking the others out.

This story is dedicated to my friend Julie who I hope will enjoy reading it when she is well enough too. And is also for Annie who was lost to us earlier in the year. She was lucky enough to get to read it and give me feedback and if there is an afterlife I hope she is proud of the finished article. I miss you Annie.

WARNING: This story contains the old fashioned discipline know as a spanking or a tanning of minors (i.e. those under 18). This was a completely normal consequences to bad behaviour for the time period the story is set in (1880's ish) and now of course it is considered harsh by today's standards. If this bothers you in anyway, please feel free to move along and find something else to read there are thousands of great stories on fanfiction so you are bound to find something that you do like to read. If you decide to read the story, please don't complain that it upsets you that the children are displined in this way because I warned you first!

Alright enough, said on to the story...

Dares

"SHERIFF!" yelled Jed Daniels, storming in through the open front door of the Virginia City Jail house.

The current Sheriff, Clem Foster was in the back of the jail house, tidying the cells. "I'm back here!" he yelled.

Jed stormed through the front office into the back. "Look at this, Sheriff," he yelled holding up two apples with large holes in them.

"Yeah Jed I see them. Apples! So what's the problem?"

"What's the problem? What's the problem? They've got bloody holes in them that's the darn problem," retorted the angry farmer.

Clem held out his hand for an apple and Jed tossed one to him. "Hmm funny looking holes, what sort of critter causes them?" Clem asked studying the apple carefully.

"T'ain't no critter. If it was I wouldn't be here pestering the Sheriff, would I? They's deliberately made holes. Looks to me like someone's been shooting at my ripening fruit and ruining it. Probably kids shooting at my apples with slingshots or catapults or somethin'. I done found lots of piles of small stones all over my orchard. Now what ya gonna do about it Sheriff?"

Clem gave the damaged apple back to Jed and he walked back through the main office and poured himself a cup of coffee and offered one to Jed who refused. Clem took a swallow of the tepid coffee, before taking a seat at his desk. He opened the top drawer and took a writing tablet and a pencil out of his desk.

"Alright Jed, tell me what you know," he ordered and as Jed told him about all the times over the last week where he found damaged apples and piles of small stones at the bottom of the apple trees all over his orchard, Clem noted it all down in painstakingly long fashion.

"OK, Jed I've got your statement down. I'll have Jacob take a ride out there later today to see if he can spot anyone or anything alright?"

"That's all not all ya gonna do, is it Sheriff?" asked Jed angrily.

"No Jed. Whilst Jacob is out at your place I'm going to be asking around the other farms and ranches to see if anyone else has had any damaged caused. Maybe it's just been kids getting up to a little mischief on your farm, but it could be more. Meanwhile you best get back and see what you can salvage. Don't you worry Jed we'll find out who's doing this."

Jed slammed his hat back on his head angrily, "Well ya better catch 'em Sheriff, 'cos if I do and it's kids, I'm of a mind to take a switch to their behinds so hard they won't sit down for a good week!"

Clem watched the angry apple farmer storm out of the jail and he smiled wryly. If it really was youngsters up to mischief, then they had better hope that Jed didn't catch them, as he was sure that the threat he just made wasn't an idle one. Mind you not that anyone of the parents around here would blame the farmer, most of them would agree that he had the right and they'd be itching to add their own punishment on top too.

It was recess and Abraham and his classmates all ran out into the schoolyard. The younger children broke up into small groups and there was a game of mixed sex tag quickly underway, whilst some of the younger girls who didn't want to play tag went to sit on the grass and started making daisy chains. The older boys like Adam meanwhile, made their way to the furthest part of the open schoolyard, where they couldn't be overheard by anyone.

"You all got your slingshots and catapults with you?" asked Thomas the eldest boy.

There was a chorus of "Yep's" and "got mine".

"Good. Listen I been thinking, we've just been shooting at the trees kinda aimlessly. Today I was thinking that we should have a competition of how many apples we can shoot out of the trees. You guys all up for it?"

"What's the prize if it's a competition?" asked Paul the smaller of the boys, he was also the poorest.

Thomas grinned, "Well….. how about we say that the winner gets to take all of the apples home and we each bet 20 cents and the winner takes that prize as well. Sound good?"

"Yeah!" all the boys agreed.

"Ah I don't know, Tom. That's kinda stealing ain't it? And I ain't no thief," said Carlos.

Thomas turned to look at the boy. "How can it be stealing if the apples are damaged Carlos? They're only gonna rot on the ground ain't they? Old man Daniels ain't gonna be able to sell bruised apples is he?" retorted Thomas. And he looked around the group getting heads nodding with him.

Carlos saw his friends agreeing with Thomas and he shrugged his shoulders, "No, I guess not," he replied.

Thomas clapped his hand on the younger boy's upper arm, "Good. Now I don't know about you guys, but my Ma makes a mean apple pie and she ain't gonna turn down a few bruised apples for free."

"Won't she wonder where ya got 'em Tom?" asked Eric.

Thomas grinned, "Well I'll tell her I found 'em on the way home from school, won't I! Now are ya all in or are some of ya yella?"

"Hey, ain't anybody calling a Cartwright, yella. I'm in," said Abraham.

