Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:11:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: adm2780 <adm2780@yahoo.com>
Subject: New Horizons  Chapter Seventy-Five

All rights reserved.  Other than downloading one copy for personal
enjoyment, no part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted by any
means, except for reviews, without the written permission of the author.
As in real life, the sexual themes unfold gradually and are kept to a
realistic level.  Comments on the story are appreciated and may be
addressed to the author, Dwight Wilson, at adm2780@yahoo.com

This story contains descriptions of consensual sexual contact between
males, adult and minor.  As such it is homoerotic, designed for the
entertainment of mature adults.  If you are not of legal age to read such
material, or if the subject matter would create irresolvable personal moral
dilemmas, please exit now.

Note: I would like to thank Colin, John and Matthew for their continued
support and patience while I try to write this story.  Their support and
efforts at editing and correcting my errors keep me focused.  It is the
emails and comments I receive from you, the readers, that encourage me to
continue.


Chapter Seventy-Five: New Horizons


Friday afternoon and evening quickly became a very busy time around New
Horizons.  The first group to arrive was Elizabeth and three co-workers who
would assist with Daniel's interviews.  Elizabeth also had her sons, Chris
and Eddie, with her, both of whom had shed their clothes, to the amusement
of Elizabeth's co-workers, long before reaching New Horizons.  Upon their
arrival, Elizabeth barely had time to tell her sons to be good and have fun
before they had run off to find their friends.

The second group arrived later in the afternoon.  Captain Jackson with
several of his men and their sons came for the weekend.  Most of the boys
had shed their clothes before the cars stopped.  Any still wearing clothes,
quickly lost them and took off to join in the fun and games.  The adults
watched the boys run off, somewhat envious of the freedom and innocence of
youth, but as parents, pleased that their sons were enjoying themselves.

Arthur and Linda arrived just before it was time to serve supper.  Daniel
had told Jeremy they were coming and the boy had spent what seemed to be an
endless afternoon watching for their arrival.  Jeremy was playing on the
basketball court with a group of boys when he spotted the car as it pulled
into the parking lot.  Without saying anything, he bolted for the parking
lot.  Arthur had just managed to get out of the car and close the door when
he was hit by a twelve year old bundle of boy.  Jeremy wrapped his arms
around Arthur's waist and just stood, holding on.  Arthur wrapped his arms
around the boy's shoulders and held him briefly before saying anything.

"Missed you too, kiddo," Arthur said as he lifted the boy's chin and looked
into the young eyes filled with pools of tears.

"Do I get a hug, too?" Linda asked as she walked around the car.

Jeremy quickly wrapped his arms around Linda and squeezed tightly.  Linda
held the boy, using one hand to gently rub his back.  After a few moments
she placed a hand on each side of Jeremy's head and, tilting his head back,
reached down and kissed him on the forehead.

"Jeremy, you don't know how much we've missed you.  Home just hasn't been
the same." Linda watched the boy much as a loving and proud mother would
admire her own son.  In Linda's eyes and heart, Jeremy was her son.  "How
have you been?"

"Fine," Jeremy answered, barely above a whisper as he enjoyed being held
and having his back rubbed.

"Guess what; we brought someone who wanted to see you."  Jeremy looked
curiously up at Linda and then spotted Derek, wearing only his birthday
suit, coming around to face him.  Both boys popped big smiles.

"Derek's been asking about you quite often," Arthur added, "When his dad
heard we were coming over he asked if Derek could come, too.  We thought
the two of you might enjoy a visit, so, why don't the two of you take off
and do whatever it is the two of you do and we'll catch up with you later?"
Jeremy gave both Arthur and Linda another quick hug and the two boys were
off to join the others.

                                       * * * *

Chris and Eddie, being as adverse to wearing clothes as any boy at New
Horizons, were bronzed by the sun and fit right in with the other boys.
When Daniel took some of the boys with him to Orlando, it wasn't unusual to
stay at Elizabeth's, plus her boys had visited New Horizons.  It was only
natural that they would have friends they were anxious to seek out.  Two of
their best friends were the twins, Bill and John, sometimes known as the
sex fiend twins.

