Nekkid and Unashamed

Ben and Fred carefully shifted positions to put the bush between them and the splashing and laughter of the boys, as ever so stealthily they crept up to the bush, reached through, and snagged out every piece of clothing. All they left were the boys' boots there on the ground.

"Well, whatcha think, Ben? Time to wreck their day?" Pastor Fletcher whispered.

"I think so. What say we just walk out there and stand still on the bank, holding their clothes, and see how long it takes them to notice us?"

"Works for me, let's go!"

So saying, they watched as the boys were entirely wrapped up in their game of "splash 'n dunk", and quietly walked out into the shade where the fishing poles had been propped up. The boys' clothes were gathered up under the men's left arms, as they stood silently, hands on hips, waiting...

It was Billy who noticed them first, stopping stock still just to stand in the waist deep water, staring back at them. Little Joe, seeing his friend freeze like that, was concerned about a snake or other danger as he hastily looked to see what had stunned Billy. Realizing it was their fathers looking for all the world like disapproving Greek gods standing there on the bank, Joe wasn't sure for a moment if he'd not have preferred a snake. No one spoke, as the sweet spring day grew utterly silent.

"Um..." Little Joe found it suddenly extremely difficult to swallow... "hi, Pa!" he tried waving for a moment, and gave that idea up. "We weren't expecting you home so early..."

Ben struggled mightily not to laugh at this, as did the good Pastor alongside him who spoke without moving his lips discernably, "Hold it together, Ben. You can't crack a smile right now."

"No kidding," Ben muttered back. Raising his voice to address his youngest, "I gather you weren't expecting me so soon, son. In fact, considering the state of your undress, I gather you weren't expecting anyone at all. I seem to have found a full suit of your clothing right here," he said, lifting Joe's clothes by way of demonstration. "Care to tell me how they came to be draped all over that bush?"

"Um, well, Pa... It got really hot as we were fishing, so we decided to cool off a bit here in the water... and we didn't want to get our clothes dirty or wet, so..." his voice trailed off.

"I see," Ben said calmly. "But I see we have ALL your clothes up here with us, drawers and all. Are you supposed to be skinnydipping down there without a lookout up here in case someone comes by?"

"Um, no, sir..." Joe answered, looking down with an expression of being caught out, until he thought through another second to add brightly, "But now that you fellas are THERE, Pa... Perhaps you could..."

Ben had to mock cough to cover the laugh that threatened to escape him from his fast thinking son's quick reactions.

"Hold it together, Ben," Fred had to whisper to him, keeping his stern expression. As clergy, he'd had more practice at masking laughter and amused expressions in inappropriate moments, but he was struggling at the moment.

"Yes, Pastor..." Ben breathed back.

"Son, I'm afraid 'us fellas' have entirely other plans for this afternoon. In fact, those plans will include the two of you in just a moment. Are you supposed to be swimming at ALL without an adult to watch you?"

"Um, nossir." Joe answered, as he turned to Billy to say almost low enough not to be heard, "I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this."

As quiet as the afternoon was, the boys had no idea the water reflected their conversation perfectly audibly to their fathers.

"William?" Fred called out to his son.

"Yes, Dad?"

"You're also standing there naked, is that correct?"

"Yessir," Billy looked down at the water.

"Are you supposed to swim without an adult here?"

"Nossir."

"Well, boys, get on up out of there, put on your socks and boots there, and follow us..." Pastor Fletcher said, as they watched to make sure the boys checked the bush and their boots for any unfriendly creatures that may have decided to take up temporary residence.

The men walked to the glade where the horses rested and there were fallen logs they could sit on. They were careful to walk a path that had no overgrown thorn bushes, poison ivy, or poison oak.

"Daddy?" Billy called out, a bit hesitantly.

"Yes, my son," the Pastor answered in a calm restrained voice.

"You've got our towels too, and we're wet and getting a little cold."

"Yeah, Pa. Um, could we have our clothes please, or at least our towels? I'm getting cold, too."

