The Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman

This story is about a whipping boy named Jemmy and a prince named prince Horace also known as prince Brat. The Brat gets into big trouble. He runs away with Jemmy and gets caught by two outlaws. One named Hold Your Nose Billy and the other one named Cutwater. They think Jemmy is the prince because he is the one who gets more education than the Brat. Jemmy is forced to write a letter to the king and then reads it backwards twice. Soon Jemmy and the Brat run away and get saved by a bear. They find a girl named Betsy. They find a river and a Hot Potato Man. The Potato gives them a ride but not for long Billy and his partner Cutwater find them and say to have them whipped. They get whipped for a while but Betsy and her bear Petunia rescue them. They go to the fair and find the hot potato again. They see Billy and Cutwater. Then they see Jemmy and the Prince. The kids run into the sewers and find Jemmys old friend Billy and Cutwater follow and go the wrong way. They get eaten up by rats and, Jemmy and Horace live happily ever after.