"Yeah, I ain't yella either, I'm in too," said Paul. "Apples of any kind are welcome at my house even bruised ones. My Ma can make pies and bottle 'em too." he licked his lips at the thought of apple pies and apple relish, because his Ma would certainly use every one of the apples and now the prize had been suggested, he was determined to out shoot all of his friends.

"What about the rest of ya then? Anyone not in?" Asked Thomas looking around his friends.

"Nah, I'm in," said Eric.

"Me too," said Carlos quietly.

"I'm in," said Charlie

"Yeah me as well," said Andrew a tall skinny boy who was leaning against the tree keeping watch over the schoolyard for the group.

"And me and my brother are in too," said Jeff on behalf himself and his younger brother, Jamie who was standing behind him nodding.

Two other boys agreed that they were in as well which just left Willy the shyest member of the group. He usually joined in with the other as he was desperate to be included rather than be left out like the younger boys, but he didn't have any of his allowance left that he could use. Having had to forfeit his allowance for two months, to pay for the repairs to his window pane, that he broke having a fight with his younger brother a couple of months ago.

"You in Willy? Only you ain't said anything yet. Ain't like you to be yella," said Thomas and the rest of the boys looked at Willy who was tugging rather pointlessly on a loose thread on the sleeve of his shirt.

Willy shrugged, "I can't. I ain't got no money to put in; you guys forgot that I'm still paying for that window pane I broke."

"What still?" exclaimed Eric. "That was months ago."

"Yeah I know," Willy replied sadly. "I only get 50 cents a month allowance and that's only if I get all my chores done. Pa takes 5 cents off every time things ain't done to his standards and well..." The young boy shuffled his feet. "Pa took 10 cents away last month 'cos I back talked him when he told me I didn't get all the eggs one morning and I left one of the cows un-milked as well, it's only because I was running late for school. Then when I got home from school that night he gave me a tanning with his belt too for not getting the chores done like I was supposed to."

All of the other boys winced, having experienced similar chastisements from their own fathers for not getting chores done properly.

"Anyway the window pane costs a dollar twenty five and Pa says I can't have my allowance back until I've paid back every cent. So ya see I can't enter the competition."

The school bell rang in the background and the other children stopped their games and started trooping back into the school house.

The group of older boys broke up and started wandering back to the school house but without any real urgency.

"Willy, how'd it be if someone put in the stake for ya and you paid them back outta the winnings if you won?" asked Abraham in a low voice as they walked back together.

"Really?" Willy asked looking up. "Would that be alright? Someone putting in a stake for me, I mean?"

Thomas stopped walking and turned around and looked at Willy having overheard Willy and Abraham talking. "It's alright with me." Then he spoke up a little louder so the others could hear. "Guys, Abe's offering to lend Willy his stake for the competition, I already said it's alright with me, what about you guys, anyone got any objections?"

"I don't see why he can't," said Jeff getting a nod from his brother. "and it's alright with Jamie too."

There was a chorus of "Alright with me too," from amongst the group and Abraham dove his hand into his pocket and he took out two dimes, "He's your stake then, Willy. You can pay me back when you win," he said smiling.

Willy took the money from Abraham, "Gee, thanks Abe, you're a real friend."

"BOYS! I rang the bell 5 minutes ago! Get yourselves inside this school house, right this minute!" yelled Mr Lawson.

"Shit! Lawson looks pretty pissed, we had better hurry," Abraham exclaimed.

The boys all broke into a run back to the schoolhouse, where their teacher was standing angrily in the doorway.

"I don't believe that you boys are late back from recess yet again! I am fed up of having to come and call you in, so I think its time I gave you boys an extra incentive to obey. Hands!" he said and each boy knew what he meant. They stood in front of him and each held out his non writing hand. There was a series of loud whacks and hisses, as each boy received two hard whacks of the ruler across their palms, which made their hands turn red and sting like the dickens.

"Now get on inside and next time you come in when you hear the bell. If you can't hear it clearly when I ring it, then you are too far away from the school house. Do you hear me gentlemen?"

"Yes Sir," replied 10 voices and they all rubbed their hands on their pants to ease the sting out.

"Get on inside then and get on with your work. NOW!" the school teacher shouted when none of them moved. He stepped back from the door and the boys piled in past him as fast as they could.

The next hour and a half passed quickly without incident in the school room and before long it was the lunchtime recess.

"Alright children, its lunchtime. You may go outside and have your lunch now."

There was a loud clattering of desks and benches and soon the school teacher was the only person in the school room. Mr Lawson set down his pencil and took out his own lunch at his desk he put the tin on the desk and after unpacking the various contents of the tin, he began to eat.

Meanwhile outside the older boys took their lunch pails over to the trees and sat down. They unpacked their pails and looked at each others lunches to see what they might want to trade something for.

"Damn Lawson, my hand still hurts," complained Jamie shaking his left hand before picking up a chunky chicken sandwich and biting into it.

"Don't cuss, Jaime, if he hears ya it won't just be your hand stinging," Jeff whispered softly to his brother.

Jamie looked up from biting into his sandwich and he quickly checked the area for their teacher.

"It alright, Jamie he's still inside the school, I'm keeping watch," said Thomas eating his own beef and horse radish sandwich.

