Fifteen year old Julie Parker hurried along the school corridor hardly looking where she was going. She had loitered by her classroom until most of the girls had left, but now it was six minutes since the bell for the end of school had gone and she knew that she needed to hurry. Julie felt sick. She could feel her heart pumping away at twice its normal speed. The next half an hour or so was going to be awful in any case but at least she didn't have to make it still worse by being late. She hadn't wanted anyone to see where she was going, but now she realised that she might have waited too long.

"Hey, Julie! Wait for me!"

Oh, god. It was the voice of Sheila, a girl in her class. The last thing that she wanted was to talk to her now. Julie lowered her head, pretending that she hadn't heard and continued to hurry along the corridor. It was no use. The other girl ran up to her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Julie! Didn't you hear me? Come on, let's walk home together."

Julie carried on walking quickly along the corridor and shook her head, not looking into Sheila's eyes. "Um, no. I can't Sheila. I'm sorry."

"What's the matter, Julie? Is something wrong?" asked Sheila, concerned at her friend's unusual manner.

Julie decided that she would have to tell her. After all Sheila was her friend and she could trust her not to talk about it. It wouldn't be so bad if Sheila knew - she'd been in the same position herself, after all.

Rather dramatically, she drew a small red envelope out of the pocket of her blue school blazer. "Look!"

Sheila immediately understood the significance. Red envelopes were given to the girls who had been told to attend one of Miss Drake's weekly punishment sessions in the school gym. They contained the recommendation as to how many smacks from the gym mistress's plimsoll or strokes of the cane the naughty girl should receive. They had to be delivered with their seals unbroken.

"Oh, Julie! I'm sorry . . . I never guessed. You kept that very quiet."

"Yes. I didn't want anyone to know. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"No. Of course not. Don't worry. It's your first time, isn't it?"

Julie nodded.

"Well, you'll be okay. Just do everything Frances tells you straightaway. It's horridly shameful and it does hurt but you'll soon get over it. You'll probably get the slipper, as it's your first time - that's not so bad. And you're right. You'd better hurry - she'll take it out on you if you're late!"

Julie nodded and scurried on towards the gym. She knew that Sheila knew what she was talking about. Her friend had gone through a phase a couple of years earlier when she had attended more than one of Miss Drake's punishment sessions. Sheila walked off more slowly in the opposite direction.

As Julie neared the gym she saw a queue of girls lined up outside the changing rooms under the eye of the young gym teacher. She was in time! Thankfully, she joined the end of the line.

The teacher looked at her watch and grunted. "Just in time! What's your name, girl?"

Julie answered her, rather surprised that the teacher did not recognise her. She had taken her class for PE the year before. Miss Drake made a mark against her name in a list she was holding.

"Right! That's it!" she announced. "It's five to four. One girl's still not here and she'll be regretting that before too long! The rest of you file into the changing room and stand by the benches."

When they were all in the room the gym mistress addressed the naughty girls.

"Right, girls! You are all here for punishment. Most of you have been here before but I can see some new faces, so I'll just explain a few things.

"First, you are here because you have broken school rules in a particularly outrageous way or have misbehaved over a long period after warnings. You all deserve punishment and every one of you will leave this school today with a very sore bottom. When I punish a girl I make sure that she feels it. So if any of you were hoping to be let off, you can forget that idea right now!

"Next, you each have a red envelope which contains the recommendations made by the teacher who sent you here. But it is I, not he or she, who decides how many smacks of the plimsoll or strokes of the cane your backside will feel. I have authority to double the suggested punishment or, if I feel that the girl's demeanour justifies it, I can reduce the number of strokes by a third.

"So if a teacher recommends four strokes I can administer between three and eight strokes."

She smiled grimly. "All fractions are rounded up, you see!"

After a pause she continued. "If eight or more smacks with the slipper have been recommended I can change the punishment to a caning, and I can also vary a recommendation of the cane to a dose with the slipper. Teachers recommend up to twelve smacks of the slipper or eight strokes of the cane, but in their wisdom the governors limit me to twelve with the cane and twenty with the slipper! So a recommendation of eight strokes of the cane allows me between six and twelve. And, as those of you who've been here before know, even three or four smacks from my plimsoll is not a pleasant experience.

"I will not tell you how many strokes you will get, but I shall expect you to stay in place until I tell you that you may stand. You have called the tune and now it is time for you to pay the piper. If you do not stay in place I will apply extra strokes. And the maximum limits on strokes do not apply in this case, nor in any other instance of additional punishment for misbehaviour in my presence. So I strongly advise all of you to do what I say, when I say it!"

Julie had been looking around while the teacher was speaking. She hadn't really been listening to what the teacher was saying - she had already heard most of it from the reports of Sheila and other naughty, or unlucky, girls. She also knew that the slipper was the usual means of punishment for the first two years, whereas girls in the higher years were more likely to get the cane, unless it was their first visit. Instead she was looking around to see if there were any girls she knew in the changing room. There were more girls than she'd expected - nine apart from herself. The first girl she recognised was Maxine Reynolds, a girl in her year but not in her class. That wasn't a surprise. Maxine was always in trouble and she had not tried to hide the fact that she was due for another whacking. Maxine caught Julie's eye and gave a rueful half-smile, welcoming Julie to the club.

