Westbrook High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Westbrook, ME)

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Illlll7l2llll'l'll I3 Cut the arguing, said Jake, we've got to get a ransom note ready. You're going to typewrite it, George. What shall we say F Make it short, but scare 'em plenty, said Slug. We want them to come across quick. lIow's this sound? Have ten thousand dol- lars in small bills ready for us or you'Il receive your boy in pieces, suggested Jake. 'l'hat's swell, Boss, said Slug. f'He won't hesitate when he gets that. George, you're going to take the note into town tomorrow and get a VVestern Union boy to deliver it at the bank, said jake. Back in the city. when junior did not come home. Mrs. johnson called the drug store, but the druggist told her that he had left the store about half an hour ago. She hung up, but immediately called her husband. Ernest, cried the anxious voice, I sent Junior to the drug store around the corner over half an hour ago for medicine for Sister and he hasn't re- turned. I just know something has happened to him. Please come right home. All right, dear, but he has probably stopped to play somewhere. When Mr. johnson arrived, junior was still missing. and his wife had called all places between the drug store and home where junior was likely to have stopped. Ernest, I want you to call the police. I just know something has happened. I can feel it, said his wife, trying to control herself. Ile picked up the phone and asked for police headquarters. I Iello, Chief Richardson? This is Ernest johnson. My boy went to the drug store over an hour ago and has apparently disappeared. I wish you would try to find him. Thank you. lIe's coming right over to the house, dear, said Mr. Johnson, as he laid down the phone. .X few minutes later the doorbell rang and the chief of police with a patrolman came in. No sign of him yet ft asked the chief. No, said Mr. johnson, he went to have a prescription filled and was told to come right back, but we haven't seen him nor heard a word from him since he left the drug store. VYell, said the chief, I think I'll go down and have a talk with the druggist. I think he will show up all right, though. Torn, he addressed the patrolman, you'd better stay here and let me know if he shows up. Hello, Dick, said the chief, as he walked into the store a few minutes later. I just dropped in to see you about the little johnson boy. You haven't seen him since he left with the medicine, have you? No, replied the druggist, but I've expected to. He must have lost most of his medicine before he got home, because he has dripped it all the way out of the store. The stopper must have been loose. See those red spots all the way to the door. VVell, I'lI see how far they go. said the chief. They turn toward home, all right. He followed them to the spot where junior had been taken into the car. There were three or four red spots there. Hm. he must have got into a car, murmured the chief to himself. Looks like a kidnapping. I'Il have to notify the government men. He jumped into his car and raced back to the station, where he called the field office of the United States department of justice. That afternoon, about one-thirty, the streets were full of newspaper boys shouting, Extral Extra! Johnson boy kidnapped! Read all about it. About an hour later a woman walked into the police station, where the chief and the Ii. Il, I. representative were talking. Good afternoon, Chief, said the woman. I think I may be able to help you concerning the kidnapping. As I was going to work this morn- ing, I noticed a big black car come along and stop at the curb about two blocks from me. It was a twelve-cylinder Comet car like one I had just been admiring in a magazine. A little boy came along and stepped to the side of the car as if to talk with the occupants. The door opened and a man got out and set the boy into the car and then drove off. I didn't pay any more attention because I thought probably it was the boy's father. 4'Thank you very much, Madam, said the chief. That's a good lead. VVe'lI follow it.