The boys all ate their lunch, exchanging parts of it that they didn't want with their friends as usual.

When they were all finished and had packed their lunch pails up, they huddled up together.

"Alright, so where were we before Lawson interrupted earlier?" asked Thomas thoughtfully, "Oh yeah I remember, we were gonna discuss the plan for the competition later. So, are we all OK to have the competition today after school?" Thomas asked.

Everyone nodded. "Excellent! So that'll be 20 cents each entry fee from everybody then. Here's mine," he said taking two dimes from his pocket and tossing them into the middle. Each boy showed everyone their stake and tossed their money into the pile until everyone had done so.

"Right well we can't leave it here on the ground can we? So, we need someone to look after it or a place to hide it. Anyone want to volunteer to mind it?" asked Thomas.

None of the other boys wanted to be responsible for holding onto the prize money, else they be held responsible for losing any of it.

"Oh come on, guys! Someone has to be in charge of the money," complained Thomas." What about you, Abe?"

"Me? Why me?" squeaked Abraham before coughing to cover up the fact that he might have sounded like a girl.

"Well your father is rich; surely it ain't too hard to believe that you carry around two dollars in change."

"I ain't allowed that much at school and how the hell am I gonna hide it from Zach and Annabel all day, eh? It's gonna be hard enough trying to get Zach to cover for me and take Annabel home all on his own. If he hears my pockets jingling with coins he's gonna be real suspicious ain't he?

Thomas sighed, "Yeah I guess you're right. Well fellas anyone else got any ideas? I don't wanna hold onto all that money."

"What about leaving it at school?" asked Willy softly.

"What? Are you crazy?" said the rest of the boys turning on the shyest member of the group.

"No I'm not crazy. There's a loose floorboard in the schoolroom at the front near Mr. Lawson's desk. We could put in in a 'kerchief or something and put it under the floorboard. We'd be the only ones that would know it was there, so it'll be safe until tomorrow and none of us would have to look after it or worry we'd lose it."

"Hey! You know I think that's a great idea, guys. The thing is how do we get old Lawson out of the school house so we can stuff it under the floorboard?" asked Thomas.

"Well I could do it if you guys could create a distraction. I know the exact loose floorboard and I think I can get it up without too much work," said Willy.

"You boys all OK with that?" asked Thomas and he took out his red handkerchief.

"Yep," everyone answered.

Thomas gathered up the money, put it in his 'kerchief and then he knotted it and handed Willy the money. "You go sneak around to the back door and we'll get ready to get Lawson outside. Give us a whistle when you are ready to do it, alright?"

Willy got to his feet, "Yeah got it."

Willy took off at a run towards the necessary and then instead of going inside he hid behind it and when he was sure no one was watching him apart from his friends, he took off towards the back door of the school house.

"He's there Tom," said Eric who was keeping an eye out.

"Alright, boys time to get busy with the distraction."

Thomas got to his feet and the other boys joined him.

Mr. Lawson had finished his lunch and he was writing out his lesson plan for the afternoon for the younger children in the class on the side blackboard, when he heard yelling outside and he stepped to the side and looked out of the window.

"Oh for crying out loud!" he exclaimed and he put down the chalk and wiped his hands on a cloth before he stormed out of the room to go and investigate further.

On receiving the hand signal that all was clear from Eric, Willy whistled back that he understood and that be was ready and then he slipped in the back door.

"Alright, that's enough!" yelled the school teacher striding out across the school yard.

The boys who were pushing and shoving and yelling at each other in the middle of the schoolyard just ignored him, so he strode over to them and he pulled the boys apart. "I said. That's enough!" he yelled shaking them both by the collar.

Jamie and Jeff glared at each other across the front of their teacher.

"Now would one of you boys please tell me what the hell is going on here?" the school teacher asked sternly.

"He was cheating!" yelled Jeff.

"I was not! I scored a home run fair and square, older brother." yelled the younger boy.

"You did not, you missed 2nd base you darn cheater," yelled the older brother and he struggled to get away from the school teacher and get to his brother. Meanwhile everyone else in the class had clustered around the teacher and the boys.

"Stop your struggling young man," growled the school teacher shaking Jeff hard.

"Alright, I will but let go of me!"

"I'll let go of you when I am ready, young man and not before. Now stand still!"

Jeff instantly stopped struggling. "Thank you. Now stand there and be quiet." Mr. Lawson turned to Jamie.

"Jamie, did you cheat and miss running around 2nd base?"

"No Sir! I ain't no cheater," retorted the small brother and he looked up at his teacher.

"You had better not be lying to me young man or my paddle will be reacquainting itself with your backside, because you should know by now how I feel about lying."

Jamie gulped, oh yes he had learnt that lesson the hard way. He maintained eye contact whilst he replied. "I'm not lying Mr. Lawson, honest. You can ask the others who were playing, they'll tell you I didn't miss the base."

The school teacher looked at the young man who's collar he had in his left hand. The boy was certainly nervous he could feel that, but he hadn't looked away and Mr. Lawson was fairly certain he could make the boy look away if he really was guilty. When Jamie continued to gulp but maintained eye contact with him, he knew he was telling the truth and he looked at the other children.

"Did anyone else see Jamie cheating in the game?"

