West Paris High School - Nautilus Yearbook (West Paris, ME)

Page 28 text:

THE ME. SSAQE Bos'n Laine rolled into the Bar Wing Bar on the Barbary Coasq his hand reached out and tipped back his hat as he leaned up a- gainst the bar. He ordered his drink and as he slowly downed it he turned to look at the other occupants seated at the various tables. His searching eyes finally settled on a young fFrenhh woman, obviouslv a refugee who had been watching him for quite, some time. Placing his glass back upon the bar, Laine slowly am- bled over to where she was seated and asked, nBur rou a drink?H She looked up at him for a moment. Reaching into her hand- bag, she took out a slip of paper upon which she wrote something, then placing it in Bos'n's hand she got up and walked out. Laine looked after her for a moment and then started to read the .mess sage, but it was written in French. He turned to the bartender and asked, URaad French?n Hhais Oui, let me look,U was his prompt reply. He carefullr scrutinized the message and his eyes burned with sudden rage, crimson color slowly crept up around his ears as he whirled around to glare at Laine. t xGet out you dirty scum,H he growled,-norlllllhhnteyggnthnhgg OU. ' Laine snatched the message out of the hartendcr's hand, glared at him a second, but exptrierce told him it was best to leave for he wasn't in the mood to he mauled be three or four huskylbounoens The next day Laine was more curious then over. As he strode down the street he carefully read each sign on the doors until he came to one that said: HFrench Speaking Law3er.n He went up the stairs two at a bound. Vithout stopping for any formalities Lain burst into the office, stuck the note in the lawyer's startled face and muttered in not too certain tones. Q HRead this.n The lawyer glanced through the message and his face changed color rapidly as he Jumped to his feet and roared. UGet out.H Laine hadn't been out of his room for two weeks, the bottles and butts strewed around showed how his time was spent. If only there were someone whom he knew that he could depend on to tell him what that damn message said. He had it! Andre, his old high school teacher.

Page 27 text:

A FREE NFTSHH? The blazing white sun sank slowly irte thc fist horizon, its shimmering rays chanying to crimson and gold over the endless sands of North Africa. Another slain-pceli1.,Q on this desert magnitude was coming to an end in a blanketfng sunset of opulent red. Without warning the cold blue African ai5n: bad fallen. So beautiful and peaceful was this scene that it appeared ab most pure mockery of God to the two men in their seemingly in- finite battle for survival against these uninhaoited wastes. Thq' were the only ones left in their demolished scoul car after a sur prise attack. They were lost and dying of thirst. The only pro- tection aQainst the elements was a blasted vehicle, searing hot under the merciless sun and frigid in the cold of night. Life we nourished by two canteens of acrid water: each drop was protected by the thoughtless instinct of the life it was keepinq, Bill and Joe had always been buddies, but the hot days were long, almost unbearable, the night precious water, more precious than ing. It was down to one-fourth in be gone, Joe had been wounded and thou wreck most of the time while Bill hope of sighting a rescue party or civilization was pure insanity in the everchanging sand Bill's mind a soul-crushing conflict, churned freezing and the watcr, their almost life itself, was vanish each canteen and it would soon h he could walk, lay under the ventured out an oasis. An now and then in attempt to find . in like a writhing sea. A half canteen of water would perhaps save himself until rescue. He fought to throw it from his head, without avail . He then became suspicious of Joe for he could see that Joe was doing some deep thinking, Late that night, as the moon was rising over the dim purple horizon, Bill was awakened from a fitful sleep by a slight rustle near his head. Quickly opening his eyes he saw Joe transfigured against the cold luminous blue. He was pouring water from one canteen into another. All his thoughts and suspicions raced through his brain in a fleeting second. Fear of losing his precious water through treachery screened out his mind, and all civilization and bonds of friendship were thrown to a vengeful subconscious instinct. Snatching his gun he madly fired into his companion. As Foe fel the moonlight shone on his face, smoothly lighting his features. Their eyes mot for an instant. Joe's had a strange pathetic glem that shocked Bill to his senses with an intangible feeling of dread. Leaping out, he picked up his own canteen and suddenly collapsed onto the sand with a look of anguish fixed upon his fan: The next day a scout-car discovered two men lying dead be- side a demolished hulk, one of them had a Qun in one hand and in the other hand, a canteen, half full of water. Roscoe Perham 47'

Page 29 text:

It was close to midnight when Laine arrived at Andre's home, but the light was still burning in his study window. He carefulb' opened the window aid silently entered. The startled teacher looked up to seo who it was but Laine kept well in the shadows, for he was taking no chances. Maybe if the man knew who he was h wouldn't tell him anything. Laine's arm went around the French- man's neck and his other pushed a shive into his ribs. His angry voice broke the silence. WI got a note here, and if you don't read it I'll twist this knim into your hide.n UL-e-let, let me see it,N came the reply. Laine released the hold he had on the manfs neck and reached into his pocket, his eyes glistened, at last after so many days of waiting he would know. The light soon vanished, he broke into a cold sweat as he dug frantically through his pockets. The mes- sage was gone. Vaino Oja '47 BEJNGJ A DETEC',VJVE DOESNT MY Detective Bill Winters stalked out of the Water Front Police Station and headed swiftly for Pier 15. The cold, darkness and knowledge of the coming storm put a gloomy effect in the atmos- phere. Only ten thirty at night? It already seemed much later. A slight S7ad0W broke the constant glow from the foglight of an incoming ship, A dull thud was heard, padded footsteps along the wooden docxs, then silence. Bill Winters came to with a splitting headache. The floor seemed to rock and roll beneath his feet. nHuh,N Ee said to himself, NI must be in some kind of a cel- lar.n Voices could be heard overhead. nYeah,n said one voice, nbut we can't do that with these smallarms, boss.n A nYou don't think so eh! Don't worry, the old pirates did it with just swordsg we ought to take this one with rif1es.n uOkay, boss, but Ifm still skeptical,u nRemember, 12:50 tomorrow night.n - Then Bill understood. The floor beneath him really was roll ing. he was on a ship whose officers were planning piracy. It was twelve o'clock the night after Bill's capture. He could hear the clanking aboard another ship which seemed very close. The throttle of Bill's ship was opened up and it moved swiftly forward. Suddenly the firing of guns was heard and the ship slackened its speed.