LANCER 25

Bad Decision.

Johnny was allowed to ride with his friends on Sunday, but on their land.

William had assured Murdoch and his father that he didn't mind, he would keep the girls busy for a while. He had made the girls play hide and seek in the courtyard. They were laughing!

Johnny and his friends had reached the western edge of their land.

"Look at the fields nearby, could we gallop there?" Jason said to the others.
"These are Mr. Perkins' lands, plus mine, there is a fence" Johnny informed them.

"So what? Neither your father nor your brother are here to see us! Let's have a little fun!"

"I don't know, Mr. Perkins works hard on his land to feed his family, it's not good to crush everything."

"You're a sissy John! Come on guys! Here we go!" Jason said.

"Yes, he's right," Billy said.

"I'm not a sissy! Okay, let's go!"

Jeb and Josh pulled the fence wider and all of them were able to squeeze in with their horses. The five children galloped through the farm fields of the man ransacking everything.
Unfortunately for them, Mr. Perkins ran up to recognize the boys, at least Johnny Lancer, whom he knew well.

Jack, one of Murdoch's henchmen had come running to the sounds of screams, he had gone for a leisurely walk in the woods on his boss's western lands during his Sunday rest.
"What's going on? Johnny? What are you doing?" The man asked.

"He snd the other little rascals have destroyed all my crops by galloping with their horses!" Mr. Perkins explained.

"Johnny? Is that what happened? "

"Yes sir"

"All of you get off your horses!" The man ordered, removing his belt.

Johnny immediately obeyed, the others hesitated, but Jack's tone of voice left no room for discussion.

"Mr. Perkins, Mr. Lancer will see to it that your crops are replaced, and give you the men necessary to catch up with the work. I promise you. Boys, you will all be coming to work here after school and on weekends for at least the next three months! Your dads will be notified, Mr. Perkins, I ask you not to involve the sheriff, they are only children, but I urge you to punish them, I know every father of these boys, they would give you permission, I can assure you! Where I do it myself here, in front of you.

"Alright, I'll let you punish them, I'm too angry, I don't want to do something I will regret," Mr. Perkins said honestly."

"I'll take into account that their fathers are going to punish them all." Johnny, come here, drop your pants, you can leave your underwear up. "
Jack lowered his belt five times hard on Johnny's buttocks. Then did exactly the same with each of the children present. He had a lot of strength and each child screamed and cried from the first blow of the belt.

"We're all heading back to the Lancer Ranch now! Mr. Perkins will you come with us?"
"Yes, I will come and speak with Mr. Lancer, I hope he agrees with your promises."
"He will be agreeable," the man said confidently. He had known his boss for many years and knew he would follow through on his promises.

Scott was in the barn with William, he wanted the kid to come up and take care of their horses. Will had no fear, brushing and stroking them.
Hearing a herd of horses coming in, he went out. He spotted Jack and Mr. Perkins with all the boys. From the looks of their faces, there was a problem.

"Will, would you go get Murdoch in his office, please?"

"Yes Dad, right now."

Evi had joined Scott.

"Hello Mr. Perkins, Jack. My father is coming, my son has gone to get him. What's going on?" Johnny?"

Murdoch arrived as quickly as he could.
"William said you wanted to see me, Scott?" Jack? Mr. Perkins? Johnny? What's going on?"

Jack recounted what had happened, as well as how he had immediately punished the children and his promises to Mr. Perkins.

"You handled it perfectly, as always, Jack. Thank you." Murdoch said.

"Mr Perkins, I apologize for what the boys did. I will bear the cost of the crops. None of the other children's parents will be able to afford to pay. As well as keeping every promise that Jack made to you." Encrypt your losses to me and I will write you a check, in addition to replacing your crop and providing the workers."

"Kids, tell Mr. Perkins you are sorry," Scott added sternly.

"Sorry sir, this will not happen again." They all said.

"Alright, thank you Mr. Lancer, Scott," replied Mr. Perkins.

"Goodbye Mr. Perkins".

Evi, Jack, Murdoch and Scott then spoke to decide the fate of the children.
The children listened with wide eyes.

"We have two choices," Mudoch said. "Either we walk each child back to their father explaining what happened, it's going to take a long time or we punish all the children ourselves. It's quick and fair since they were on our land destroyed one of our west fences. We will pay the cost to Mr Perkins for everyone else. I think that gives me the right to deliver a good spanking, no father will object, Evi do you know them all? do you think the same way?"

"Yes, no father will object, I'm sure." Evi replied.

"They should not receive more than their ages, Do we deduct what Jack has already given or not?" Scott asked.

"No, their full ages, and naked! I want them to remember this!" Murdoch replied. "Jack, would you like to participate?"

"Yes boss, if you need me."

"Alright, so Jack, you take Johnny, like that, like everyone else, he won't be punished by me nor Scott," Murdoch said.

"Daddy, you take Jason and Jeb," Scott said. "Because I've punished Jason in the past. I will take care of Josh and Billy. Evi? Will you write a detailed note to each father? We can't all bring them back,but they can go home alone with the note. Invite each father to come see us tomorrow. Are the girls and William in the house? " Scott asked.

"I'll take care of the notes, William and the girls are on the porch, I'll get them inside for a while."

"Kids, come into the barn, each in front of the designated manager, pull down your pants and underpants. Is anyone under twelve?" Scott asked.

"I am ten years old sir, but I can take twelve licks." Billy said courageously. He was younger, however he was as tall as the others.

"This is not your decision boy, I am deciding so you will have ten licks."

The three men unbuckled and took off their belts, then there was a thunder of hissing, loud, loud and severe belt-banging, apologies and weeping.
Then each child was sent home with a note. Johnny was ordered to go to his room until morning, dinner would be brought to him later.

All the parents had been grateful to Murdoch for paying for the damage. All had also thanked him for the correction of their boys and approved his decision to make the children work to fix their nonsense. Some fathers had added their own punishments on top of that.