"Boys," Ben said, as he and Fred sat down on two tree stumps, "you're both fixing to feel plenty warm in just a moment. Come here, Joseph."

The men found the towels and spread them over their laps as they motioned the boys to them.

Fred said, "Boys, did you disobey our standing orders about swimming without adult supervision and skinnydipping?"

Both boys nodded, with rather miserable little "Yessir's" accompanying the nods.

Ben and Fred turned the boys over their knees on their towels, as Ben said, "You're going to be spanked right now, for breaking a serious safety rule you've known all your lives. Then we're going to let you get dressed, and discuss the rest of today's adventure. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Joseph said miserably, as Billy echoed him.

"So, Billy, what are you about to be spanked for?" Pastor Fletcher asked, calmly.

"Skinnydipping and swimming without adult supervision, sir."

"And that's important to us, why?"

"Because swimming without an adult could be dangerous, and anything could happen."

"Thank you," Fred said, as he and Ben slowly laid down five blistering swats on the bare little backsides of their youngest sons. Counting a slow 10 second interval between spanks to allow each to fully blossom and mature from initial shock to full burn, the boys yelped, then squirmed, then cried, then kicked involuntarily as each spank hit harder than the last. Their little tails turned pinkish, then a richer red. The men only struck with their fingers and distal palm of their hands, avoiding any blows with the meatier heel of their hands. The pain was intense, but no bruising would result.

After that fifth blazing swat, Ben and Fred said this spanking was over, and the boys just collapsed on their fathers' laps.

Ben asked, "Have we made ourselves clear, boys? Your safety is not a joke or a game, EVER!"

Both youngsters nodded as they cried with heartbroken sobs, and their fathers helped them stand up and wrapped them in hugs and their towels, to cry against their shirts.

"We spank you," Fred said quietly, "because we love you and want you to stay safe. We want you safe whether you think we're watching or not. Obedience keeps you safe. When you don't obey, when you break safety rules, we'll love you enough to spank you. Every time. Understood?"

Sniffling and hiccuping, both boys answered, "Understood. We're sorry... Pa, Daddy."

After the comforting, Ben said, "Now, get yourselves dressed and walk around a bit to recover. Then we're going to discuss exactly what you're doing here in the first place on a school day."

At this announcement, the boys picked up their clothes with a dismal look.

"Pa, are you finished spanking us?" Joe asked.

"I don't think so, do you?" Ben watched Joe miserably shake his head. "But I think you'll keep your clothes on for anything further, if that's any comfort. Now go ahead and collect yourselves while we do the same."

The men stood up and stepped apart to confer together, while the boys got their clothes on and walked a bit, rubbing their backsides to ease the sting they were still feeling like fire in their britches. Their fathers agreed that, knowing that Miss Jones was going to deal with them again when they got there, they'd not add too much more to the boys' discomfort. They'd punish first for the playing hooky, and then give the four math misdeeds probably a swat apiece. It would hurt, but not as much as the spanking they just got, or the one yet to come.

Ben and Fred returned to sit on their stumps as the boys gathered up the courage to return and face them.

Billy saw their return, and said, "OK, Joe, we may as well get this over with, ya think?"

"Yeah," he said, still rubbing his backside, "but I'm sure not gonna like it."

"Me either, that's for sure. But I'd rather have them whup us here, than go home and wait to head out to the barn."

"Yeah, me too. That's the worst. So, come on..." and the two boys walked back to face their fathers.

"Simple question, boys," Ben said. "What's going on here? Why aren't you in school right now?"

"Well, Pa," Joe decided to take the lead. "Look at how beautiful it is right now," he turned, gesturing theatrically at the trees, the clouds, the birds in the air. "It was just SO lovely today, we just couldn't BEAR to head to the schoolhouse and be cooped up inside all day. So's Billy and me..."

"'Billy and I'" the Pastor couldn't help himself from interrupting...

"Oh, sorry, thanks. Yes... Billy and I just HAD to come out and praise God and glorify Him in all this nature and beauty, sirs. We realize now that we belong in school, and that our idea was wrong. We just couldn't help ourselves, but we've learned better, and we're very sorry, and we'll never do it again, ever!" Joe delivered this entire soliloquy with the most earnest straight face and angelic expression.