But Julie was surprised at the next girl she recognised. Caroline Levy, a girl in her class, was probably the last girl in the school she would have expected to see there. She was always such a well-behaved, quiet girl. What on earth could she have done? Julie hadn't heard a whisper about it. Still, she'd done her best to keep her own punishment secret and presumably Caroline had done the same. Caroline avoided Julie's eyes and gazed down towards her shoes.

One more face was familiar - Sarah Brookes, the elder sister of Julie's best friend, Mandy. Sarah was eighteen years old and in the sixth form. Unlike most of the other girls there she was not dressed in school uniform. Instead she was wearing light brown slacks and a blue tee-shirt. Like Caroline, Sarah avoided returning Julie's glance. Julie could imagine that at her age it must be terribly humiliated to be spanked at all and that it must be even worse for her to know that her baby sister's best friend would witness her shameful ordeal.

There was another girl also wearing trousers instead of school uniform. Julie knew that she must also be a sixth former like Sarah or else in the fifth year as all the girls apart from seniors had to wear the uniform, but she did not recognise her.

Meanwhile Miss Drake was continuing with her lecture, but just as she did so the girls heard a hesitant knock on the changing room door. The gym teacher walked over and opened it. A frightened looking girl who Julie guessed to be a second year was standing outside.

"Tracey Compton! You're late!"

"I'm sorry, miss. I was on my way, but I really had to go to the toilet and when I got here the door was already closed. I didn't know whether to knock or to go away. I've been standing there for ages!"

"Well! You made the right choice in the end. It would have been much worse for you if you hadn't turned up at all. But, now, come in and stand there! You missed the part of my introductory talk when I explained that I can award corporal punishment for other misbehaviour - such as lateness - additional to that for the reason you've been sent here, so I will allow you to experience it for yourself. You will serve as a demonstration to other girls who haven't been here before of what a slippering is like"

Tracey entered the changing room rather hesitatingly and trembling slightly. Miss Drake closed the door behind her and, telling the dilatory girl to wait, went into her office and emerged a moment or two later carrying a large white plimsoll. "Bend down and hold onto your legs below your knees!" the gym mistress ordered.

Tracey obeyed. Julia had a good view of how the girl's blue school skirt rode up as she did so, however it still covered her bottom. She wondered if the teacher would order Tracey to lift her skirt, exposing her knickers. Instead, however, Miss Drake simply drew the slipper back and delivered an almighty whack to the naughty girl's skirt covered rear.

Julie's eyes widened in shock. She had never seen a slippering before and she was amazed to see just how much force the tall, fit twenty five year old teacher was using. There were gasps of surprise from a couple of her fellow culprits, too. But poor Tracey's reaction was still more extreme. The force of the blow actually caused her to unbalance and topple forward. She was more embarrassed than hurt, however, although Julie realised that that whack must have really stung even through the younger girl's skirt and knickers, and she soon scrambled to her feet and reassumed her position, rather red-faced.

The gym mistress delivered a further five hard smacks to the tightly-stretched seat of Tracey's blue skirt. The girl managed to stay in position, holding on to her legs, but she could not prevent an audible gasp as each of the last smacks smashed down. Julie was still shocked at how hard the teacher was hitting the naughty girl. Each impact of the slipper sounded as loud as a pistol shot.

Finally it was over. Miss Drake put the plimsoll down on a shelf. "Remain in that position until I tell you to get up, Tracey," she said, "just in case I need to make use of your bottom to provide further examples for your colleagues!"

Julie could see Tracey's face, upside down and largely hidden by her cascading brown hair. It was nonetheless evident to her that the girl was crying quietly. Julie was very pleased that she had just managed to arrive on time, otherwise she might have been in Tracey's position.

Miss Drake, ignoring the bending girl as she continued to wriggle in her uncomfortable and humiliating posture, continued her introductory remarks:

"I will expect you all to stay in position throughout your punishments. Like Tracey here you will not stand up until I tell you to." The teacher added point to her remarks by delivering a sharp hand slap to the girl's bottom. Tracey's whole body quivered but she remained bending forward.

"Anyone who does stand up before I give permission, or anyone who puts a hand in the way or tries in any way to avoid or delay punishment will get extra strokes.

"And after the punishment you will not rub, or even touch, your bottoms. Any girl who does so will get extra.

"You will all change into PE kit, apart from plimsolls, for your punishment. You will wear the school gym shorts, tops and socks which you will find in the appropriate cupboard for your year. Any girl who normally takes off her glasses for gym should do so. They might fall off. You will change quickly and without fuss, but without knocking into each other. And be careful walking when you get into the gym! The floor can be slippery when you're just wearing socks.

"Now, unless there are any questions, you can begin to change. As soon as you're ready go into the gym and line up along the far wall facing the horse, with your hands on your heads. Remember to take your envelopes with you; and remember, time wasting will be punished!" And with that the gym mistress delivered another sharp slap to Tracey's rear and told the unfortunate girl to stand up and find a place to change.

Julie didn't expect that there would be any questions and she was just about to move towards the fourth year equipment cupboard when she heard a nervous voice. "Please, miss!"

She looked around. It was the senior girl whose name she did not know.

"Lindsey Collins, 5A, isn't it? What is it, girl?"

"Please, miss, can't we wear our own gym kit? I brought mine with me." This was the sixteen year old's first time at a punishment session. She was rather spoiled and didn't want to wear shorts that other girls had worn. School gym shorts were navy blue but Lindsey's own shorts, like those of most of the girls, were white in colour.

