The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-22
town, SO different from that of the rest Of

town, so different from that of the rest Of
Yankee-land. -, .
The characteristic information struck
the car Of the British captain, as he peer
ed keenly and suspiciously in the faces
of his victims.
"Englishmen, by 3d." said he :;
no cursed rebel Yankee ever talked like
that. Pass the word forward for the
b. son; he'll know 'em down to the shire
and village"
The hos on, a weather-beaten old salt,
with a villainous face, who had been one
Of the most cruel ard INSCRIPTIONS
crimpS in Plymouth, and was sort
of humble edition of his chief, came aft.
''Ah, ha! BIO 'son, here's good. fat
piece Of work cut out Tor you and your
mates with the cat,'' roared the com.
mander. ''Look at these scoundrels.
Englishmen, deSerters from the colors Of
their king. They'd pass for Yankees;
but know the breed too we'll. Talk to
'em and let's know what part of old Eng
land they hail from.''
cay, ~, your honor: I know 'em by
the very cut Of the jib!' answered the
petty officer, scraping and pulling his
topknot to his superior.
The men OF Marblehead saw the trap
into which they had fallen, and obSti-
nately refused t" answer any further
questions. Seeing nothing but grim death
before them they were going to die
gr;m'y and silently.
away with: 'em to the gangway and
tricc EN- to the grating y shouted the
English captain, with a volley of oaths.
'lf 'ri'tcd with the logged di>dain Of the
prisoners. Give EN- four dozen apiece,
and with a right good will, too or yon
and y'ur mate shall take their places.
Tomorrow, it will be the matter of the
yartl-arm -
The DO son executed his mission with q
cruel delight, and the crew were muster.
ed to witness che savage torture as the
blood spurted Oh the naked backs from
The st, okes of the terrible cat.
The unfortunate men were taken be-
low and put in irons, expecting next day
to be executed on the pretext which had
been so unexpectedly raised by their bru-
tai captor. His comrades had WINGED
under the fierce torment of the cat, but
the blows had fallen on Abner Taft's her.
cuiean shoulders as on cold, impassive
marble. Not a sound from his lips, nor
culver in the flesh; only cold, quiet
look in the eyes, full of some strange
meaning.
The three fishermen owed their lives to
the fact that the Tartar was at that time
somewhat Short-handcd. She had taken
several prizes, and crews under the COM
mand of petty officers had been detached
for the captured vessels. Her ordinary
complement Of hards was cut down moro
tn n a third. Capt Scott and his junior
officers. in discussing the fate Of the pris-
oner> that night, concluded to postpone
their purpose Of execution. They could
be used to advantage in working the ship
for the present. and by-and-by they
might be tired by court.martial.
So Taft and his two comrades were re-
leased from the ca'aboose and
assigned to duty. though stri city wa cl..
ell for some weeks. The sharp surveli.
ance. however. gradually wore off in view
Of the apparent submission and good be-
havior Of the men.
The British navy at that period was
largely supplied with sailors through the
operations Of crimpine agents. who seized
and carried off men by armed force
species Of kidnapping tacitly countenanc
ed by the government. Naturally, there
fore, there were many sour and discon
tented spirits in the navy. Abner Taft
WAS not long in discovering that there
were many mutinuus and disaflectcd men
on board. Cautiously he sounded them
and at last had fifteen men, whom he be-
lieved he could trust, pledged to stand
by him. The Tartar, since the taking
command by Capt. Scott, had become
generally known as Hell Atloat," and
the conspirat"rs seemed to feel that III
case of failure, execution was but little
worse than life under such brutal ty,
rant.
Circumstances conjoined in favor Of the
plot OF these three stern and during hearts
of Marblehead. which was to be alike q
piece of superb personal vengeance, and
Il great patriotic service. Abner Taft
who conceived and organized the enter
prise, had instruc4ed his helpers to Sc.
crete food about the deck, and to hold
themselves ready to await his signal
Accident, t,o.. had placed the eighteen
co,'spirators in the same watch, and, hat
it not been for this mere chance. it seems
difficult to understand how such plo,
could ever have been successful.
They had waited YEARLY for several
weeks for an opportunity which should
warrant them in striking the blow. Fate
at last smiled on them.
One gnsty November night Capt. Scott
and his officers were ildalying in a ca
rouse Of unusual extent. The crew had
been severely taskcd for several nights,
as the weather had been severe arid TEN
pe>tuous, and slept deeply. No better