Chrissie was standing outside the headmistress's office when the door opened and her friend Katie came out gently rubbing her hands together. "Did it hurt?" asked Chrissie. Katie opened her hands and showed them to Chrissie. There were two dark red lines clearly visible on each. "Gosh, what did you do?"

"I got caned for drawing on my hand in class", said Katie. "What are you here for?" Chrissie didn't reply, but raised her left hand over to show Katie. There were blue ink dots and stars all over the back of her hand. Katie gave her fiend a frightened look.

"Come in, Chrissie!", ordered Miss Smith from inside the study. Chrissie walked in and quietly closed the door. "Ah, yes! Another one who thinks pens are for drawing on hands. Show me!" Chrissie again raised her heavily inked hand.

Miss Smith tutted. "Well, you know what you get for that. Turn your hand over, palm up, straight out!" Katie obeyed. Miss Smith picked up the cane from her desk and laid it across Chrissie's palm and tapped it a couple of times. Chrissie closed her eyes as she felt the cane touching her hand. Then there was a loud swish and a smack, followed by a very hard stinging sensation. Chrissie gulped and her hand started to shake, but she managed to keep holding it out. There was another swish and a smack. "Other hand!" demanded Miss Smith.

Chrissie withdrew her left hand, placing it tight under her armpit as she raised her right hand. She again closed her eyes as she felt the cane tapping against her palm. There were two more agonising swishes and smacks before she was allowed to put her hand dowm. "OK, you can go now", said Miss Smith, "Remember in future... any time you get the urge to feel the sting of my cane you know what to do. Just pick up your pen, apply some ink to the back of your hand, show the teacher, then come here and I will gladly cane you. That goes for your fiend, too."

As Chrissie left Miss Smith's study, Katie was still stood outside, still gently rubbing her hands. "Let's see!", she said. Chrissie opened up her hands gingerly, as they were still throbbing. Two angry red lines were clearly visible on each.