Julie thought that Miss Drake looked a little annoyed at the unexpected question, but she answered pleasantly enough.

"No, Lindsey. It's the same for everyone - school kit."

But Lindsey could not leave it alone. "Oh, please miss. Why not?"

Julie drew a deep breath. The stupid cow was going to get Miss Drake angry and make it worse for everyone!

"Right! Out here Lindsey!" snapped the teacher, taking the plimsoll from the shelf.

Julie looked at the tall fifth former. Her face suddenly went white with shock and her mouth dropped open. She walked slowly to the front, looking close to tears.

"Stand where Tracey did and bend forward."

The dejected girl obeyed, taking hold of the material of her dark grey trousers just below the knee. For a couple of moments Julie thought she was going to say something, but in the end Lindsey had just enough sense not to.

"Further over and keep your legs straight!" ordered the gym mistress.

As Lindsey bent as far forward as she could Julie saw the dark grey material at the seat of her trousers plump out as they stretched tautly over the sixteen year old's large and curvy rear.

Slipper in hand the teacher turned to address the watching girls. "Lindsey has, unintentionally I am sure, given me an opportunity for another useful demonstration. Tracey is a junior girl, so I let her off lightly. Now I will show you all, and especially Lindsey, what a real slippering is like!"

She turned towards Lindsey. "Right, Lindsey. Stay bent over until I tell you you can get up."

With that she raised the slipper up above her shoulders and walloped it down, twisting her body as she did so to put all her force into the blow. Julie saw immediately the gym mistress had not been bluffing. The severity of Tracey's punishment had surprised her, but this was much worse. She saw the slipper dent deeply into the rounded curves of Lindsey's trouser-clad bottom with a sound like a firework exploding.

The sixteen year old could not withhold a sharp "Oww!" but she remained bent over in position as the angry teacher continued to whack the rubber plimsoll down onto her large backside, concentrating on each bottom cheek alternately.

After six smacks Miss Drake showed no sign of stopping and Lindsey's yelps were beginning to sound more and more frantic. Another two smacks proved too much for the naughty teenager. With a frantic shriek she half straightened and one hand went to her right bottom cheek to protect it from further blows from that slipper. But Miss Drake did not pause. Instead she whipped the slipper down for another smack, just as hard, to land right on top of the back of Lindsey's hand.

"Yeeoww! Oh! Oh! Oh!" Lindsey couldn't believe it. She twisted round dashing her injured hand to her lips where she blew on it and fondled it against her lips.

"I warned you," Miss Drake said, unsympathetically. "And it's the same for all girls sent here for punishment. Anyone who stands up before I give permission, anyone who puts a hand in the way or tries in any way to avoid or delay punishment will get extra. Now, Lindsey, bend over again right now - unless you want me to go and get my cane!"

Evidently Lindsey did not. Slowly the chastened girl resumed the punishment position, straightening her legs when told. Four more powerful smacks followed - each one harder than the last. Finally Miss Drake stopped and stood back. Lindsey was now crying quietly to herself and wriggling her intensely sore bum from side to side.

"Well, Lindsey. That concludes your punishment for arguing with me. I hope that you have learned your lesson and that your experience will prove a valuable example for the other girls here. But I warned you that putting a hand in the way would mean extra smacks. You have two more to come."

With that the teacher rapidly delivered two final hard wallops with the slipper. The earlier smacks had alternated but these both landed on Lindsey's right buttock and, judging from her anguished yells, clearly hurt like hell. Lindsey stayed bent over in position but at each impact her head shot upwards and her blonde hair flew wildly. Julie knew that the fifth former had brought her punishment on herself, but she was beginning to feel sorry for her. Like everybody else she still had her full punishment to come.

"All right, Lindsey. Stand up and return to your place."

Lindsey stood up and her hands immediately went to rub her sore bottom. Julie could hardly believe it and she heard gasps from the other girls that indicated that they, too, were astonished.

Miss Drake grabbed Lindsey by her shoulders. "Lindsey! You're in the A stream, but you seem to have difficulties with your memory! I said no rubbing! Right! Bend over again!"

Poor Lindsey turned to the angry teacher, her face screwed up. She mouthed the word "Please", but it was no use. Very slowly she bent forward again, presenting her sore and tender bottom for further punishment.

Again the smacks came hard and fast, concentrating on Lindsey's right bottom cheek. Each one evoked a yell, but she managed to stay in place. Four more whacks, meaning that she'd taken eighteen smacks on her bottom plus the one on her hand. This time when she was told to stand she stood shifting her weight from foot to foot and squirming in pain, but kept her hands well away from her punished bottom.

"Well, madam," Miss Drake enquired sarcastically, "do you think that's taught you not to rub yourself after a punishment?"

Lindsey nodded, her lips still pressed tightly closed.

"Well, I think it's taught your bottom a lesson, but your hands still need to learn! Hold out your left hand!"

Lindsey had learned something at least. She didn't argue with the teacher but obediently extended her left hand, palm up. Miss Drake adjusted its position until she was satisfied and then whipped the plimsoll down across the soft flesh of the school girl's palm.

It didn't sound as loud as the noise of the slipper cracking onto the girl's tightly stretched trousers, but it obviously hurt - a lot. Lindsey waved her hand frantically and hopped from foot to foot.

Miss Drake stood there impassively. "Other hand!"