It was easy to find the twins, just look for two boys that were mirror
images of one another and having more fun than anyone else.  Elizabeth's
sons found the twins playing in the pool.  When they approached the edge of
the pool, the twins spotted them.  Looking at each other, the two sets of
boys only needed to smile at each other and the decision was made.  The
twins climbed out of the pool and four boys wandered off, running and
laughing, to find a place to play their favorite games.  Other boys,
watching the four, laughed when they saw them run towards the groves.
Their intent signaled by the signs most boys cannot control or hide.

When the boys reached the far side of the groves, out of sight to the other
boys, they quickly dropped to their knees.  Holding their partner's bubble
shaped cheeks, the boys began rubbing one another.  They giggled and
whimpered as they enjoyed the feel of silky skin massaging the most
precious and sensitive of boy parts.  Each boy lay his head on the shoulder
of his friend as he concentrated on humping in rhythm and reaching that
first, exquisite dry thrill that they needed and wanted so badly.  The
closer they came to the edge, the harder each boy pushed and humped.  Each
compression was accentuated by whimpers and moans that became louder and
more urgent.  When the thrill hit each of them, their bodies at first tense
and then quivering with delight, they released a chorus of satisfied cries
and whimpers.

When the boys stopped shaking and whimpering, they each sat back on their
heels and smiled at one another.  Looking each other in the eyes, they soon
began to laugh and giggle, sounding only as preadolescents can; their
laughter echoing the thrills and happiness each felt for the other.

With the immediate edge gone, the boys focused on other things almost
equally as important.  Their individual boyhoods remained alert and ready
for action, but there were other matters that had to be tended to.  Not the
least important was to compare their boyhoods and determine who was now the
biggest and who had grown the most since their last meeting.  A stick was
used to measure length by placing the stick on top of the shaft and marking
the end of the pole.  Each boy was carefully and precisely measured to
determine who would be the biggest for that weekend.

In addition to the manly staff, importance was given to the twin marbles
each supported and protected.  Each boy had to feel the others, feeling for
both size and weight.  The boys knew that the more the marbles drifted down
from their body, the sooner each could produce nature's cream of youth.
After much feeling, and weighing and bouncing of the marbles, the only
thing the boys accomplished was to make each of them needy again.  One of
the twins gave his friend a mischievous smile, knocked him back on the
ground and dove between his legs.  A high pitched squeal sounded as the boy
arched his back and felt his marbles consumed by a warm vacuum.  The other
boys followed.

One twin was on top, pleasing his friend.  One twin was on the bottom,
being pleased by his friend.  It didn't take long before the boys on top
were turned and four boys reciprocated the pleasures coursing through their
young bodies.

Four boys cloaked in the innocence of youth.  Four boys, unaware of the
evils society would have served upon them.  Four boys rolled in the sand
and enjoyed the pleasures nature bestowed upon them.

                                       * * * *

During supper, all of the adults gathered around two tables that Barry had
pushed together to accommodate staff and visitors.  The visiting professors
even wore clothes out of respect for their guests.  Elizabeth and Linda sat
near each other to talk.  Both were watching the boys.

"Linda, have you visited here before?"

"No, I haven't.  To tell you the truth, I was always a little reluctant to
come.  I remember what the boys were like the first time Daniel brought
them to our house.  Poor things, they looked like little lost puppies.  It
didn't take very long though between Daniel and Arthur that they had them
feeling right at home.  They had them helping to grill hamburgers; that was
in between the boys taking turns doing cannonballs off the side of the
pool."

"That's the way it was at my house," Elizabeth responded.  "Of course, I
think I had the advantage of having two boys who think having to wear
clothes is a punishment."

