Jennings in Particular by Anthony Buckeridge

Author:Anthony Buckeridge [Buckeridge, Anthony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Children's books, Humour
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

8

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The headmaster raised despairing eyes to the ceiling. “You were quite right, Carter. It didn’t take us long to find out.” He glanced down again at the self-confessed culprits fidgeting uncomfortably before him. “I might have known that these two boys—Jennings, in particular—could be expected to shed some light on the mystery.”

Mr Pemberton-Oakes was a liberal-minded man who prided himself on holding enlightened ideas about education. All the same, he was shocked. Even the most permissive of headmasters resents having his rose trees uprooted, his routine upset and his cricket square looking as though it had been weeded with, a road drill.

He led the way into the study followed by Mr Carter and the fidgeting culprits. Then he began the inquiry.

The facts were soon told and justice—tempered with mercy—meted out. It was not so much the original act of disobedience that raised the headmaster’s anger, but rather that a trail of chaos and destruction had followed in its wake.

Accordingly, as part of their punishment, Jennings and Darbishire would have to forfeit their evening recreation for two weeks and to spend the time in replanting such of the uprooted shrubs as were worth saving. In addition, their morning breaks during this period were to be devoted to smoothing out the bumps and hollows on the cricket square with a garden roller.

The next item on the agenda was the disposal of the livestock.

“You boys can go, I hardly think Mr Carter and I need your assistance in deciding what’s to be done.” Mr Pemberton-Oakes motioned the boys to leave the room and turned to his assistant. “I think I’ll give Arrowsmith a ring. I’ve no doubt he’ll be willing to take the animal off our hands.”

Jennings spun round in the doorway. “Oh, sir, no sir! I shouldn’t do that, honestly. Not Mr Arrowsmith, sir.”

The headmaster was taken aback. He was not used to having his decisions disputed by eleven-year-old boys in Form Three. Frigidly, he said, “Jennings, I told you to leave the room.”

“Yes, I know, sir, but I must warn you. It’s urgent. You see, there’s something you don’t know about.”

In his confession of the events of the precious afternoon Jennings had not included the embarrassing interlude at Kettlebridge Farm, as it had made no difference to the outcome. Now, he hastened to fill in the details, “… and so you see, sir, he’d be furious if anybody asked him again,” he finished up. “He told us to get it out of his sight at once—or else.”

, Mr Pemberton-Oakes disapproved of adverbs being used in this casual manner. “Or else!” he echoed. “What do you mean—‘Or else’? What else?”

“Nothing else, sir. Just else—or else. Full stop.”

The headmaster gave it up. “Go away, Jennings,” he said irritably.

No sooner had the boys left than the telephone rang. The caller was Miss Thorpe ringing up to congratulate Mr Pemberton-Oakes on having amongst his pupils such helpful, willing and co-operative boys as the two who had come along to the fête to set out the chairs.

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