Lindsey was very reluctant to hold out her right hand. It still throbbed from the smack it had received earlier. Eventually she did though and as soon as it was in position the gym mistress brought down her slipper again.

Julie thought that Lindsey's punishment must be over now. But Miss Drake was not satisfied until both of the girl's hands had felt another slipper blow. Finally the teacher let her wriggle her way back to her place, tears pouring from her eyes.

"Any other questions?"

Unsurprisingly there were none. Miss Drake positioned herself by the door to the gym and told the girls to start changing. Julie selected a pair of navy shorts from the fourth year equipment cabinet. The material seemed very thin, almost worn through in parts. Julie tried another pair, but it was just as bad. Unhappily, the schoolgirl wondered if the seat of the shorts had worn thin as a result of the numerous blows it must have felt over the years from slipper and cane! As she changed she noticed Lindsey Collins wincing as she pulled down her trousers and her knickers. The whole of the tall girl's large bottom shone a bright red. Julie took a deep breath and concentrated on getting changed as quickly as possible.

One by one the girls, in full gym kit apart from their plimsolls, began to pass through into the gym and to form a line where directed by the schoolmistress. Julie was fairly quick in changing and she found herself between Sarah Brookes and a younger, West Indian, girl whom she didn't know. In the middle of the gym she saw the large gym horse over which she knew they were to be punished. And in the far corner, opposite the door to the changing room, she could see a small trestle from which a large plimsoll, evidently the twin to that which Tracey and Lindsey had felt, and a long slender cane hung suspended. Before very long, Julie thought, one of those two implements would be whacking against her poor bottom. At the thought her hands crushed the red envelope in her dark hair as she suppressed their natural instinct to fly to her rear.

Lindsey was the last girl of all. She was obviously still feeling the effects of her slippering and she walked slowly and carefully to take her place at the end of the line.

When all eleven girls were lined up Miss Drake addressed them once more:

"I shall deal with you in the order in which you reported to me. When I call your name you will come forward and hand me your envelope. I will then tell you to bring me either the slipper or the cane. You will do so and then assume the punishment position across the horse. You will not leave that position until I tell you that you may do so. Is that understood?"

There was silence in reply. Miss Drake consulted her list. "Linda King, 2A!"

Out of the corner of her eye Julie saw a small girl move forward. She handed the envelope to the teacher, who opened it and examined the contents. "Fetch me the slipper, Linda", she ordered, dropping the envelope and the note onto the floor of the gym.

The girl began to walk towards the trestle but, on hearing Miss Drake's "Faster girl!" broke into a trot. She returned and offered the plimsoll to the teacher.

"Over the horse, Linda!"

It took the girl some time to get into position over the gym equipment. Miss Drake made her reach right down the other side to grasp some hand holds. Julie saw that the blue gym shorts were stretched tight over the girl's small bottom.

The teacher raised the plimsoll and took a step back. Julie realised that Linda could not know how many smacks she was going to get.

THWACKK!

The slipper came down at terrific speed, the sound of its contact with Linda's shorts echoing around the gymnasium. Julie realised that, despite the disparity in the girls' ages, Miss Drake was using as much force with Linda as she had earlier with Lindsey.

Bravely Linda remained silent after that smack and for the two following. But the fourth smack brought out a sharp yell of pain which was repeated more frantically as another two slipper-smacks crashed onto the girl's smarting backside.

After six strokes the teacher stood back. Linda squirmed across the horse in obvious discomfort, her bottom wriggling and her legs moving tremblingly.

"All right, Linda. You can get down."

The little girl obeyed too quickly and in her hurry fell down - onto her sore bottom. She gasped in pain but, as she struggled to her feet, Julie saw that she was quick-witted enough to resist the temptation to rub her behind.

On the teacher's instructions Linda returned the slipper to the trestle and scuttled back. Miss Drake then made her go over to one end of the wall bars and stretch herself right up as much as possible so as to grasp the highest bar she could. When she was satisfied with Linda's position Miss Drake consulted her list again.

"Andrea Garner, 3B"

Andrea was the girl standing to Julie's right. She went forward and offered her envelope to the teacher.

Miss Drake stared at the naughty girl for a moment and then pronounced: "Right, Andrea. This time it's the cane for you!"

Julie saw how, just for a second, Andrea's eyes had widened in shock and her mouth had gaped open, but she soon recovered herself and went to bring back the cane.

Unlike Linda, Andrea had no difficulty in assuming the proper position over the horse. Julie guessed, correctly, that she'd been there before.

Miss Drake whipped the cane through the air in practice strokes. Julie felt sick. It was horribly flexible and hissed like a nest of maddened hornets. Andrea's bottom flexed as each stroke flailed the air. And then, with no further warning, the next time Miss Drake landed the cane squarely across Andrea's quivering bottom.

Andrea yelped and Julie saw her whole body shudder at the violent blow. Three more strokes followed and Julie was impressed to see Andrea take them bravely in silence. The teacher stood back after the fourth stroke had bitten home and told Andrea that she could stand up.

Andrea walked very slowly when returning the cane to the trestle and when coming back afterwards. Several times she stopped and, Julie felt, was on the point of clasping her hands to her bottom. Julie thought she was relieved when she was standing next to Linda, holding onto a wall bar. Still, Julie thought it was encouraging that the first caning she had ever witnessed had not reduced its victim to tears.