"That's how the boys are at our house now.  With Jeremy, Ted and Derek
would come over quite a bit, so we got accustomed to having the boys run
free most of the time.  I used to be concerned the boys might think I was
intruding by coming here.  Now, I feel perfectly ignored, just like being
at home."  Both ladies laughed, fully understanding Linda's comments.

While the ladies exchanged stories about their experiences with the boys
and then moved on to discuss the spots Linda might be able to help
Elizabeth with, Arthur talked with the men.

The consensus among legal professionals was that, particularly given the
success of the previous case to free boys taken as their parents' property,
and the protection afforded through the appeal of the case, the courts
would extend the holdings to the current guardian ad litem cases.  The
first case had focused on boys seized but not yet enslaved.  The current
case focused on boys already enslaved.  Both cases targeted boys taken to
satisfy the debt of a single parent.  Daniel and his supporters were
satisfied with their efforts involving both groups of children.  They were
now turning their attention to the large number of children still subjected
to the institution of slavery and not included in either group.

The largest group, were boys who had lost both parents to enslavement.
When the parents were enslaved, all assets owned by the parents at that
time were forfeited to the state.  When the slave laws were relatively
knew, children who lost both parents were considered orphaned and indigent;
as such, they were sold into slavery themselves.  Under the newer court
ruling which Daniel and his associates so adamantly opposed, the children
were a part of the forfeited assets; thus, they were sold into slavery.
The only real difference was that an asset did not have to be declared
indigent before being sold.  The formation of the New Horizons project had
protected some of the children.  The subsequent executive order prohibiting
the enslavement and sale of children offered additional protection.  The
problem was that the executive order would expire at a given time.

The adults spent their evening discussing the strategies that would
continue and new strategies that could be implemented to further their
cause of protecting the children.  In the beginning, Daniel had been
reluctant to use the children and expose them to the public or some of the
negative feedback their campaign could generate.  Daniel was now willing to
accept that he could protect the children too much.  He needed to drop some
of the barriers and let the children help him to help them.

Decisions were made that Daniel would again embark on public appearance
tours and use the Cherubs.  The television station would make and air
public welfare segments that it thought were in the best interest of the
children.  The segments would focus on the need for new laws to protect
current and future generations.  Colin offered to use his skills as a
journalist and writer to prepare articles and have them published in his
employer's papers statewide.

The group worked late into the evening outlining a strategy and detailing
steps.  A key element to the strategy was an expansion of the target
audience.  Previous appearances were on television and before various civic
groups.  The audience would be expanded to include a younger and much more
vocal group.  As the hour grew late Daniel told the group of supporters
that he would talk with the boys during breakfast the next day and ask for
their help.

                                       * * * *

After supper and while the adults discussed business, the boys had fun.
With all the company for the weekend a lot of the boys were running around
chasing one another.  Some just sat around and talked, while others were
involved in an organized game.  Sean, Jeremy and Derek were in the pool
horsing around as boys often do.  They enjoyed dunking one another or
pushing a wave into the other's face when they didn't expect it and then
trying to escape from any retaliation.  When the pool had so many boys in
it that you couldn't turn around without bumping into someone, the three
boys decided to escape to somewhere that offered more solitude.

Hardly anyone noticed the three boys as they trotted off in the direction
of the groves.  They were three boys running around chasing one another,
pushing each other when they got within range, laughing and having fun.
The boys weren't headed to any particular place; they just wanted a little
solitude and the chance to visit.  Sean ran up behind Jeremy and pushed his
friend's shoulder.  At the same time he stepped on his friend's ankle,
throwing him to the ground.  Jeremy hit the ground laughing, rolled in the
sand and didn't bother to get up.  Derek and Sean dropped to the ground
next to Jeremy.

"HEEYYY!!" Jeremy called out, "you got me all messed up now."  Jeremy half-
heartedly complained as he tried to brush some of the sand off his shoulder
and arm.

"Aaawww, it's just a little sand.  Nothin' the pool or shower won't get rid
of," Sean responded, helping to brush some of the sand off his friend.

The three boys sat on the ground, panting from their running and horsing
around.  Sean and Derek looked around them and then at one another.

