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I would prefer not to reveal
Stuart's ingenious plan immediately. The details will unfold in due course.
January passed and the weather took a turn
for the better. Our regular troop meetings returned to "our" woods and
we were all pleased not to have to be cooped up indoors. Because of the
limited time available between end of classes and nightfall our meetings
commenced within half an hour of the end of the school day. All the members
of the troop had permission to attend school in scout uniform rather than
school uniform on Wednesdays to save time. Most of the boys belonged to
one or other of the local troops, depending upon where they lived, as there
was little or no other entertainment. For my close circle of friends wearing
scout uniform to school was no hardship - many of us were still confined
to short trousers and were used to having bare knees (Hey ho for the sixties!).
At one of our meetings our leaders announced
that the following weekend they would be sorting and reviewing our equipment
in preparation for our Easter camp and the coming summer. They asked for
volunteers to join them on Saturday morning and then spend a night under
canvas before completing the task on Sunday morning. Some of the work involved
heavy lifting so a fair number were required. James, Stuart, Robert, David
and I naturally jumped at the chance to be away from home. Mike, Peter,
Roger and Matthew not surprisingly offered their services - Mike was the
senior patrol leader and took his duties seriously. We were sorry that
Paul would not be able to join us - he already had other plans for Saturday.
We all knew that this was not to be an excuse for one of our mad games.
Our leaders would keep us working hard until nightfall but had promised
to prepare us an excellent supper!
As the meeting broke up Stuart took James
and me on one side and said, "All being well we should be able to carry
out the operation this weekend!"
Permission was almost a formality. The attraction
of having my friends around almost every weekend was wearing very thin
with my mother and both my parents had a high regard for our two leaders.
They knew we would be made to work hard but otherwise be well looked after.
On Saturday morning all my friends, including
Stuart, arrived almost simultaneously. Stuart asked quietly if I had the
"equipment" - I nodded vigorously - and demanded the keys, which he sealed
in an envelope and then reinforced it with sticky tape. We set out for
the woods by way of the beach.
Some of you may recall the café adjacent
to the beach, where I was made to sit for the amusement of my brother and
the present company with my hands tied behind my back while they sat and
drank coke and laughed at my intense embarrassment (if you don't, have
a look in the archives!). When we left I was desperately relieved that
my predicament had gone unobserved. Or so I thought. One of the waitresses,
a girl of 19 or so called Glynis, subsequently revealed that she had seen
all but felt it was unfair to add to my discomfiture. I naturally fell
deeply in love (well, not in the same way I felt for the light of my life,
Angela) and we became firm friends. I liked to think I was favoured because
of my innate good looks, in reality it was probably because I was cheekier
than the rest of my friends. She was to play a central role in Stuart's
scheme.
It was to this emporium that we now adjourned
and were relieved to find Glynis behind the counter. Having bought drinks
all round we sat down while Stuart asked her if she would do something
for me! She grinned coquettishly and replied that it would depend what
it was. I was so embarrassed that all I could do was hang my head and avoid
her gaze and it was left to Stuart to explain what we wanted her to do.
It was so simple that she agreed without hesitation and Stuart sat down
with us grinning from ear to ear. ""See, I told you it would be easy,"
he chortled. "The trap is now set!"
We finished our drinks, waved good bye to
our friend and carried on the short distance to the woods where everyone
else was already gathered and working hard. Two six man tents had been
erected for us, together with a smaller one for the two adult leaders and
we spent the rest of the day, stripped to the waist, sorting, repairing
and cleaning all the equipment we would require at our forthcoming camps
and troop meetings throughout the summer. By early evening we were hot,
sweaty, tired and pleased to receive the grateful thanks of our leaders
for a job well done.
They were as good as their word and provided
us with a feast tasting all the better for not having had to cook it ourselves.