The next girl to be dealt with was Claire Williamson. Claire was in the same form as Andrea and had arrived with her. Claire, unlike the West Indian schoolgirl, was not a repeat offender and she was sent for the slipper, not the cane. However she was by no means let off lightly. Claire's bottom received no fewer than twelve resounding slipper smacks from Miss Drake's plimsoll and the fourteen year old was in tears well before the infliction was over.

Miss Drake was not satisfied when Claire stretched up to hold onto the wall bars after her slippering. She insisted on Claire grasping a higher bar, until the tips of her toes barely touched the gym floor, with her arms forced to take nearly all of her weight. When the gym mistress was finally happy with Claire's position she walked slowly towards the bars to stand in front of Andrea.

"You were told to stretch up as high as you could, Claire. While you are here I expect you to do as you are told or to face the consequences! Now, hold on tight. This is going to sting!"

With that she administered two sharp slaps to the backs of Claire's thighs, below the blue gym shorts. The naughty teenager yelped at each slap and twisted frantically, but managed to retain her hold on the metal bar.

"I hope that the rest of you benefit from Claire's experience. I expect you to hold on as high up as you can."

As Miss Drake walked slowly back to the horse Julie saw the twin splotches of red spreading out on the pale flesh of Claire's legs.

Julie wondered who was going to be next. It was Caroline Levy, the girl she had been so surprised to see there. As her name was called Caroline walked slowly forward and handed her envelope to the teacher. Julie was shocked when Miss Drake told her to fetch the cane. Once again she wondered what on earth Caroline could have done. She had hoped Caroline would get the slipper. This was a bad omen for her.

As Caroline handed the cane to the teacher Julie saw that she was already crying quietly. Caroline had considerable difficulty getting into place over the horse. Miss Drake was not willing to wait and she encouraged the clumsy girl with a couple of hard slaps to her bare thighs.

When Caroline was finally in place the teacher raised the cane and lashed it down hard onto her flinching bottom. Julie winced sympathetically as her classmate howled in pain, her body bucking over the large horse. Like Andrea, Caroline received four strokes, but she did not take her punishment nearly so well as the younger girl. It seemed to Julie that the teacher was laying on the cane with considerably more force. After the fourth whack Miss Drake instructed the caned girl to stand up, but Caroline remained wriggling over the horse, crying bitterly.

Only after another two sharp hand slaps to her still reddened thighs did Caroline dismount. She danced around on the floor of the gym wailing and, completely oblivious to everything except the pain in her bottom, pressed her hands to the seat of her shorts, vainly trying to control the stinging.

It was the worst thing she could have done. Miss Drake grabbed her roughly and shook her until the nearly hysterical girl could understand what she was saying. Then she made her bend over again for extra strokes. The teacher unleashed a workmanlike stroke, not quite so hard as the ones Caroline had already received but still at least as powerful as those Andrea had felt. Caroline straightened, but did not reach back and bent down again when ordered. Miss Drake delivered one more stroke. Once again Caroline leapt upright, but this time the gym mistress allowed her to dance around for a few moments.

The girl's punishment for "touching" was not over yet, however. Miss Drake made her hold out her left hand. Caroline did so, the smart in her rear inducing her to obey any instructions. The teacher warned her to hold it steady, because if she didn't do so her fingers might be damaged. The cane lashed down and Caroline responded with a high pitched cry of agony, waving her hand wildly and frantically blowing on it in a fruitless effort to ease the unbearable pain. Caroline's right hand suffered similarly before the teacher decided that she had been punished enough.

Poor Caroline found it hard to carry the cane as she stumbled back to the trestle. Finally she hobbled over to the wall bars, the cold bar perhaps bringing some slight comfort to her throbbing hands.

The next girl over the horse was also from Julie's year. Maxine, too, got a caning and it seemed to Julie that Miss Drake hit her even harder than she had Caroline. Maxine took six strokes, all genuine stingers, before the gym mistress told her to stand up. She had taken her caning in silence but as she stood, on unsteady legs, Julie saw that involuntary tears were running down her classmate's pale cheeks. As Maxine reached up to grasp a high wall bar after returning the cane to its place her tight blue gym shorts rode up to reveal some of the swollen marks left by the cane. Julie shivered at the thought of how much they must be hurting.

The next girl to be called was Lindsey Collins. Lindsey had obviously not yet recovered from her recent slippering. Miss Drake looked at her red envelope and told her to fetch the cane. But when the fifth former reached the trestle she just stood there and turned round and looked at the gym mistress, silently and tearfully.

Julie was surprised as Miss Drake showed that she could be merciful. "Very well, Lindsey. Bring me the slipper."

Lindsey scurried back to the teacher, holding the slipper carefully in her still-throbbing hands, before she could change her mind. As she draped herself across the horse Julie could see that the gym shorts the fifth former had unwillingly chosen were a little small for her. They clung like a second skin to the girl's curved bottom, revealing areas of flesh still glowing bright red from Lindsey's earlier dose of the slipper.

Miss Drake had mentioned earlier that she could give up to twelve strokes of the cane or twenty of the slipper, and Lindsey now received a full twenty smacks. Julie couldn't imagine how much it must hurt on top of the eighteen smacks Lindsey had taken earlier. Despite her status as a senior girl Lindsey made a tremendous fuss but she stayed in position. Eventually the gym mistress told the sobbing girl to stand up.

It took a while for Lindsey to replace the slipper and to go and stand next to Maxine, stretching high up the wall bars. Like Claire, Lindsey had to be told to grip a higher bar and earned herself a stinging slap across the back of both thighs.