"No, Sir," chorused the other boys.

Mr. Lawson released his hold on Jamie and turned his attention to his brother Jeff. "It seems you were the only one who is claiming your brother was cheating, Mr. Jenkins. Care to tell me why?"

Jeff swallowed hard, "Uhm... well, Sir I thought I saw him run inside the base and not outside, but I guess if the others didn't see it...I …uh... I….. g…guess I could be mistaken."

"Mistaken? You caused all this fuss and now you think you might be mistaken?" asked the school teacher angrily.

Jeff bit his bottom lip and nodded. Mr. Lawson rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. These boys and their petty arguments, it sometimes made him wonder why he ever wanted to become a school teacher in the first place.

Mr Lawson released the boy's collar and glared at all of the children around him. "Well, I suggest that if you boys cannot play a fair game without accusing each other of cheating, then you don't play them at all." The schoolteacher then turned his attention back to focus completely to Jeff. "Now since you interrupted my work, young man I believe you owe me a little of your own time." He looked up at the others. "The rest of you have about 10 more minutes of recess left so make the most of it." and with that Mr. Lawson left them, steering Jeff by his collar between the other school children back to the school house.

All the other children quickly returned to their previous endeavours or broke into small groups to whisper excitedly about what was going to happen to Jeff when Mr. Lawson got him back to the school house. Willy meanwhile re-joined all his friends, with exception of Jeff.

"All done, it's safe," he said breathlessly bending forwards with his hands on his knees.

"Great. Well done, Willy!" said Thomas slapping the smaller boy on the back.

Willy winced at the hard slap but he grinned at the praise. He was chuffed to bits at being able to complete his task under the school teacher's nose. He had made sure the floorboard was put back in place carefully and used a bit of dirt he had smuggled in inside his pockets, to cover his tracks by throwing it on the floor and using his feet to scuff it into the cracks. Unless someone was looking very carefully at the floor they wouldn't know that one of the floorboard's had been taken up.

After a few minutes, Jamie snuck down to the school house to check on his brother, whilst Willy was talking to the others about his exploits. Taking a peak in through the window, Jamie was pleased to see that his brother's only punishment was having to write lines on the blackboard.

'I must not accuse people of cheating unless I am sure they have been' is what he was being forced to write. Jamie silently crept away from the schoolhouse and then ran back up to his friends grinning widely.

"Old Lawson ain't giving him a paddling is he?" Abraham asked anxiously, only it had been his idea for the fake cheating distraction between brothers whilst playing a rough game of ball and he didn't want to feel guilty that he had gotten his friend paddled.

"Nah, just got him writing lines on the board is all. Jeff won't mind that too much. Ma has us writing lines all the time."

The other boys all laughed.

"Alright, so the prize money is safe and so how about we all meet up at the back of the livery stables at 3 o'clock and we'll ride out to the farm then, yes? After all we don't want to be seen together straight after school OK?"

"OK," everyone agreed.

The boys all started to separate, but Willy grabbed Abraham's arm and asked him to stay. "What's the matter, Willy? You're not changing your mind about coming along now, are you?"

"Uh... no of course not! Abe?"

"Yeah?"

"When I was waiting to get into the schoolhouse I was kinda thinking. I'm grateful an all about you staking me that money, but what if I don't win? I can't pay you back for ages."

"You thinking of leaving town anytime soon?" Abraham asked.

Willy frowned, "No of course I ain't. Why'd ya ask that?"

Abraham smiled, "Well then I ain't got nothing to worry about have I?"

"Huh?"

"Willy, if you ain't going anywhere then neither is my money. If you don't win the competition today then you can just pay me back when your allowance is given back to you, alright?"

"Oh yeah of course. Thanks Abe," Willy said holding out his hand for Abraham to shake, which he did.

"Anytime, Willy. Pa always said you should always help a friend if you can then they might help you out one day when you need them." Abraham put his arm around Willy's shoulders and grinned. "You never know, Willy I might need a favour off you one day. Now come on, we don't want keeping us in after school do we?" and the two boys walked back to the schoolhouse to join their friends, just as Mr. Lawson came to the door to ring the bell.

After school was out, the older boys nodded to each other and took off, leaving Abraham with his younger brother and sister mounting up on their ponies.

"Annabel wait..." called Rachel waving to her across the school yard.

"Annabel! We've got chores to do," growled Zach as Annabel returned her friends wave and then she slipped back down off the saddle to the ground and ran to meet her friend.

Whilst Annabel and Rachel talked excitedly, it gave Abraham the perfect opportunity to talk to his younger brother.

"Zach, can you cover for me for a while?"

The younger boy cocked his head, "Why? What are you doing?"

"That's none of your business little brother, I just need you to cover for me for a while. Now are you gonna or not?"

"Well why should I? I got extra chores to do already for back talking Mama this morning and I've got to work on my project tonight to finish it, or Mr. Lawson will give me a failure again if it's late and my butt hasn't recovered from the last time that happened. You know how Pa feels about school work."

"Yeah I know little brother, but last time you got tanned at home as well at school because you didn't have anything to hand in. This time you do and Pa doesn't punish us for trying, just for not bothering or doing our best."

