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Voyagers!
Toeing the Line
by
Jake Crepeau
"That does it, kid. You’re grounded."
Jeffrey began to laugh.
"Oh, you think it’s funny, do you?"
"Bogg, we’re in the middle of nowhere! How can you possibly ground me?"
"You’d be surprised," the older Voyager replied, a wicked look on his face now. "Ever hear of toeing the line?"
The boy shrugged. "Sure."
"Ah, but do you know where the expression came from?"
He shook his head.
"You’re about to learn." He drew a line in the dirt with the toe of his boot. "Stand here, with your toes on this line."
"You’re kidding me, right?"
"No, I’m not. Now do it."
Rolling his eyes, Jeffrey complied.
"You don’t move, you don’t talk; you just stand there. Five minutes." When the boy opened his mouth to protest, Bogg jabbed a finger at him. "I said, don’t talk." He sat down on the ground.
For perhaps the first thirty seconds, it was easy. But then everything started to itch. When he started to raise a hand to scratch at his nose, Bogg cleared his throat in warning. You can’t be serious! He stopped himself just short of saying it out loud.
Phineas saw the abortive opening of his mouth and grinned. "You’re getting the idea," he said. "Four more minutes."
It was four minutes of sheer torture, as far as Jeffrey was concerned. The itching was about to drive him crazy; a fly landed on his arm, its legs tickling maddeningly as it moved about. It could be worse, he told himself; at least he was standing in the shade. Where had Bogg picked this punishment up from?
"Time’s up," came the announcement at last, upon which Jeffrey immediately began scratching himself furiously from head to foot.
"Where’d you come up with that from?" he asked.
"British navy," Bogg replied.
"I thought you said you were a pirate."
"I was. But I was in the navy first. I was grabbed by a press gang when I was about your age; started out as a cabin boy. It’s something they used to do to us and the midshipmen. Be glad I only gave you five minutes; such a short time was unheard of back then."
"How long did they make you stand there?"
"Shortest time I ever got was half an hour."
The boy actually shuddered. "No, thanks!" he said emphatically.
Bogg laughed and ruffled his hair. "Remember that the next time I tell you to stay put."
Jeffrey wisely kept his answer to himself: Fat chance!
Finis