Only the utmost self control had held Pastor Fletcher together in his deadpan expression, particularly when Joe waxed so eloquent about 'praising and glorifying God in all this nature and beauty'. He'd nearly lost it when he saw even Billy's eyebrow raise in amazement at that blatant attempt to bring the Almighty over to their side of this conflict.

Ben was floored, and just looked helplessly to the Pastor to field this one.

"That's admirable, Joseph," Pastor Fletcher began, suppressing his smile. "Truly admirable. And I'm sure the Lord is pleased as punch that His efforts to craft so wondrous a day did not escape your notice or your gratitude. But I'm curious. Can you tell me how much of this attack of divine piety and reverence was influenced by a Math test scheduled for today? Or by the homework assignments and quiz you've not completed or shown us? I mean, I'm not accusing you of taking the Lord's name in vain, I know you'd never dream of doing such a thing. But perhaps you can just sort out those Math intentions from the reverence issues you've preached on so eloquently just now... Perhaps, Billy? Can you shed some light on this for us?"

Joe was more than relieved that Billy would now have the floor, as he had no idea how to extricate himself from this muddle.

"Well, Dad, um..." Billy thought furiously... "we didn't feel too confident about that Math test, and thought if we took some time to clear our heads today, we might do a lot better on a make up test next week."

"Excellent recovery," both fathers thought as they exchanged a knowing look. Still, Fred followed up mercilessly.

"And the assignments not done?"

"Um..." Billy took a moment to look down, "Yeah, I got nothing, Dad. We didn't do or turn in the homework. I can't think of any excuse." Billy turned to Joe to ask candidly, "Can you, Joe?"

Joe just shook his head. "I've got nothing either. We just didn't do the work. But it's hard, and we couldn't figure it out."

"I see. Well, boys, as much as I admire both your honesty and your reverence, are you allowed to simply take a day off school because you feel like it?"

"No, sirs."

"And are you permitted to shirk your duties or assignments, without telling anyone or seeking help, especially if you find them 'too hard'?"

"No, sirs."

"Then come over here, Billy. I'm going to spank you, with your britches on, for skipping school, and give you swats for failure to do your schoolwork on the math. Have you anything else to say in your defense before sentence is carried out?"

"No, Dad. Except I'm sorry."

"I know, son. I am, too. Come here." Leaning the boy gently over his right leg, Fred let him brace his hands on his left leg as he delivered five solid swats to his backside. "That's for playing hooky, and these are for the skipped assignments." So saying he swatted Billy's backside four more times. Billy didn't bawl, but his face showed the discomfort of taking nine more swats on his already rosy bottom, as he sucked his breath in sharply during the whacks, and the hiccups returned as he recovered.

Joseph had suffered exactly the same treatment at his Pa's knee, also developing anew his acute case of the sniffles and hiccups.

Both fathers wrapped their sons in their arms and comforted them as they assured them of their love, forgiveness, and caring, as the boys broke down and cried in their shirts... not from pain, but from remorse. They'd done wrong, they knew that, they'd been caught and held to account. As much as they hated being spanked, they loved being cared for by fathers that would keep them safe and doing right, no matter what.

"Go pack up your belongings," Ben instructed, as the boys recovered their peace and breathing, getting kissed on the head by both of their fathers.

The boys went and broke down their fishing gear, putting everything back in their tackle boxes, picked up their lunch pails, and grabbed the string of fish they'd caught. Rubbing their rears when they thought they'd not be seen, they giggled just a bit at one another, reflecting that the day may have been costly, but they'd still had a ton of fun before it all went horribly wrong. Of course, they weren't yet aware that they had another stop to make.

A/N: I enjoy the Bonanza universe, and hope you like some of these short sniglets that bounce past my mental movie screen from time to time. Please feel free to comment and/or review. Thanks for reading, hopefully enjoying! Grace to you, Gentle Reader! - Mort