"Exactly our best and he told me I better do a good job with this project or he'll let Mr. Lawson paddle me at school again and then I'll get spanked on my bare ass when I get home. No thanks older brother, I'd rather just go home and get my extra chores done and work on my project."

"What if I make it worth your while then? I'll help you with your project tonight and...I'll put in the rest for that small telescope you wanted to buy from the mercantile catalogue. You need another dollar to get it don't you?"

Zach nodded; it was true he was a dollar short for the telescope and he was desperate to get it, as his grandfather had promised to show him some more of the night constellations he could look up at, if he had one of his own.

"So let me get this straight, Abe. You are saying that if I cover for you this afternoon with your chores as well as doing my extra ones, then you are gonna give me a whole dollar and help me with my project?" he asked raising his eyebrow in surprise.

"Yep that's right. So? Will ya cover for me then?"

Zach grinned and put out his hand. "Yeah OK older brother you got a deal, but you gotta shake on it though and if you don't do what you promised then I'll never cover for you again OK?"

Abraham shook his brother's outstretched hand. "OK. Don't worry I won't welch on you little brother." Abraham quickly checked that Annabel was still occupied then he bent forwards to whisper in his younger brother ear. "Look, Zach…. here's the plan," he checked the area around him again nervously and saw Annabel and Rachel were taking and laughing and there was no one else in the schoolyard, so he carried on. " Zach, I'm gonna start riding home with you and Annabel, then when we get to the crossroads I am going to conveniently say I forgot my books and say that I'm going back for them. I want you to take Annabel straight home and get started on our chores and I'll be home later, hopefully just before Pa gets home, alright?"

"Alright. Abe?"

"Yeah?"

"I hope it is worth it whatever you are up to."

Abraham grinned, "Oh I think it is younger brother, you know me. I like taking a bit of a risk. But don't fret I ain't gonna miss being home on time without a good reason. I already got my explanation planned."

"Well what do I tell Ma if she asks me where you are?" Zach asked in a whisper.

Abraham shrugged, "Just tell her that I went back for my school books just like Annabel will tell her. I'll be back before Pa gets home or supper so Ma will probably believe me." Besides when she sees all those apples I'm going bring home with me, hopefully all she will be worried about is how to make good use of them.

Abraham patted his younger brother on the back, "Come on its time to go or I'll be late." He walked back to his pony leaving Zach to mount his own. "Annabel! Come on say goodbye to Rachel now or Ma will be wondering where we are!" Abraham yelled from his saddle.

Annabel bade goodbye to her friend and she ran back to her brothers.

"Sorry for making you both wait. Rachel just wanted to ask me if I could go to tea after school tomorrow. Her aunt said she could ask me today and she forgot that she hadn't, until she was nearly home. Do you think Ma will let me? Pa could always collect me on his way home, couldn't he?" she asked climbing up onto her pony.

"Yeah he probably could, although I can't see how Rachel forgot to ask you about it earlier. You've spent all day with her," grumbled Zach

"Oh stop whining, Zach. God you're always moaning about something."

"You shut your mouth little sister!"

"No I won't because it's true." Retorted Annabel climbing onto the back of her pony.

"Alright, enough you two! Come on we've got to get home and get to our chores," said Abraham loudly interrupting what he was sure would be a long nasty argument if he didn't intervene.

The 3 children turn and rode for home with Abraham slightly ahead and the other two alongside each other quietly ignoring each other. They rode until they reached the crossroads, just half a mile outside of town.

"Ah damn it! I forgot my school history book and I need it to finish my essay tonight." complained Abraham stopping his pony. The others pulled up alongside him. "Zach you have better take Annabel home alone and can you make a start on my barn chores for me, please? I'm gonna head back and get my school book."

"Yeah, alright, Abe." said the younger boy sighing. "Don't be late though and oh... if I'm gonna start on your chores as well as doing my own, then I want you to help me with my project as I've got to finish it tonight as well, deal?"

"Yeah alright, it's a deal," agreed the older brother putting on the show for his younger sisters eyes. "Annabel, you make sure you stay with Zach and go straight home."

"Where else am I going to go, hmm?" said the 9 year old snappily, she was still unhappy at being told to shut up earlier.

The older boy glared at his sister, "Well knowing you anywhere, but you ain't going to just because I'm not riding home with you. You're going to go straight home this time, right? Zach isn't going to be conned into taking you anywhere else like the pond to catch frogs, or anything else do you hear me?"

Annabel glared at her old brother. She had only conned her brother into doing that once and her older brother had never let her forget it.

Abraham steered his pony around Zach's so he was next to his sisters. "I'm talking to you little sister and I want an answer, now!"

"Yes I hear you. It's hard not to, when you are only sitting a few feet away!"

Abraham leant across and slapped his sister's leg.

"Ow! Don't, Abe that stings."

"Well then you mind me little sister. Now, you are going to go straight home with Zach aren't you, Annabel?"

Annabel pouted but Abraham cocked his right eyebrow and glared at her in an almost perfect imitation of their father and the little girl decided that it was probably in her best interests if she conceded, because if either of her brother told her mother that she hadn't minded them, then there would be no way she would be allowed to go for tea tomorrow at Rachel's. "Yes OK, Abe. I'm going straight home with Zach. Happy?"