It was Sarah's turn next. Julie felt isolated. Her neighbours on both sides were gone. Now only three other girls and herself were left in the line-up. She was not surprised when Sarah was sent for the cane.

Miss Drake always made an example of any six formers unfortunate enough to be sent to her for punishment. Sarah had hit another girl in the heat of a quarrel about boyfriends. Her teacher had recommended eight strokes of the cane. Miss Drake smiled grimly. She intended to give this young lady the maximum of twelve strokes!

Julie wondered if Sarah had had the cane before. In fact she had, but the last time was over two years earlier. The eighteen year old was very embarrassed to be there again - and especially in front of her baby sister's best friend.

Once Miss Drake started, though, Sarah forgot about the embarrassment. Her priority, her only thought, was the intense stinging pain in her nether regions. She screwed her mouth and her eyes tightly shut, resolving to take her punishment in silence.

The teacher whipped the cane onto the girl's bottom again and again. This time she let herself go and exercised all her strength and skill. Sarah's previous encounter with the cane had been just four strokes. This time it seemed as if it would never end.

Somehow the sixth former managed to take the first eight strokes in silence. But the next, landing on the swelling weals left by earlier strokes, evoked an ear-splitting howl. Sarah started to sob like a baby. Julie watched horrified. She had thought it might be funny to watch her friend's sister get the cane - but this wasn't funny, it was terrifying.

Despite Sarah's tears, her barely comprehensible pleas for mercy and the way her juddering bottom encased in the tight blue shorts moved across the horse, Miss Drake did not moderate the force of her last few strokes at all. Only when Sarah had taken a full twelve of the very best did she stop and order the girl to dismount.

Sarah obeyed but her legs would not support her and she tumbled to the ground, landing on her poor injured bottom! She shrieked and remained writhing on the ground, howling. Miss Drake clutched her hair and dragged her upright. Julie watched as the caned girl returned the punishment implement to the trestle and stumbled over to take her place by the wall bars.

Susan Brown was next. She was the smallest and youngest girl there, still in the first year. She took her six from the slipper bravely enough. As she dismounted the horse, in tears, Julie realised that there would just be one girl more and then it would be her own turn. Tracey would obviously be the last girl to be dealt with, and she had been the last one to arrive before the second year. She wriggled her bottom involuntarily, her hands still tightly clenched in her hair. She wondered if it would be better for her if the next girl also got the slipper - so Miss Drake might have gotten into the habit by her turn - or if she should hope for the cane - so that by the law of averages it would be the slipper for her.

Whatever Julie's private wishes Lisa Whitaker, the third year girl whose turn was next, was sent for the cane. She received four strokes and each one evoked a loud shriek as the supple rattan slashed down onto the thin cotton shorts tightly stretched over her teenage rear. Poor Lisa walked slowly and stiffly as she returned the cane to the trestle and then made her way to the wall bars to stretch high up next to Susan. Julie felt a shiver go through her body. It would be her turn now.

Miss Drake must have known that she was next, but she made a point of consulting her list.

"Julie Parker, 4B!"

It was some relief to Julie to be able to move her hands from her head. She took a deep breath and walked forward, handing her envelope to the gym mistress. Miss Drake opened the envelope and read the note it enclosed. She looked at Julie, running her eyes up and down assessingly. Julie's knees knocked together.

"Fetch me the slipper, Julie!"

A very relieved Julie ran off to retrieve the plimsoll. She was keen to bring it back before the teacher could change her mind and ask her for the cane. She handed the plimsoll over and obediently draped herself over the leather horse.

WHACKK!!

From the first stroke Julie realised that she had not got off all that lightly. It stung unbelievably!

WHACKK!!

Before she had had a chance to come to terms with the smart, the next stroke followed. Now her entire bottom was on fire and Julie was struggling hard to hold back the tears.

WHACKK!!

WHACKK!!

Two more swingeing strokes followed. Julie was now in tears. Her poor bottom felt swollen to twice its normal size and stinging with unbearable intensity. "Please no more!" she prayed silently as she tasted her tears through her tightly closed lips.

But Miss Drake was not ready to stop. The teacher's recommendation had been four eight slipper whacks, and that was what Julie was going to get. Ignoring the girl's frantic reactions the gym mistress applied a further four hard whacks to her bouncing bottom, encased in the blue school gym shorts. Each whack now evoked a high pitched yelp.

After eight whacks Julie lay across the horse weeping bitterly, her blazing bottom wriggling in the expectation of further punishment. The teacher's barked order came as a relief:

"Off the horse, girl!"

Julie dismounted, slowly and painfully. All her instincts were telling her to clasp her hands to her so-sore posterior, but by a great effort of will she resisted. She took the slipper from the teacher and returned it to the trestle. Then, as instructed, she went over to the wall bars, next to Lisa and reached up as high as she could.

As she did so the just spanked flesh stretched, sending another tremor of pain through her whole body. Her hands clenched the metal bar tightly as she tried, without noticeable success, to ignore the pain and the shame.

Julie expected that the sequence of punishments would now continue with Tracey. But scarcely had she gripped the bar and tried to adjust her position to reduce, even slightly, the discomfort than there was a commotion to her left. She dared a quick glance. Claire Williamson had fallen off of the bars!

"I'm sorry, Miss! I lost my grip!" Julie heard the younger girl's frightened tones.