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" Sean directed at Derek.

"Pro'bly.  This looks like it, don't it?" Derek responded.

"Looks like what?" Jeremy asked both his friends.  The other two boys
smiled.

"This looks like the place where me and Sean lost our virginity," Derek
stated.

"Virginity?  What're you talkin' about?  I thought you were both still
virgins."

"No, not like that," Derek corrected Jeremy. "I got my first blow job here
and Sean gave his first blow job here.  Fact, he gave it to me."  Sean and
Derek laughed.

"Guys, I hate ta tell ya this, but we didn't consider giving somebody a
blow job losin' your virginity.  That was baby stuff," Jeremy taunted is
friends.

"Baby stuff!" Sean exclaimed.

"That sounded like a challenge," Derek added, smiling at Sean.  The two
boys then turned and attacked their insulting friend, pinning him to the
ground while they attacked his body.

"Guys!  Stop!. . .Stop!. . .I didn't mean it like that. . . .aaaahhhhh, ohh
shit!.. .my nipple. .  .don't bite it off!. . .guys. . .no fair. . "  The
boys refused to listen to Jeremy.  Besides, his laughter said he didn't
want them to stop anyway.

"Babies, huh?  Sean, let's show 'im what these babies can do.  I'm getting'
me a baby nipple."

Derek was happy.  All the way from West Palm Beach and for many days
before, he had thought about Jeremy.  He looked at Jeremy as his special
friend and often went to bed at night thinking of him.  While he
day-dreamed of Jeremy and the things he wanted to do with him, Derek often
played with himself until he felt that special tingle and felt himself
float into that special world of pleasure available to a boy.  Derek
wondered how he was going to tell his friend that he wanted to have mad,
lustful sex with him.  He wanted to feel and taste every inch of his young
friend's body.  He wanted to do for Jeremy the same things that Ted had
been teaching him.  He was thrilled that it happened this way.

Taking his time, Derek continued to suckle and tongue Jeremy's nipple.
Derek listened to his friend whimper and enjoyed the feel of his body as it
twisted and squirmed under his touch.  Since the first day he'd met Jeremy
he thought the boy was beautiful.  As he flicked his tongue over the young
nipple he could smell and taste the excitement coursing through his buddy's
young body.  He stopped for a moment and sniffed.  He ran his cheek over
the young pectoral and put his nose into the underarm.  All youth, all
fresh and inviting.  All his to pleasure and to enjoy.

Sean was on Jeremy's other side.  Sean was inexperienced at these games,
having been protected and sheltered by his brother, but he was making up
for lost time and enjoyed pleasing his buddy.  Like Derek, he too thought
Jeremy was beautiful.  He was strong for a boy his age, but he was also
vulnerable.  Many nights Sean went to sleep dreaming of just holding Jeremy
in his arms.  He pictured the two of them near the stream where it was
quiet and peaceful.  Sean sat leaning against a tree.  Jeremy sat between
his legs and leaned back into him.  Their warm, satiny skin touched and
allowed them to exchange the heat and energy generated by two young bodies.
Sean could lean over and kiss his friend on his cheek or ear.  He would
play gently with a nipple or slip his moist tongue into a sensitive ear,
just as he was doing now.

Jeremy lay on his back with his eyes squeezed shut.  He gritted his teeth
to try and control his cries of pleasure at the feelings his friends gave
him.  Jeremy was accustomed to being on his back for sex, but it wasn't
ever for his pleasure.  Many times he lay with gritted teeth and eyes
squeezed shut, but it was to control the cries of pain generated from the
abuse of the men who had bought him.  Before, he was the young boy that lay
on his back with arms outstretched and pulled until the joints ached.
Grown men, often overweight, lay on top of him pistoning their manhood into
the boy's love canal.  The boy's cries encouraged them to pound him harder
and harder.  Sometimes the boy never knew when the men found their
pleasures; he had passed out from his treatment.

