Viscount Bennett Junior High School - Terminal Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

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Page 88 THE TERMINAL ear-splitting screech caused her to whirl around, dumping snow all over the freshly- i cleared path. She stood there, rooted to the spot by the terrible screeches and screams, wild hangings and frantic scratchings which emitted from the front of the I car. Speechless, she watched Ted get out of the car and open its hood. Out streaked a large cat. Toby! cried Mrs. Hutchins as the cat dashed towards her. Owwl Stop that, you wretch! Ted chuckled. There was Toby, sitting upon his mistresses ' head, snarling defiance at the ' entire world. Gretchen Meade, 10-U3 SECOND PRIZE DANGEROUS NIGHT My name is Dick Shelton. At the time when this incident occurred, I was fifteen years old and helping my mother to earn a living for the two of us. Each day after school I would go to the shore near Cliffton, the village where I lived, and collect shells which my mother fashioned into souvenirs for summer tourists. One day, as I made my rounds, I came upon a hole in the face of the cliff. Soon my childish curiosity overcame my fear of the unknown, and I entered. I found myself in a sizeable cave which had a number of packing cases stacked along one wall. Just as I was about to investigate further, I heard the sound of men ' s voices approaching •, and, seeing no place to hide, I made a hasty exit by the same way that I entered. I told no one.of my month before I ventured last I became so curious I and longer. So, one afternoon in tourists had gone home and holiday, I told myself was going to find the the packing-cases. As I entered I became went home again, but one changed that. Then I not- which had not been visible them and found a small entrance large enough for This entrance was invisible experiences, and it was a near the spot again. At could not avoid the spot September when most of the I had something of a that once and for all I secret of the cave and ' s ' j so terrified that I almost look at the packing-cases p. i iced a flight of steps l I before. I climbed up %-Iq harbour with a seaward a motor-cruiser to enter, except at low tide. In motor launch was moored. As I was crawling over its rail, two pairs of the harbour, a twenty-foot • ' motor launch was moored. I was determined to investigate it! As I was crawling over its rail, two pairs of strong hands gripped me. I put up a fight, but it was hopeless. Before I knew it, they had me bound so securely that I could not move a muscle. Then they carried me up another flight of stairs to where there were living-quarters. Here I was greeted by a rough chorus of curses and threats. The two men who had captured me threw me against the- wall with no more ceremony than they would if they had been handling a sack of potatoes.

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THE TEPMIKAL f | ' ( 1 j 1 CD J ( 1 l ! J ' v J Page 87 SHORT STORIES FIRST PRIZE 0 TOBY Mr. Williamson? Yes? Have you seen Toby? He ' s missing. Toby who? Toby - my cat. He ' s missing. Cat? Ho, no I haven ' t seen your cat. He ' ll come back. He ' s been missing before. I don ' t know about that. He ' s been out all night and it ' s below zero outside. He ' ll come back. How, if you ' ll excuse me, I have two big exams to write tomorrow. Ted Williamson left the breakfast table. I just don ' t like it. stated Mrs. Hutchins. Like what? asked her husband. That new boarder, Ted Williamson. He ' s a medical student, you know. Remember what we ' ve always heard about medicals? They go prowling the alleys after dark, snaring cats. Why, I ' ve even heard they dissect them, alivei When I think of poor defenceless Toby.... Wow, Cora. I mean it. I seen him eyeing Toby. Don ' t you think may be....? ■V- } L s Ted shut his book with a bang. I ' ve just -got to find that paper by Professor Sullins. Can ' t understand where my copy has gone. Maybe the library has one. He put his overcoat on and stepped into the hall. Mr. Hutchins was walking towards him. j Good-day Mr. Hutchins. Good-day Mr. Williamson. Did you know that my wife thinks you have stolen her cat? Whatl Yes. Frankly, I think it ' s an old. wives tale, but things ' 11 sure be hot around here for you if he doesn ' t show up. Confidentially, you didn ' t, by any chance, take him? Hoi I ' ve never touched that cat, and never intend to. I must go, the library... On his way to the car, Ted passed Mrs. Hutchins shovelling the walks. Good-day, Mrs. Hutchins, he called. Mrs. Hutchins grunted. Just as Ted was about to start the car, he impulsively rolled down the window, and called - If it would make your mind any easier, Mrs. Hutchins, I assure you I haven ' t touched your cat. Mrs. Hutchins gave no visible sign that she had heard. She continued shovelling. Ted started the car. Mrs. Hutchins started to lift an especially large load of snow. Suddenly, an

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THE TERMINAL Page 89 As I sat there I saw a garage to my left with two powerful foreign cars in it. Soon the men went into action. They went down to the cave and carried the cases to the cars. After a while they left, four in each car - then the whole garage j was lifted like an elevator to the top of the cliff. I was left in the charge of a big ape of a man named Biff Walters; and after a bit of questioning, my worst fears were allayed. This was an opium - smuggling ! gang wanted by the police in America as well as in British Columbia where they iirere now operating. Biff told me that the gang would be back at eight that evening and it was now four, which meant that I would have to work fast if I was to escape. (No doubt they intended to kill me when they returned.) By rubbing my bonds against the rock surface, I had freed my hand and untied ! my feet - unnoticed. I asked. Biff for some water; and while he was gone, I picked up a large stone. As he bent down to give me the water, I clubbed him on the back of the head with the stone. I then bound him securely and used the elevator garage, now in its place again, to make good my escape. Immediately I went to our police station where I told my story before a startled audience of two constables and one sargent, the whole of the Cliffton police force. They phoned to the nearest large police force for reinforcements, and while we waited, I told the sargent how to reach the place and what time to be there. After that he sent me home. The next day I was called to the Town Hall to receive my reward of Five Thousand Dollars for apprehending the gang. John Hughes, 9-U HONORABLE MENTION THE OUTLAW He was a fiendish devil we had heerd tell of, part mustang and part Arabian. A fleeting deer with the heart of a cougar was how he was commonly described. His colour was jet black with streaks of blue running through his mane. His head was short and stocky but his large nostrils accentuated his hate - filled eyes. It was a June day and, like many days in Idaho, there was no wind. The heat swelled your lungs and left your lips dry and cracked. After a long cattle drive, the sweltering heat left you gasping for breath. When we arrived at the Wells ranch there was much talk about a black stud who had stolen near to two hundred head of mares and colts. He’s got to be stopped, said the foreman bitterly. He’ll clean the lot of us out griped a small, mustached man. A devil. That’s all he is, and the only way to deal with his kind is with a bullet. And so it was decided that the outlaw was to be destroyed. A small band of men were picked the following day; and x rith a day’s and night’s equipment, they mounted and rode off. In our eagerness to see this amazing animal, we gathered our gear together and galloped after the tiny band. We rode all that day and part of the night. It was hot and dusty, and by early morning, some began to drop out. It wasn’t until noon that we spotted the herd. It lay in a secluded canyon with two passes leading outward to the long stretch of prairie. We edged our horses nearer, being careful not to attract the attention of the leader. Suddenly, one of the colts whinnied and the commotion