"You'll be sorry, Claire! I can guarantee that," barked the teacher, "Fetch me the cane!"

"Oh, no Miss! Please! It was an accident! I didn't fall off on purpose!"

"Don't argue with me Claire. That would not be a good idea!"

Julie heard Claire set off to retrieve the cane and her own bottom throbbed in sympathy.

Claire took "only" two strokes - one for not staying in position and one for arguing - but they were both real stingers. Miss Drake told the schoolgirl to return the cane and to get back in place on the bars. Claire did so, but her sobs showed how much those two strokes must have hurt her already tender behind.

Julie was finding the intense sting in her own rear was now coming down to a more bearable level, almost a pleasant tingle. A pity it hadn't been Sarah who had fallen off, she thought. That would really have given her something interesting to tell Mandy!

"Tracey Compton, 2B."

At last it was Tracey's turn again. Like Julie, Tracey was sent for the slipper. Her allocation was six hard whacks that left her crying quietly to herself, just as her earlier dose had done.

Soon Tracey was stretching herself up on Julie's right. The gym mistress addressed the wriggling backs of the punished girls:

"Well, girls, I imagine that you're all feeling rather sorry for yourselves. But remember that your punishment is not over until you have got dressed again and leave the changing room. Until then any disobedience, any slackness, any talking, any time-wasting - in short anything that annoys me - will be dealt with in the manner with which you are all now painfully familiar! Now, I am going to tidy up in here and you will all stay in your present positions reflecting on your behaviour and its consequences.

"When I am ready I will walk along the line. When I slap your behind you will let go of the bar and go, quickly and quietly, into the changing room. You will change back into your school clothes as quickly as possible. There will be no talking. There will be no comparison of marks. You will put your gym kit into the laundry basket and then leave. And don't linger in the corridors or washrooms - Mr Hawkins, the janitor, has standing instructions to bring any girl he finds hanging about back to me. I won't spell out the consequences, but I dare say you can guess!

"Finally, a small incentive to get changed quickly. The last girl to get changed will get the slipper!"

With that Miss Drake turned away and began to clear things away, taking the trestle, cane and slipper to her office and moving the horse to the side of the gym. The girls shifted uncomfortably in their awkward, stretched posture. For Julie this was now the worst thing, but several other girls like Sarah and Claire were still trying to come to terms with the effects of Miss Drake's cane on their posteriors.

When the gym mistress had completed her task she stood watching the girls for a few moments. "Not too bad," she thought, "I think they know they've been punished!"

She walked to the end of the line and noticed how Linda tensed herself in anticipation. Miss Drake liked to keep the girls guessing in these circumstances. She walked past Linda and delivered a terrific slap to Andrea Garner's caned behind. The West Indian girl squeaked in surprise and pain and then dismounted from the bars and trotted back to the changing room.

Slowly, Miss Drake walked down the line of punished girls. She knew they would all be wondering who would be next. She walked all the way up to Tracey, smiling grimly at the girls' involuntary reactions as she passed by. Then she slowly walked back again, before pausing behind Lindsey Collins. Then she delivered a hard slap across Sarah's bottom and, simultaneously, another, with her left hand, to the seat of Maxine's blue gym shorts. Poor Sarah gave vent to a loud shriek that echoed around the gym and both girls set off for the changing room.

One by one the girls received their slaps of dismissal. Julie was last of all and by her turn the slap was rather more symbolic than painful. Perhaps Miss Drake's hand had become rather sore by then!

Julie started to get changed quickly. She didn't want to be the last girl and earn another dose of the slipper. But she soon saw that she had little to fear. Sarah Brookes was still in intense discomfort after having taken a full twelve from Miss Drake's cane. Every movement aggravated the stinging and the eighteen year old appeared to be changing in slow motion. Julie decided she would time things so that she was one from last. Then she would leave the room but wait outside so that she could listen to Sarah's slippering and pass the details on to Mandy. She would risk the janitor!

It wasn't difficult for Julie to carry out her plan. She had been the last girl into the changing room, after all and the other girls were all keen to get out of there as soon as possible. Soon only she, Sarah and Claire were left. Sarah was just beginning to try to manipulate herself into her brown trousers. Julie fiddled with a shoelace as Claire left the room gladly. She allowed her a few moments to get clear and then left the room herself, stopping to one side of the open door. She could hear everything that was happening.

There was a delay while Sarah evidently finished changing. Then the voice of the gym mistress:

"So. Just you and me, Sarah. You know what's going to happen next. Stand where you are, while I fetch the slipper!"

"Please, Miss!" Julie was delighted to hear the tearful voice of her best friend's sister begging for mercy. "I'm really sore! You know how hard you caned me. Please let me off!"

"Rules are rules, Sarah. It's the same for you as the other girls. If you didn't want the slipper, you should have got changed quicker!"

"Can't I have the slipper on my hands, then, or come back next week for it? Oh, please miss, have a heart!"

Julie heard the ice in the gym mistress's voice as she replied. "You will be slippered here and now, madam, just as any other girl would have been. And if you are not happy with that then, yes, you may come back next week. But not just for a slippering. For another full punishment session where you can expect another dozen with the cane!"

There was another pause. Evidently the unhappy Sarah had accepted her fate and Miss Drake had gone off for the plimsoll. Julie listened intently for what was going to happen next.

"Bend over, Sarah! Let's get this over with. I've got a home to go to!"

