Here's another of their adventures from that record-breaking, long, hot summer of '76.
And, before anybody tells me that "Longholme Island" is a tautology, I know; I just think it will make more sense to non-Brits and even to some Brits!
=================================================================================================================================================
Return of the Captive
They already knew that the summer of 1976 was the hottest on record and we know now that it still holds that record. The boys’ parents had been on the phone several times that week and Trevor packed for the next few days: one sleeping bag, two swimming costumes, two towels, two socks, two pairs of shorts, two flip-flops, two pairs of briefs, two t-shirts, two football scarves, two rolls of gaffer tape - just the bare essentials. Oh, and his toilet bag – with two bottles of sun-block.
Trevor was going camping with the Pirates for the next few days so he had to take all that clothing just in case the weather changed. At fifteen years old, he was well used to the train but the journey from Surrey to the West Country was long, tedious and sweaty even though the widows on the old slam-door trains could be lowered. By the time he’d got to Weston station, his open, short-sleeved shirt was adhering to his back and the last thing he wanted to do was to put his rucksack on over it. He leaned out of the carriage window, opened the door and shouted a greeting as he saw the two boys racing down the platform towards him.
The MacGregor brothers, Rob and Roy, (they were used to the funny looks!) returned the greeting as Trevor disembarked by putting their arms round his shoulders and asking him if he’d brought the necessary supplies. Trevor hoisted his rucksack off the train and tapped the side pocket. Rob took the rucksack for his new friend and the three boys trudged steadily towards the campsite and, more importantly, the landing stage where their large, old dinghy was moored. It was about a two mile walk and, on the way, the brothers learned more about Trevor and he learned more about them and the rest of the Pirates. They arrived on site, stopped to cheek ice creams out of Stewart’s and Dave’s mother, who was manning the kiosk, and, by the time they had finished their raspberry mivvies, they were on board the wooden boat where they met a swim-suited and bush-hatted Stewart but there was no sign of his little brother.
Following further noisy and friendly greetings, Stewart took the helm while Rob crewed the venerable craft towards Longholme Island. Practising the kind of true rudeness towards one another that only real friends can enjoy, the short voyage passed quickly. Once moored up, everyone loaded himself with as much cargo as possible and headed for the cannon emplacement. As the newcomer, this place was still strange to Trevor in spite of the fact that he’d only been accommodated there a couple of weeks previously.
As they stowed the supplies in their HQ helped by Dave, who was already on the island, it was no real surprise to Trevor to see someone bunched up there on the ground looking up at him.
“Hi.†Said the boy tied up on the ground.
“Oh, Hi.â€
“Trevor, meet Kevin. Kevin, meet Trevor, Trev, Kev; Kev, Trev; Trev, Kev . . .†the giggling Dave didn’t quite manage to duck Stewart’s hand as he swiped his little brother round the head.
Trevor knew that he’d come to be the Pirates’ prisoner in their tie-up games so to find another boy in the same position didn’t really surprise him.
“Yes, explained Dave, he’s the reason I couldn’t meet you on the mainland. Someone had to look after Koff.†It transpired that Kevin was invariably referred to as Koff , which was a contraction of his surname.
Rob explained, “He reckons that he can stay tied up for two days without begging for release.â€
“How long’s he been like that already?â€
“Oh, he hasn’t started yet, he was just being a bit annoying so . . .â€
“Surprise, Koff.†As the prisoner looked round to see what Stewart meant, it was too late. He found two football socks that Stewart had knotted together stuffed into his mouth. The dark-haired boy quickly tied them round his head rather more tightly than was probably necessary. “That’s better. He’s much less annoying now.â€
Koff looked as though he thought he deserved it and only made what seemed to be a token protest. It was difficult for Trevor to gain an accurate impression of the boy. He had a sort of triangular shaped head with mousey, wavy hair cut quite short which sat on top of his head like a sort of mat. Hs seemed to be quite sturdily built but crunched up like that, it was difficult to tell. He was wearing just a pair of white cotton football shorts and had his knees drawn up between his rope-cuffed arms. He was sitting and couldn’t withdraw his knees due to the old oar that someone had forced between his forearms and the backs of his knees. Roy explained that that’s how the pirates tied their prisoners before making them “cock-fight†each other but that, when they needed to balance on their feet for such a contest, they used a cricket stump rather than anything as long as an oar.
While Trevor prepared his sleeping bag and produced the gaffer tape, which he added to the store in the middle room of the emplacement, the conversations continued and arrangements were made for the evening and for a much-needed meal. Evening was approaching but the August light would last for some time. Trevor wanted to get out of his shirt and jeans and, just like Stewart and Dave was soon stripped down to just a swimming costume. That was more comfortable. The Pirates advised him to put his flip-flops on as they’d have to collect firewood for the evening’s camp fire.