"Yes I am and you better watch your tone with me, Annabel."

"Why you're not Pa." Annabel snapped back.

"No that's right I'm not, but I am older than you and you know Ma and Pa have told you to mind me when you're with me. So you will do as I say or else."

Abraham stared his sister down and she eventually nodded, as she was already tired of the argument. She wanted to get home quickly anyway so she could ask Emma if she could go to tea with Rachel the next day, then when Adam got home she would work her magic on him so that he would agree to pick her up when he was finished working in town, as that meant she would have even longer to play with her friend.

"Alright, you two better go now and I had better get back to school before Mr. Lawson locks up." and with that he older boy turned his pony around and he galloped off into the distance.

Abraham met up with his friends behind the livery as arranged. When everyone was there Thomas once again took charge.

He handed each boy a cloth bag made with rags and a piece of string from his saddle bags. At the unasked questions he said. "I've been collecting them for the last day or so. There's 10 stones in each. Now the rules are: only one person shoots at a time so we don't have anyone claiming it was their stone and not the others that shot down an apple and you only score if you shoot an apple down and it doesn't just fall off after you hit the tree, OK?"

There were 9 nods of agreement. Then they broke up into smaller groups and took off in several directions so as no not raise suspicions, with the agreement that they would all meet up at the Daniel's orchard at half Past 3, as the farm wasn't all that far from town.

The shooting competition was fierce. Some boys were using slingshots and the rest their catapults. After 5 boys had taken all their shots, there was only one point separating the leader from the others. With 6 clean hits it was Eric.

Thomas, who had shot third, had actually brought down several more apples but that had been because a wayward shot had hit the branch so hard that it shook the small apple tree, leaving Thomas to curse his own rules or he would be the clear winner so far.

Unfortunately for the boys, the constant thwack of catapulted stones and yells of approval for a good shot from those watching, had drawn the attention of the Sheriff and his Deputy who had been riding over the area hoping to catch someone causing the damage.

"Yay way to go Paul!" several boys yelled when the youngest boy shot his last stone and his tally was 8 apples."

"Do you hear that, Clem?" asked Jacob the deputy.

"Yep I certainly did. Seems Mr. Daniels is right. The damage is been caused by kids. You circle round to the right and I'll go left and we'll come up behind them."

The two men executed their plan perfectly and they came up behind the boys when Abraham was getting ready to take his 3rd shot, having hit apples cleanly with both his earlier shots.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, boy!" said Deputy Jacob with a quiet but firm voice from behind the group of boys.

Some of the boys turned to run off, only to be met by the Sheriff coming the other way. "Thinking of going somewhere are you boys?"

The teenager's hearts all sank. The Sheriff knew each and every one of their parents and so taking off now that they had been seen, would definitely not be in their best interests.

Abraham just stood there on the line they had marked in the dirk with his hand on his catapult cursing in his mind. "Shit! Shit! Shit! How the hell am I gonna get out of this one. Pa's gonna wear out that new belt of his out on my ass for sure. I just know it."

Jacob and Clem closed in on the boys, pointing all the while for to them to move to where they wanted them and they soon had them all standing in a straight line.

The Sheriff stood at the end of the line with his hands on his hips looking furious. "I just can't believe what I am seeing. Do you boys realise just how much trouble you are in? Do you even know how much damage you have caused to one man's livelihood?"

"It was just a few apples, Sheriff. Nobody got hurt!"

Clem stalked down the line until he was in front of the boy that had spoken which of course was Thomas who had clearly no common sense at that moment.

"It's just a few apples did you say? Damn it boy, according to Mr. Daniels this had been happening for the better part of a week and he's lost at least 3 barrels full of apples because of the damage to them. Bruised apples aren't good for much but pig food, boy and if you were a fruit farmer you would know that!" he bellowed into the boy's face making the young teenager close his eyes and wince as did the other boys in the line. Some of them were also wincing at the thoughts of the punishment they would be likely to face from their fathers when they found out what the boys had been up to.

Satisfied he had made his point to the fool young boy, Clem drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly and he stepped back to study the whole group. "Where did you all stash your ponies?" he asked a few seconds later in a softer less angry tone.

"Over there behind the brush, Sir," said Jeff quietly after gulping in air, he pointed to the brush about a quarter of a mile off to the right.

"Alright, boys listen up. This is what is going to happen. You boys are going to go with Deputy Jacob here and get your ponies, then we are all gonna ride into town to the jail. When we get there I am going to lock you up in the cells and then I am gonna send someone to collect your parents to come and fetch you. Now, I know all of your names, so if someone thinks of bolting, I'm warning you now." he paused and fixed them all with a glare as he waved his finger along the line and waited for each boy to look away, which didn't take long. "If my deputy or I have to come after you to haul you in, never mind what your Pa is going do to you, I promise you I will be taking this belt off," he fingered his thick brown leather belt, "and tanning your bare ass in front of everyone in the jail. Do I make myself clear boys?"

There were 10 nods of the head and a few quietly muttered 'Yes Sirs'.

"I said... am I clear?" Clem asked much louder

"Yes Sir!" chorused loudly down the line and Clem was pleased to see a few alarmed faces, probably wondering if he was actually do what he had threatened. Clem was hoping very much that it wouldn't come to that, but he didn't make idle threats either. It was something he had learned from the previous Sheriff, Roy Coffee.