Over the meal we confessed to a little of our extra-mural activities and
the two adults exchanged shocked looks but nevertheless laughed at our
revelations. We agreed it was only fair for us boys to clear up after the
meal, and the two oldies thanked us and told us they would leave us to
our own devices for a couple of hours. They reminded us (unnecessarily)
this was a working weekend and they would expect us all to be in bed by
10.00pm assuming they were not back by then. It was now 7.00 so we had
plenty of time. Washing up took half an hour and by 7.30 we were sitting
in a circle exchanging gossip and yarns with water heating for coffee on
the stove.
After a few minutes Mike turned to me and
said, "David tells us you have got a pair of real handcuffs". I nodded
my assent. I already knew David would "prime the pump" in this way. None
of us made further comment; we were certain their curiosity would get the
better of them. We were not disappointed. After sitting in silence for
a little while Roger spoke up, "Have you got them with you? Get them out
and lets have a look!"
Feigning reluctance I reached into the pocket
of my shorts and slowly pulled out the shiny object and handed them to
Roger. As usual each cuff was locked. The older boys were overcome with
curiosity as the manacles were handed from hand to hand, much as my pals
had been a few weeks earlier. Once more, their handling caused one of the
bracelets to open and their faces were a study as the realisation that
no key was required to open them dawned on them. The now unlocked handcuffs
were again passed from hand to hand until they reached Matthew who placed
an open bracelet experimentally around his wrist.
We younger ones held our breath. So far they
were behaving just as Stuart had predicted but Matthew looked up and said,
"I suppose you do have keys for these?"
"Of course," I replied, disingenuously. "They
wouldn't be much use without!"
No one seemed to take any notice of my reply.
All eyes were on Matthew who seemed engrossed in the cuffs. Without attempting
to lock the one already on his arm he placed the second around his other
wrist, the locking bars dangling free beneath. He seemed to be pondering
something very deeply and then at last he carefully withdrew one hand and
slowly and deliberately locked the other cuff securely to his left wrist.
He had not taken the precaution of leaving it loose to give himself the
opportunity of squeezing his hand free. We all seemed to let out our breath
together as we sat watching our self appointed victim like cats. Now he
once more slowly and deliberately placed the other cuff around his free
arm, sitting for a long while with the locking bar dangling free.
We had all agreed before hand that we would
under no circumstances attempt to force one of our traditional adversaries
into the handcuffs. Such a plan would almost certainly backfire, but so
far Stuart's plan had worked like a dream. Robert however now decided he
would need to push matters along a little and give Matthew some encouragement.
"Of course, your hands should really be behind your back," he offered.
Matthew looked blankly at the speaker with almost a trance like expression
on his face. After a few moments he replied, "Yes, I guess you're right".
With that he removed his free hand, leant forward and slowly and deliberately
placed his hands behind him, grappling for the dangling cuff and placing
it, once more, unlocked around his wrist. He sat like this again for a
few moments, which seemed an eternity and then suddenly seemed to reach
a decision. With the fingers of the hand which was already cuffed he reached
across for the locking bar and with a firm pressure and a satisfying clicking
from the ratchet locked it just as securely as the other to his right arm.
We sat motionless and expressionless as our victim struggled experimentally
with his hands chained behind him.
Mike, Roger and Peter seemed to derive a
lot of amusement from Matthew's self imposed predicament and it has to
be said that the latter was more than happy to join in their laughter.
At last however one of them said, "OK Richard, give me the key and we'll
let him go". It was the turn of my pals to burst out with hysterical laughing
while all I could do was look shifty. I had a sudden premonition that,
while this was Stuart's scheme, it would rebound on me.
"I'm sorry, I can't," I replied. "I haven't
got them with me. I only said I had some keys for them - I didn't say they
were on me!" Matthew looked shocked but the other three exchanged glances
then suddenly, without a word being said, pounced on me, pinning me to
the ground on my stomach and holding my hands behind my back. "Oh no,"
I thought, "once more Richard finishes up tied up and probably gagged!"
This thought however was premature - my pockets were searched (the work
of a moment) which revealed nothing but a handkerchief. Still, I wasn't
allowed to rise.