Today, two friends lay on top of him.  They held him, suckled his sensitive
nipples and massaged his boyhood.  Today, the once abused boy was
pleasured.  There was no pain or fear.  There was only the gasps of
pleasure heard between whimpers and pleadings of a boy shown the care and
love that all boys deserved.

                                       * * * *


Saturday morning all of the boys were in the mess hall.  Daniel used the
time to let them know what the plans were for the weekend and the decisions
that had been made the previous evening.  When Daniel called for the
boys'attention, the room became very quiet.  Following his normal routine,
Daniel walked around the room while he talked to the boys.  Everyone knew
what would happen when Daniel reached Danny.  As he approached the young
boy, everyone smiled when they saw Danny first act coy, then hold his arms
up to the man.

Daniel reached for the boy just as everyone knew he would.  Danny grinned
from ear to ear.  Normally, Daniel set the boy on his side or hip and Danny
wrapped an arm over the man's shoulder.  This time, Daniel flipped the boy
over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.  Immediately, a high-pitched
scream echoed through the hall, followed by more screams of delight and
laughter.  Daniel continued his tour of the room, holding a small ankle
firmly in each hand; he ignored the two arms flailing around behind him.
When Daniel reached the center of the room, he placed his right foot on the
bench and pulled Danny back over his shoulder, setting the boy so that he
straddled Daniel's leg.

"Fellas, we've come a long way, but we still have a long ways to go.
Elizabeth and her crew will be filing short public announcements that will
be broadcast several times during the next few days.  I will be involved in
some of these, Ms. Linda in others, and some of you boys in still others.
We're looking for volunteers to help set-up the sets in the study hall and
to be Cherubs in the various scenes.  Anyone interested?"

Neither Daniel, nor any of the other adults, was surprised when almost
every hand in the room was raised. The only hands not raised in the
beginning were the real young boys that didn't understand everything that
was going on.  Soon, the younger boys did raise their hands, but mostly
because they didn't want to be left out.  Daniel looked at his boys and
felt a strong sense of pride.  Jeremy walked up to Daniel.

"Can I help?" Jeremy asked tentatively.

"Jeremy, do you think that you're ready?"

"Yes, sir.  Some of the other boys will be there or you or somebody else;
right?"

"Someone will always be with you.  If you think you want to try, then we'll
try.  But. .  .uuhh, first, what's that on your neck?  Jeremy, did you let
someone give you a hickey?"  Daniel asked, laughing.

"Well. . .kinda." Jeremy answered as he looked down, smiling and blushing.
Daniel noticed Sean and Derek walked up behind Jeremy.

"Boys, would either of you know anything about this?"  Both boys blushed,
but said nothing.

"Fellas, I know it's getting late and all of you are getting a little
restless."  Daniel turned his attention back to the group. "However, I have
just two or three quick items and we'll get out of here.  Mr. Rick wants
the boys that normally help him to meet him in the study hall as soon as we
leave here.  We'll need about ten Cherubs and the rest of you will be
expected to show Captain Jackson and his men how to win a baseball game.
Also, I'll be hitting the speaking circuit again and will need to take some
Cherubs with me for about ten days.  Lastly, remember that later next month
will be the trip to Orlando and the theme parks."

"Mr. Dan'l, can I ask ya somethin'?"  Daniel looked out and saw TJ
standing; he waited for the boy's question.

"Well, when we go to Orlando, to the park, well. . . I mean. . . are they
gonna let us run free?"  Daniel had to smile.

"I wondered when that question was going to come up.  Mr. Paul has already
put in a request for more clothing so each of you will have a uniform to
wear.  There will be special provisions made for you so you can have fun
and we can feel that all of you are protected.  We're working on a plan now
and when all the details have been ironed out we'll let you know.  TJ,
would you be embarrassed to run free up there?"  Daniel decided to tease
the boy.

"Who me?  No, sir!  Let all of 'em see how good lookin' I am.  I bet we're
all the best lookin' collection of boy flesh any of 'ems ever seen."  The
other boys shouted out their agreement and Daniel had to laugh and roll his
eyes at the response; he set himself up for that one.