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12 T ' .f Good-bye, doctor, l will have junior take the prescription to the drug store right awayf' Hjunior, please hurry and get dressed, dear, I want you to run down to the drug store for me. Your father left for the oftiee early this morning so you will have to go. All right. Mom, I'll be down in just a minute. sleepily replied the young voiee. :Xs junior came down the stairs, he appeared about eight years old, had brown hair, and was minus three of his upper teeth. The second ones had not yet started. Put on your jacket. junior: it isn't quite warm , . . enough yet to go without it. Give this slip of paper to the druggist, and here is the money for the medicine he will give you. llurry right back. because l must have it for Sister, said his mother. VYell, well. if it isn't Mr. lfrnest johnson. junior, exclaimed the drnggist. as junior came in the door. XVhat are you doing down here this time in the morning? l don't know, replied the boy, My mother told me to give you this. The druggist took the prescription and went into the back room. VVhen he came out he had the little bottle of medicine. which junior took and carelessly put i11to his poeket. lie paid the druggist and left for home. lle was skipping along when a large black car stopped beside him. A short. thiekset man, dressed in a grey suit, opened the door and asked junior to come to the ear a minute. The boy hesi- tated, but the man said he just wanted him to point out a certain house for him. junior ap- proached the ear and said: lt is that house right down there on the Corner of the-Unch! l.et me go. Now. now, be quiet: l'm just going to give you a little ride, drawled the man. Get that door closed quick, snapped the driver, 'Athere's a woman coming down the street, looking at the ear. Get going, calmly said the man, who appeared to be the boss. The twelve-cylinder Comet jumped ahead and gathered speed fast. Slow down. you fool, don't you ever use your ln-all? XXI- don't want any eops stopping us now, 1 l Xthat are you crying for? he addressed junior. Stop it and tell us your name. junior, lfrnest johnson, junior, stamniered the boy. ' lDidn't I tell you. Slug? The banker's son. The oneithat just took over the National. lle ought to be willing to pay plenty. Ry the way, junior. this fella at the wheel is ealled Slug. They eall me jake. XYhy don't you let me go? cried junior. I want to go home. Now you just sit quiet and you'll be all right, growled jake. Well take you home a little later after we get through with you. just then the big car turned left into a side road and traveled slowly for about a mile when it turned right. They were going over a rough road when they came to a set of buildings. .Xs they approached. a man appeared on the piazza and walked to the ear, What did you do in town today? asked the young fellow. Did you get any'-F lle sud- denly stopped as the door opened and jake got out with junior. Gosh. lloss. what did you bring that kid up here for? Do you want to have all the uniforms in town up here Now, George, be calm, drawled jake, There's nothing to get excited over. This is the new banker's son. Ile is going to visit us for a little while. junior. meet the youngest of our group. George. lint what are you going to do with him ? argued George. lDon't you think Nlr. johnson would be willing to exchange. say ten tis, for his boy F asked jake. l don't think he will hesitate. Hut kidnapping. we've never done any of that, said George. XYe'll get into plenty of trouble. The ti-nien handle kidnappings now and they never fail. Oh, shut up, snapped Slug. 'tWe'll be in the dough now, just think, that will he tive thousand for the boss and two thousand live hundred for . I you and me. lloy, could l use that.

