Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-03-20
A Yankee Trick.
IOriRinal.l

was 1863, and 1t was evident that the
vessel was a blockade runner. Her
low build lifted her especially to es-
cape observation, and her hull was
most like the gray of early dawn, the
hour that blockaders usually slipped In
and out Of port. On her stern was her
name, the Petrol. She was taking ON
a load of cotton, q fabric worthless In
the COnfederacy, but valued at more
than a dollar a pound in Liverpool. A
lean man, with his hands in his peck
cts, sauntered up to the captain, who
was standing on the dock, and asked:
Coin to sail tonight. capT
The captain turned with a scOwl to
the intruder. whose accent was plainly
that of a Massachusetts Yankee. but
did not vouchsafe a reply. His Ques-
toner coolly took out a pocketknife.
picked up stick and began to white.
"See hyar, yo' blamed Yankee, what
yo' doin' loose in South Carolina"
The Yankee laughed. Guess they
know more bout that at Richmond.
There's southerners in the Yankee
service and Yanks in the southern
service know all about you. You're
goin' to run the blockade tomorrow
mornin' before daylight"
well, suppose am"
The Yankee pulled fat envelope out
Of bis pocket bearing the stamp of the
state department at Richmond and ad-
dressed to a Confederate emissary In
London.
Guess you want passenger, don't
your"
The captain looked puzzled, glancing
back and forth between the Yankee
and his packet He did not want any
one he didn't know aboard his vessel.
but did not like to refuse to take a
| messenger of the Confederate govern
ment. He thought that II he could
see the contents Of the packet he
would be satisfied. But he had no
right to open it. He concluded to telp-
graph the state department for instruc-
lions.
"All right" he said; 'if yo're bona
fide messenger yo' can CO."
About midnight the Yankee came to
| the dock with a lot Of chickens well
cooped.
Heard from RichmondT he asked.
Eyes; it's all right. You can go. But
what are yo' going to do with those
chickensT
"Well, l suppose I'd ought to con-
tribute somethin' to eat durin' the
/ voyage, and l couldn't think O. any
thing better n broilers."
The captain again looked puzzled
but permitted the Yankee to take his
broilers aboard.
At the dead of night the Petrol left
the dock and steamed down the har.
bor
Lying outside was the Yankee gun
boat Montauk. Lieutenant Spankel
commanding. At 2 a. M. as was his
custom, he left his cabin and proceed
ed on deck. For more than an hour he
paced to and fro, cursing the fog and
declaring that there never was bet
ter night for blockade runners. About
half past 8, just as the coming day
rendered the fog less black. he thought
he heard a cock crow.
"Mr Havens," he called to young
ensign, "are there any chickens be-
lowT
mo, sir; not a fowl of any kind
aboard"
"Well, then, there's one on blockade
runner. distinctly heard a rooster
crow. Call all hands. She's got out,
and we must follow. Order the en-
gineer to put on all steam"
In half an hour it was day, and in
ten minutes more the fog lifted. There
/ within a cables length was the Petrol
Lay tor shouted Lieutenant Span
kerr
The Petrol replied by a number OF
angry puffs and sped away, but the
Montauk sent shot after her, and her
| captain, seeing that the gunboat was
gaining on him, made virtue of ne
cessity and shut off steam. A boat was
/ lowered from the Montauk and Ensign
1 Haven boarded the blockade runner
| with a prize crew.
would yo' mind telling me how You
| got on to us?' asked the Petrel's cap
/ tain.
! you've got a rooster aboard. We
heard him crow"
| The captain looked at the Yankee
/ The Yankee smiled.
"Are you what you pretended to be
or not?" asked the captain.
ave been layin' for this prize"
"But the dispatch from Richmond
How did you manage that?"
Easy enough. waylaid the mes
senger who brought the reply. took his
message ard sent my own reply by an.
other messenger while gave the reg
ular one a supper"
/ The southerner, with flaming eyes
| made a dash for the Yankee, but be
fore he could reach his prey the latter
had whipped out revolver and COW
cred him. This cooled his ardor, and q
couple OF marines put the captain I'M
der arrest.
The Yankee went on board the gun
boat and Informed Lieutenant Spankel
that he was employed by the United
States government to hunt up block