Children

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Katherine Tapley
18 Squire Street
Sackville, New Brunswick
Canada
E4L 4K9





SIR LANCELOT GETS LOST

BY

KATHERINE E. TAPLEY


One day Kathy, Lancelot's owner left the door open to her apartment when she was putting the garbage out. Lancelot poked his head out of the door and looked both ways. Soon he wandered the length of the hall and down the stairs. "Lancelot! Come back!" Kathy called, but he kept right on going. He was curious to know what it was like outside.
At first he was quite nervous because he was used to being indoors and his every need taken care of by Kathy. However, he was out on his own now and freedom was both exciting and scary. Out in the parking lot Lancelot encountered a black cat with green eyes that looked like a Hallowe'en cat. He sprang at Lancelot growling and hissing. Lancelot ran as fast as he could go. He hadn't expected trouble so soon. Lancelot outran the fierce black
cat and sat under a bush panting.
Soon the sun went down and it was dark. Lancelot was very frightened and wished he had not run away. He didn't know where he was. In the grass he spotted a mother skunk and her children. She came up to Lancelot and they touched noses. Soon Lancelot found himself playing tag with the baby skunks and he was having fun. Before morning the skunk family went away to their den and Lancelot was left alone again.
Next, a giant white dog saw Lancelot and started barking furiously. Lancelot tried to run away, but his path was blocked by
a high fence. What was he going to do? Everyone knows that dogs hate cats. This dog was very nasty and Lancelot thought that the dog would kill him. Was this the end?
Suddenly, a man ran up to the dog and grabbed his collar. "Get back!' he shouted to the dog. The animal obeyed and Lancelot was safe. The dog went away and the kind man picked Lancelot up. "Well, where did you come from kitty? You certainly are a handsome cat and you apear to be well looked after." Soon the man found Lancelot's pet tag. It had his name and Kathy's phone number on it. The man took Lancelot in his house and phoned Kathy.
"Do you own a cat called, 'Sir Lancelot'?" the man asked.
"Yes, I do! I've been worried sick about him." said Kathy.
"Well, I have him here with me."
" I'll come right away and pick him up. Where do you live?"asked Kathy.
"I live on 15 Pringle Street," replied the man. So, Kathy got Lancelot's harness and leash and drove in her car to the man's house.
"Oh, Lancelot! You are a naughty cat!" said Kathy. "But, I love you anyway!" she exclaimed as she hugged and kissed him.
So Lancelot came back home with Kathy. He was very hungry and tired and he had to admit that running away from home was
scary. First he had something to eat and then he had a long, long nap because he was so tired. Later, Kathy brushed his fur which had become dirty and messy. Now he was clean again. He was so glad to be back with Kathy that he jumped up on her lap and licked her face. That was his way of saying "I 'm sorry for running away and I love you."

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