Suddenly, as Julie listened intently, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She squealed in shock and jumped away. It was Mr Hawkins.

"Eavesdropping, were you girl? Let's see what Miss Drake thinks about that!"

"I wasn't listening, honestly. I was just going. Please don't report me!" Julie could scarcely stammer out a coherent excuse. It wouldn't have been any use, anyway. The janitor grabbed her by her shoulder and hustled her into the room.

If Mr Hawkins was surprised at the sight of an eighteen year old girl bending down while Miss Drake stood over her, slipper in hand, he didn't show it. He had probably seen such sights often enough before. "She was standing outside the door, miss. She was listening to what was going on."

"I wasn't, miss," exclaimed Julie, "really I wasn't. My shoelace got undone and I had to do it up. I had just stood up after tying it when Mr Hawkins grabbed me!"

Miss Drake did not dignify the excuse with a reply. "Thank you, Mr Hawkins. You may be assured that that young lady will get what she deserves. Stand by the wall, Julie."

Mr Hawkins nodded politely at the gym teacher and left the room. "Right, Sarah. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

With that she swung the slipper down onto the seat of Sarah's brown trousers. To the watching, and agitated Julie, it did not seem that the teacher was using much force. But Miss Drake obviously knew that in the present state of Sarah's bottom it was sufficient.

To young Sarah it was more than sufficient! She gasped sharply and desperately wriggled her bottom.

Three further firm taps followed, each one evoking a yell and more frantic wrigglings from the eighteen year old. Julie's pleasure at this interesting scene was eclipsed by the thought of her own likely prospects.

After the fourth smack from the slipper, Miss Drake placed the plimsoll on a bench and regarded the errant sixth former's punished rear. Sarah couldn't keep still and the well-curved bottom encased in its tight cotton covering wobbled like a jelly. The teacher gently placed her hand on the punished rear, feeling the girl flinch at the contact. She could feel the tremendous heat radiating from the well-spanked bottom. As she delicately stroked the taut trousers she felt the swelling weals on Sarah's firm flesh. The teacher sighed.

"Stand up, Sarah!"

The teenager straightened and did a quick war dance before standing as still as she could in front of the gym mistress.

"Very well, Sarah. You are dismissed. I don't want to see you sent here again!"

Sniffing back her tears, the sixth form girl left.

The teacher turned to Julie.

"Evidently I was over lenient earlier, Julie. I won't make that mistake this time! Come over here and bend over, touching your toes!"

Julie thought about repeating her excuse. But the expression on the teacher's face convinced her that at this time discretion was the better part of valour. She bit her lip, moved forward and assumed the ignominious position as ordered.

Miss Drake smiled grimly. She picked up the plimsoll from the bench and looked at Julie's small bottom, wavering slightly in its blue school skirt. She turned and walked into her office, leaving Julie bending down. When she returned she was carrying the cane, not the slipper! Julie was completely oblivious to the exchange, guessing that Miss Drake was keeping her waiting to make the tension worse.

To Julie's consternation Miss Drake grasped the hem of her skirt and pulled it up, revealing her school knickers. That hadn't happened to Tracey earlier! Still worse followed. Julie's large school knickers covered most of her bottom and the gym teacher wanted to see the effect of the earlier slippering. The teacher leaned down and pulled the knickers into the cleft between the schoolgirl's bottom cheeks. The marks of the earlier punishment could now be seen on Julie's practically bare bottom. Miss Drake nodded her head. Still fairly red and one small bruise starting on the right cheek, but this girl had definitely got off lightly earlier.

The teacher tapped the cane lightly on the girl's bottom. That touch was Julie's first signal that something unexpected was happening. That wasn't the slipper! The awful implications had not had time to seep through before the cane swished noisily through the air. It arrived at its destination with a resounding thwack. Julie's earlier slippering had not prepared her for the intense sting that the cane could cause when wielded with any degree of force. She roared at the top of her voice in protest and jumped upright.

Julie did a war dance of pain, alternately flapping her arms and clutching herself below the school skirt which had fallen back into place.

"Julie! Back down again, NOW! That stroke won't count. If you stand up again, you'll get two extra."

Tears were pouring down Julie's face. She couldn't believe how much that one stroke had hurt. She had no idea how many strokes Miss Drake wanted to give her. She sobbed in shock, unable to speak.

"Do I have to keep raising my voice to you? Get back down at once!" Miss Drake shouted as Julie's moans started to subside. Julie tried to steady herself. Her friends Caroline and Maxine had taken canings earlier on. Surely she was as tough as Caroline, at any rate. Julie drew a deep breath and reluctantly resumed her position. Miss Drake pulled her skirt up again, this time tucking the hem under the waistband to keep it in place. The girl's knickers were still pulled up between her buttocks and Miss Drake could see a weal swelling painfully on both cheeks. Julie, now with more idea of what was to come, braced herself and tried to squeeze herself together as if trying to reduce the size of the target.

The angry gym teacher applied a further four full blooded strokes of the cane. Julie shrieked at each one and twisted and writhed frantically as the stinging in her bottom increased way past the point that she would previously have regarded as unbearable.

Finally, it was all over.

"Stand up, Julie!"

The fifteen year old straightened, sobbing pitifully. The teacher waited until her howls had started to die down.

"Don't be such a big baby!" she said. "Let that be a lesson to you. You can go now - and don't linger this time!"

Julie did not feel like lingering!