The older boys looked enquiringly at my mates
but with one voice they all denied having the keys. "OK, I guess that means
you have left them at home," said Mike sternly. "You are in for a long
run to fetch them - we shall expect you to be back here before ten o'clock."
Matthew looked downcast at the prospect of
having to remain handcuffed until then but he didn't know there was worse
to come. Before I could say a word Stuart spoke up.
"Richard can't do that. The keys are not
at home. They have been left with Glynis at the beach café and she
is under strict instructions to hand them only to him or me. Unfortunately,
the café closed an hour ago and won't be open again until 7.30 tomorrow
morning." Matthew looked horrified and struggled desperately, but uselessly,
in his bonds. Stuart continued, "Before you decide to do anything to Richard
I had better explain we were all in on this and it wasn't his idea in the
first place. I suggest that Matthew reconciles himself to remaining handcuffed
until the morning - he really doesn't have much choice in the matter anyway
- and Richard and I will solemnly promise to retrieve the keys as soon
as the café opens tomorrow. You will certainly be free by breakfast!"
There was a shocked silence and then suddenly
Matthew burst out laughing. The other three older boys exchanged glances
and then joined in, releasing me from their hold as they did so. When their
mirth died down Matthew asked what would have happened if it had been one
of the others in his place.
"Oh, it really didn't matter who it was,"
Stuart replied brightly. "James had particularly wanted to catch Peter
or Roger - he has never really forgiven you for the handling he received
in the very first game he played." James giggled and avoided everyone's
eyes. "As far as Mike is concerned, we all believe he was the prime mover
in our kidnapping last summer," - Mike grinned but said nothing, "and as
for you, you were the one that carried out the water torture that night
although I, for my part was excused that, so I don't bear any special grudge!
What we were certain of is the way you would respond to the handcuffs."
He indicated the younger boys with a gesture and continued, "We all reacted
in exactly the same way and I was fairly sure you would too. I'm pleased
you proved me correct!"
We continued our discussion for a little
while and then David, ever practical said, "It might be a good idea if
we get Matthew out of sight before the others return. You may be more comfortable
if you step through your hands so that they are in front of you."
Everyone concurred with this suggestion and
with a little support from Mike and Roger Matthew managed to get his hands
round from behind his back. We then adjourned to the tents. Matthew had
remained shirtless when we stopped work - he claimed not to feel the cold
- but he was dressed in jeans. He had no alternative but to accept assistance
in getting him out of these and into a pair of shorts and we then helped
him into his sleeping bag. We were all tired and ready for bed but before
my younger pals and I withdrew Matthew said, "No hard feelings about this,"
- he held up his manacled hands for our inspection - "but please, please
get me free before the oldies are aware of what went on tonight!"
I looked at him sympathetically and gave
him my word that we would have the keys in plenty of time for breakfast.
In bed at last, we lay and chattered for
a while, congratulating Stuart for his plan which, without any intervention
on our part, had run like clockwork. We spared a thought for Matthew who
was destined for a much less comfortable night than the rest of us and
set James's alarm clock for 7.15am to ensure we kept our promise.
The next morning, woken by the clock, Stuart
and I ran to the café without even changing our shorts and tee shirts.
Glynis was met on the doorstep as she arrived by two tousle headed boys.
The envelope was returned to us intact and ten minutes later we were back
at the camp with Matthew's passport to freedom. As we entered the other
tent he sat up, presenting his still manacled hands to us and without any
further comment we liberated him. He thanked us and gently massaged his
wrists although the cuffs had not been painfully tight.
There were no repercussions. The four older
boys were quite amused that we had successfully carried out Stuart's devious
scheme and congratulated rather than threatened us. When we narrated the
tale to Paul he was delighted we had been able to trap his brother, his
only regret being that he wasn't there to see it.
We were looking forward to a summer season
of mayhem, now only a couple of weeks away but before then there would
be unexpected changes in our private army...
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