As the boys left the mess hall, a few boys stood by Rick.  These boys were
his helpers and he was their mentor.  Each boy had expressed an interest in
learning part of the construction trades.  A few other boys were signaled
out by Paul to work as Cherubs for Elizabeth and her crew.  Kevin stepped
next to Daniel and waited for the others to leave and for Daniel to
acknowledge him.

"Kevin, do you need to see me?"

"Yes, sir.  I think we might have a problem developing you need to know
about."  Kevin looked around him; he didn't want everyone to hear what he
needed to tell Daniel.  "You see, we almost had some big trouble last
night."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Well, the new boy, Nige, has been tellin' some of the boys about this
group he's part of back home.  He's tellin' 'em how you have to prove how
brave you are by passin' a test.  Part of the test is takin' a whipping and
part is serving your master.  Most of the boys told 'im he's full of shit,
but some of the younger ones might have listened.  You should see Alex."

"Why do I need to see Alex?"

"His butt's red like somebody's whipped him.  It's what Nige called takin'
somebody's best and not crying.  When Timmy saw Alex this morning he got
real mad at both Alex and Nige.  Well, Timmy threatened to kick Nige's ass
if Nige even looked at Alex wrong.  He also threatened to kick Alex's ass
if Alex was stupid enough to let anybody do that to him again.  Mr. Dan'l,
Timmy's real easy goin' 'cept when it comes to Alex.  There might be
trouble brewing."

While Daniel and Kevin spoke, Ben walked up beside Kevin and took his big
brother's arm.  Kevin and Daniel turned to see what Ben needed.

"I wanna be a Cherub for Ms 'lizbeth."

"Me, too," Danny quickly chimed in.

"If Mr. Dan'l says it's alright I'll get you set as a Cherub." Kevin
answered his young charge.

"Me, too?" Danny quickly asked.

"You, too."  Kevin turned to Daniel who smiled and nodded his head.

"Kevin, do you know where Alex is now?"

"Yes, sir, I can see him standing outside with a group of boys.  Tim's
pro'bly with Mr.  Rick."

"Okay, thanks for letting me know.  I'll deal with this situation now."

Kevin left the mess hall with his two Cherub wannabe's.  When he entered
the study hall, Jeremy was there with Derek and Sean.  Rick and five of the
boys, including Timmy, were busy setting up a stage for the filming.

"Excuse me, Ms. 'Lizbeth?" Kevin approached the film crew.  "These two
think they wanna be television stars."

"Well, good.  I think they'll make real nice television stars.  They can
join Jeremy, Sean and Derek.  Some other boys are already getting
dressed. Can you take care of this group for us, Kevin?"

"Sure, it's no problem.  C'mon guys."  As they left, Danny reached over and
put his free hand in Sean's.  Making commercials was a new adventure for
the boys.

Daniel found Alex and let him know that he wanted to talk.  While they
walked towards Daniel's office, Daniel called Rick on his cell and asked
him to send Timmy to the office.  Daniel and Alex were sitting in chairs in
front of Daniel's desk and had been inside only a couple of minutes when
Timmy entered.

"Mr. Dan'l?  Mr. Rick said you wanted ta see me?"  Timmy looked at his
brother and could guess why he had been called into the office.
"Mr. Dan'l, Alex didn't do nothin'.  It was me; I did it.  If there's a
punishment, it's mine."

"Timmy, don't you think you're jumping to a lot of conclusions all at once?
I don't think anyone has said anything about punishment."  Timmy stopped
short of Daniel's desk and hung his head.

"'Cause I got in an argument with Nige and threatened 'im.  I told 'im if
he ever touched Alex again I'd kick his butt."

"Strange, I heard that you told him you'd kick his ass."  Timmy looked at
Daniel with a slight smile and nodded.

"Tim, you stand there and let me talk to Alex a minute."  Timmy nodded and
Daniel turned to Alex.  "Now, Alex, I want you to tell me the truth.  Did
someone spank you last night?"