Domestic arrangements went on apace interrupted only by the occasional grunt from Koff when he needed to be helped to sit upright following a sideways totter that caused him to be propped up painfully by one end of the oar. Eventually the stoves had been lit and what passed for dinner was prepared. Gourmet it might not have been but there was plenty of it.
Dave untied Koff who announced that he was going to get ready for his challenge and headed into the emplacement and towards his rucksack. By the time he returned, dinner was ready.
“Snap!†shouted Dave as Koff reappeared.
“Good job they match.†confirmed Stewart, “After dinner, the new kid gets tied.â€
Trevor accepted that. After all, that’s what he’d come for. He’d been in his favourite blue high-leg swimming costume for some time and now Koff appeared dressed almost identically except that his briefs were a lighter blue and he went barefoot. Now Trevor could get a better impression of his soon to be fellow prisoner. He was shorter than Trevor and, although not noticeably muscular, he had broad, square shoulders and a narrow waist atop a powerful pair of legs. The general impression he gave was of being “triangularâ€; his head, his torso, the rather skimpy swimming trunks and even his legs, as they tapered from the thighs, all emphasised the impression. The considerably slimmer (some would say “skinnierâ€) Trevor, at fifteen, possibly looked older than he was but the fourteen year old looked comparatively boyish.
Dinner was consumed with indecent haste and sound effects and was followed by vast quantities of “Lyons†ginger cake (half each, shoved in lengthways) and the inevitable “Birds†Custard. Most of the boys were of the opinion that licking the plates and cutlery counted as washing up but Roy did take the Dixie to the well to attend to it while arrangements were finalised. There was a decision to be made: should there be a wide game or should they get on with the tying up? Silly question. Koff and Trevor went for a precautionary pee and Koff dosed himself with “Imodiumâ€.
“He’s gross!â€
“Yea.†confirmed Trevor.
“Right, Koff, two days you said. No bog breaks, nothing. Agreed?â€
“Why do you think I’ve just taken this stuff?†answered Koff as he threw the packet of tablets in the vague direction of his rucksack.
“OK, you two. Back to back. Trev, as the new boy you get Dave and Roy tying you up. Koff, brace yourself, you get the experts.†The two willing victims stood back to back. They didn’t match so well like that but the Pirates knew that, once they were kneeling, the difference in height would be insignificant. It was just easier to start the process with the victims standing.
“Link arms.†the blue swim-suited pair did as instructed and, following some adjustments, submitted to having their wrists cuffed with some very impressive lengths of well-worked rope. As the carefully hanked ropes were wound round the five loops between each of the victims’ wrists, they found their elbows being pulled tighter and tighter against one another.
The Pirates inspected their work and pronounced themselves satisfied so far so Stewart told the two victims to kneel down. Before long they managed the clumsy manoeuvre and ended sitting on their feet. Rob went for the gaffer tape from the stores and tossed one roll to his little brother. “OK, squirts, just like little froggies, please.†Considerable amounts of gaffer tape later found both prisoners with their lower legs fastened securely to their thighs and the pirates weighing the merits against the difficulties of tying their toes together. They decided to get some sisal and tie each of their big toes to the nearer one of their fellow sufferer. That removed whatever limited scope the bound boys had previously enjoyed for adjusting their foot positions.
The four tiers stood back again watching as the two captives wriggled against each other trying to get as comfortable as possible. Looking at them, each one was only too obviously well contented with his lot. The soggy football socks were recovered and tied back into Koff’s mouth and secured with even more gaffer tape with the explanation that it served him right for being so annoying earlier. His head fell a bit but he knew he’d worked for it.
“What about Trev?†asked Roy, “We don’t want him talking to Koff, he might try to comfort him and encourage him to win his bet.â€
“Good thinking, Little Brother, give us that tape.†Roy tossed Rob the gaffer tape. “OK, New Kid, lick your lips.†Soon Trevor’s lower face was obscured by layers of his own gaffer tape. As one of the uninitiated, he was surprised by how tightly his lips had been pressed against his teeth.
“Aren’t you going to tape under his jaws as well?â€
“No, not this time but, if he wiggles his jaw too much and loosens the tape, there’s always that pair of socks that he wore on the train. If we need to use them, THEN we’ll clamp his jaws shut!†Trevor didn’t completely understand the nuances of Rob’s threat but he did manage to gather the impression that he’d be wiser not to wiggle his jaw too much.
Once more the Pirates stood back to admire their work as Trevor and Koff continued to wriggle against one another for possession of the more comfortable position. “Opps. Forgot something:†announced Stewart, “health and safety!†and he went and stood in front of Trevor while Rob did the same for Koff. “Ready?†Rob nodded. As the prisoners looked up, the older Pirates looked down and, not too violently, kicked their knees wide apart. “There, now you won’t fall over. And Trevor Mate, bigger panties next time, eh?†Trevor blushed and lowered his head. I’m sure that the muffled word he said was “Sorry!â€â€ƒ