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14 XYell, saitl the li-ntan, ii we cnttltl only intu that Cntuet we ntight get St1l1lL'Wlll l'C.l' 1'll have all patrol ears nn the lnnk-ntttf' the ehief. Tllll satcl ving Nothing happenetl that night tnwartl the sul uf the mystery, httt almttt ten next tnnrning teleplintte rang in the the tinltce stzttiun. lt was a patrnlinatt I'l'INll'illlQ' that Il hig' hlaek killlllL'f hail just stnpiietl in front ni the ltestern llninn statintt. The chief slatnntecl flnwn the l'i'L'l'lY1'l' ancl sit11- ply sztitl, l'utne nn. quick. tn the feileral ntan. They've spnttetl It litititetf' lle ealletl twn re- serve l12lIl'Ulllll'Il irntn tl1e next t'41nt11 tn gn witlt lllt'lIl. They jtttnpetl nttii the ehief's cat antl tlrtwe nearly tn the Western l'ninn statitin hen . w tltey saw the hig lilaek ear pull away frtttn eurlt, l nlluw hint, sairl elnsef' Tlte ears ran along tu the tlriveway where tl1e ti-tnzut. hut nnt the tain at a slow speetl :intl eatne the Cunt Ili1le the ear ill that little tlte liuverittttetit ntan. tiatrnltnett hetter luring neetl them, We-'ll along thu et turnetl tiff wtituls t'tiatl. gn tin font. St' Titles. Wit saicl Ytiu tnay Tltev Caine into View nl tlte lxttiltling just as tlte tlriyer of tlte ear was gluing intn the huttse. l'nt gating tn take a try at the hack tlt1n1'. Sflifl the G-tnan. Yun stay here. lf there's any shunts ing. flnn't fnrget the kifl tnay he in there. Ile fnuntl tl1e liaek flunr ttttlnekefl :intl tln-nttglt it he quietly went, llnwn tlte hall lte enttltl ltear vtviees. .Xs he Caine tn the 11111111 i11 Wl1iCll ll1L'5' were, lte sutlrlenly stelitvefl in with gun ill lt' antl. Xll right! Het 'etn up! XXX-ll. well. it it ist1't the trin nl hunk l'l7lllK'l'S. lake, lietirge antl Slug, ltuess you lnt ntl nture tltan vnu euultl ehew this tinte, jake. .Xre yutt all right, 'illllltJl'? he askecl. I gttess ytitt nwe your life tu the little litfttle nt' tnetlieine whieh gnt you into this Il'lllllllC.'l li. ll., 'ill VI SIONS lun nrtnt' givhleu ltnurs slip away ' ns hll my lxrftin. Youth lives in ilreants, nut in realtttes, Still. eittxntless shining visit, Net has nu teasnn 111 lte xetleil lll shatne. 11, lt, 'zz THE URN Sttpper was nrer at L'ap'n Gnlcltl1wait's hnuse. The nltl captain antl pilut pushetl hitnself away trntn the talile antl lit a cigar. lint' at ninntent he lunketl arntuttl at the heatning faces liefnre llilll to he sure that his guests were well satistierl antl enn- tentefl. lfritlently what he saw salistietl l1it11, for lte lL'IlIll'Il haek i11 his ehair anal ptttvfetl eniltetttetlly at ltis cigar. l itt:tlly,11t1e11i his guests. whn hail heen lnnking nut nl the large :lining rnuttt wittcliiws at the sea, watching the gulls as they snaretl ahnttt, stttltlenly tiuestinnetl, t':1t1'1t, tlitl ytitt ever have :t irientl wht: was lust at sea? The oltl captain lnnkecl at his guest a tninnent with serintts eyes. llttring this isiiaee ni tllllt' his guest uhservetl the witle. NYl'1lTl1Cl I2llll104l, wrinkletl face, the kinclly hltte eyes antl the intelligent inre- heatl of ltis host. The guest, who was a hny, knew that the questinn wnultl he well answererl. Meanwhile the rest of Calfti Gnltltl1w:1it's guests hail Ct1111I'nt'tahly settletl tltetuselves in their eltairs. waiting int' the catmtaitfs answer. XYell, the eaptain rtttninatetl a tnunient, yes :intl nn, Russell. Ynu see. nty irientl XVIl5ll.t exactly lust at sea-V-as fat' as we kutvw. lte think lte was tnttt'tlererl. The hny half startetl. Tell tts ahuttt hitn, please! he exelaitnetl eagerly. hxxvlllt was he? kliltere tlitl he entne frunt? .Xml wlty tln yntt tlti11k he was tnttrtleretl The nhl captain leanetl littl'WIll'Ll un his eltair, stniling faintly as he tlitl sn at tlte suclclen nut- httrst of iittgstiniis ztnfl restetl his heavy hanils nn tlte tahle. Then, in :1 tleetm, clear wire, lie hegan his stnry. Tu hegin with, Russell, the lllillliri nante was fifllllll Pickett. lle antl his wife hailetl lrntn lfast- purt. Before killlllll l'iekett tltarrietl, lte put intn the l'ot1l une night witlt :1 small hnat lnailetl witlt sutitilies. lluring the lilllL' he was here at the l'04ll, 1 tttet l1in1 antl itittnetliately we lll'l'Illlll' irientls. Sn, after that. antl after he tnarrietl, it' he eante withitt :1 huntlrefl ntiles nt' the l'1lt1l. he always eante tu visit tue antl Mrs. linltltltwait, hringing his wife witlt lti111. Wie snnn heeante last trienrls flllll always wishefl tltat l1e wuuhl entne 1n1i1'e tit-tet1