'Never let the youngsters around here get the impression you'll go easy on them Clem, even if it is your intention to do so. And whatever you do, if you threaten to do something, make sure you follow through with it or you'll lose all their respect. That way if you go lighter on them on occasion, they will not think it is because you are afraid of them or their parents. Treat them all the same no matter who their parents are and you won't go far wrong.' Had been Roy Coffee's advice on hiring the younger man as a deputy many years before.

"Alright Jacob, take them to get mounted up and I'll bring our horses."

"Yes Sir," replied the deputy.

"Alright boys, let's go, you heard the Sheriff," and with his hand he pointed the way back to the location the boys had said they had left their ponies.

The boys trudged slowly off towards the brush.

"My Pa's gonna kill me, I just know it, why or why didn't we think of having someone keep lookout?" grumbled Charlie.

"Your, Pa's gonna kill ya? My Pa's gonna take the skin right of my hide for this," complained Eric

"And ours," complained Jeff and Jamie. "He's got a new strap he was talking about breaking in. Damn and I was hoping I would never get to feel that," added Jeff.

"Hey! No talking there, let's just go get your ponies and be quiet about it!" yelled the Deputy over the boys moans.

The boys trudged along looking at each other occasionally, each wondering in their own minds who was likely to get the worst tanning, based on the stories they had all exchanged in the past. Not one of them thought that they would get away without a sore butt to sleep on for a few days.

Eventually the boys and the deputy reached the brush and rounded it to see all 10 ponies tied up happily eating the rough grass nearby or just standing around. After removing each boy's weapon from them, the deputy urged them to untie their ponies and wait with them.

It was only a few minutes before they were joined by the Sheriff, who was leading the deputy's horse alongside his own. Seeing the pile of 'weapons' on the ground in front of his deputy, Clem tossed him a hessian sack which he had brought with him.

"Put the evidence in there, Jacob."

The deputy did as he was asked; he suddenly looked up at the sound of someone pushing through the brush. His hand instinctively went to his gun as did Clem's but they both pulled them away it when they saw Mr. Daniels burst through it with his shotgun at the ready.

Seeing the group of boys being held by the Sheriff and the deputy, the farmer lowered his gun. "So are these boys the darn varmints that've caused all the damage to my apple trees then?"

"Yes Jed they are." Replied Clem.

"Well I sure am glad ya caught 'em for me Sheriff. Now, if ya just hold on to them for me, I'll go cut myself a few switches," said the angry farmer and he opened his pocket knife and started off toward a nearby hickory tree.

The boys watched the farmer with their mouths open in horror.

"You ain't going to let him take a switch to us as are you, Sheriff?" yelped Thomas in alarm.

Clem shook his head, "No, son I'm not. Jed! Jed wait!" Clem shouted out to the farmer.

"Kinda busy here, Sheriff," grunted the farmer struggling to cut a switch that was thick enough, as his knife was in dire need of sharpening.

Clem tossed his reins to his deputy and he walked over to the hickory tree and he put his arm on, Jed's. "Sorry, Jed, but I can't let you take a switch to them."

"What? Why the hell not? It's my livelihood they've darn well destroyed and I want them to be punished."

"Oh they will be, Jed I can assure you of that, but I can't let you do it. They're in my custody now and I'm taking them back to town."

Jed stopped cutting at the branch in his hand and turned his head to face Clem. "Are you sure they'll be punished properly, Sheriff?"

Clem nodded, "You have my word. Jed. I know every one of those boys fathers and ain't one of them shy of taking a belt or a strap to them when it's merited."

Jed turned and glared at the 10 boys who all suddenly found the ground interesting and a few of them shuffled their feet in the dirt nervously. "I want compensating for the damage as well."

"I'll make sure you are, Jed. I promise."

Jed sighed heavily, he let go of the tree branch, folded his knife up and slipped it into his pocket then he drew in a deep breath to calm himself. "Alright I'll let you handle it, Sheriff but if it is alright, I'd like to talk to them before you take them away?"

"Sure it is, Jed," replied Clem and he walked with the farmer over to the boys. "Alright you lot stand up straight and look at me," he waited for the boys to slowly comply. "This boys, is Mr. Daniels in case you don't know him. It's his orchard you have been shooting up and he wants to have a word with you before I take you in. You will all be quiet and listen to him respectfully. Do you hear me?"

10 heads nodded and there were quiet, "Yes Sirs" muttered.

Clem nodded his head and clapped Jed on the back, "They're all yours, Jed."

The farmer drew himself up to his full height and folded his thick muscular arms over his chest trying to be as intimidating as possible.

"Ya know you boys oughta be pretty grateful to the Sheriff here for catching you. If I had caught you boys damaging my crop, ain't nothing woulda stopped me from giving ya all a damn good switching, that I promise woulda made it hard for you to ride them ponies for a good week at least."

The 10 teenagers all had the decency to look ashamed and all but Abraham hung their heads. Abraham wanted to as well but he knew it was more respectful to maintain eye contact, well he wasn't exactly looking at the angry farmer, more looking over his head, still the farmer was impressed with the boy's nerve rather than considering him insolent.