"Yes, sir.  He said that's what boys do to prove that they're big boys and
can take it.  Nige was braggin' 'bout how many licks he could take without
cryin' and said there wasn't nobody here could even handle ten licks
without wimping out.  I told 'im there was too; I could take ten and laugh
at 'im.  And I did, Mr. Dan'l.  It hurt, but there's no way he was gonna
get away with callin' us wimps."

"Alex, this is important.  Did you tell Nigel it was okay to spank you or
did he force you?"  Alex looked at Daniel and then at the floor.  Tears
were beginning to pool in the boy's eyes.

"I told him I could take ten of his best and dared 'im.  I had to
Mr. Dan'l; don't ya see?  He said we was all babies and couldn't take it.
I could'n let him say that!"  Alex stood silently and looked at the floor
before he added, "Are you mad at me?"  Alex was getting worked up and
Daniel had to calm him.

"Easy Alex; I understand.  You were defending the honor of all the boys;
right?"  Alex nodded.  Daniel gave Timmy an exasperated look as he wrapped
his arms around Alex.

"Tim, do you realize that if you'd hit Nigel, that you would be in some big
trouble with me now?  Alex was just as guilty as Nigel.  Understand?"

"Yes, sir."  Tim knew his brother was stupid, but he also realized the boy
had no choice.  His honor was challenged and you can't back down, even if
it meant more trouble later.

"Alex, that was not a very smart thing for you to do.  Since you told Nigel
that he could spank you, it wouldn't be very fair for me to punish him for
hitting you.  Now, that does not mean that I approve of it, either."
Daniel turned Alex around to look at his backside.  "You've got a cute
little bubble butt there.  Do you really think you want somebody beating on
it?"

"No, sir.  It did kinda hurt.  Act'l'ly, it hurt a lot; but I wouldn't tell
him that!"  Daniel understood the boys' honor code and had to be careful
that he didn't smile or laugh at an inappropriate time.

"Do you think you're willing to let somebody do it some more so you can
show them how tough you are?"  Alex got a hurt expression on his face that
said more than the words.

"Not if I don't have to.  It wad'n any fun.  But what can I do, Mr.Dan'l?"

"I think what we need to understand here is that I look at all of you boys
as my boys, and I'm kinda funny myself about any of you getting hurt.  I
think what you need to do the next time someone starts talking like Nigel
did is laugh at him and walk off.  Then, I want you to find me or your
brother and let us know what's going on."

"What's Timmy gonna do?"

"Timmy is going to find me or someone else to make sure this little
incident doesn't happen again, with you or any other boy.  Right, Timmy?"
Daniel gave Timmy a stern look.

"Yes, sir, I will.  But, Mr. Dan'l, if Nige keeps his crap up, there's
gonna be problems.  Sorry, I didn't mean ta cuss, it's just that it really
pissed me off when I found out what he'd done ta Alex."

"I understand.  What I need for all of you boys to understand is that Nigel
has been taught some things that he thinks are right.  Someone has taught
him that taking a beating is good.  I've tried to teach you boys that it's
not only not good, it's just plain stupid.  We need to get that message
through to Nigel and I'm going to need all of you boys to help.  I don't
want to hear of this happening again.  You both know how I feel about
fighting around here.  I want both of you to promise, that if this starts
up again, you'll come to me or someone else that can stop it right away.
I'll deal with Nigel.  Agreed?"  Daniel looked at Alex and added with a
smile, "And you, young man, I don't want to see that little butt red any
more; okay?"

Both boys gave Daniel their promise.  Timmy took Alex's hand and Daniel
watched them leave to join the others.  He knew he would have to do
something.  Nigel believed what he was telling the boys. Daniel also knew
that if he didn't stop it, Timmy was right, there would be trouble later
on.

End Ch Seventy-Five.

To Be Continued: comments welcome, contact Dwight Wilson at
adm2780@yahoo.com