Jed gestured with his head to Clem. "As it is the Sheriff has assured me that your fathers will take care of your punishment for me, so all that leaves me to say is this. If I ever and I mean ever catch one of ya on my land without my permission, or catch ya damaging my apple trees again. I can assure ya I will make good on my threat and then drag ya on home to your Papa to add his own punishment. Ya all hearing me?"

All 10 boys nodded their heads quickly.

"Alright, Sheriff, they're all yours."

"Thanks Jed. I'll come by the farm tomorrow and if you work out how much the damages are. I will split it 10 ways and get the boy's parents to pay me and I'll get it to you, good enough?"

"Yeah, good enough. Well, I suppose I oughta go and work out how much damage these boys have caused today, only I didn't stop to check when I looked out the window of the barn loft and saw someone heading his way looking like they had come from my orchard."

"You do that Jed. Alright boys mount up."

The boys all silently mounted their ponies as did the Sheriff and his deputy, then with the Sheriff in front and the deputy bringing up the rear; they all headed back to town.

When they arrived back in town the Sheriff dismounted and tied up his horse to the front hitching rail.

"Alright boys down you get and you can all just march yourself inside and into the back and deposit yourselves in my cells, 5 boys in each please," ordered Clem.

The only sounds then were of young boys slipping from their saddles and the thwack of reins being tied up to the hitching rail. When the last boy slowly trudged up the steps and into the jail past the Sheriff with his head down, Clem turned to his deputy. "Jacob, get someone to help you take these ponies down to the livery stables will you please and ask Alan to take care of them for me, then come back here and I'll have a pile of notes for you to deliver to the boy's parents."

"Sure thing, Clem," Jacob replied and he started for the saloon to see if he could get someone trustworthy to help him with the ponies.

Clem sighed and turning on his heels he walked into the jail. When he entered the front office, he could hear sounds of soft sobbing coming from the back room and words of comfort being offered to those upset.

"Ssh, Jaime, it'll be alright," whispered Jeff the older brother.

"How?..." sniff, "Pa's gonna take his belt or that strap to us for this for sure," cried the younger boy.

Jeff swallow involuntarily, his brother was most likely right. Their Pa would be really mad at them, especially at having to have to cover their share of the damages, as well as any fine imposed by the sheriff.

"Jeff, I'm scared," whispered Jamie.

"Of Pa or of being in jail?" his brother whispered back.

"Both! The Sheriff sure looked mad," sniff... "and old man Daniels..." Sniff, "Jeff ...he scared me so much... I almost pissed my pants." Jamie wiped his nose with his sleeve as he tried to stifle his sobbing. "Jeff...is...the... are we...uhm... Are we gonna have to stay in j...jail tonight?"

Jeff pulled his brother in tighter to him with his right arm around his shoulders, "I dunno, little brother, I ain't ever been in jail before. But I don't think so, the Sheriff said he was gonna send for our Pa's didn't he? Pa might be pretty mad at us but I can't see him leaving us in the jail overnight. Can you?"

"No..." sniff, "I guess not...I... W...wanna go... home!"

"So do I, little brother, so do I." Jeff whispered back and he gave his brothers shoulders a squeeze.

The older brother looked around at his friends who were spread out over the two cells; some were sitting on the cot beds and others slumped against the walls on the floor, with their knees up to their butts and their heads down, their arms were tightly clutched around their legs. Three other boys in the cell next to them looked like they were or had been crying, their shoulders shaking with the raking sobs, but the room was still fairly quiet, as they were obviously crying silently. The older boys that were not crying were obviously trying to look tough in front of their friends, but Jeff could see that most of them were struggling with that just as much as he was.

Willy was one of the boys that were sobbing silently, he knew he was in for a real thrashing now and most likely to be restricted for the next month and loose his allowance for god knows how long.

Abraham shuffled across the cot bed and sat down beside Willy and he put his arm around his shoulders.

Sniff, "I'm so...sorry Abe... I..." Sniff, "ain't gonna be able to ...pay you back" sniff, "for months...now."

Abraham gave his friends shoulder a squeeze, "It's alright, Willy..." gulp, "don't...worry about that..."

"But ...I do," sniff... "I hate... Owing... Ya money."

Abraham wiped his own face with his sleeve and drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Willy, I'm not worried about you owing me 20 cents. You're my friend and I'm not going to beat you up for it."

Willy used his right sleeve to wipe at his own tears. "Thanks Abe, but... I'll pay you ...back," sniff..."...as ...soon...as I ...can. I promise."

"Alright, when you can though, yeah?"

Willy nodded and sniffed, "Yeah." sniff, "OK."

Clem sat down in his chair and started drinking a cup of coffee, listening to the boys talking amongst themselves between bouts of sobbing and he decided that he didn't need to close and lock the door to the cells, as the kids in them were clearly already scared enough and they weren't likely to make a run for it. Even Thomas the supposed spokesman of the group earlier, had been quiet since they started riding back to town.

Please take the time to leave a review and let me know what you think. Getting feedback on what I write not only encourages authors to write more, it helps me in particular improve my writing style and hopefully my story telling which makes it more enjoyable for all of us. Many thanks for take the time to read. Ulls x