We kept on the go till twelve o'clock that night, having marched over fifty miles since we started in the morning. This, together with our three small scrimmages, might be considered an ample day's work. The snow was about four feet deep, and many of the party had their feet frozen, for it was bitter cold. When we got to Sabbath Day Point, we found the rest of our men there, and a number of good fires. We warmed ourselves at them, and our companions brought us some warm food and drink. Amos's ear was puffed up, and his toes were so sore he could hardly walk. We were very tired, and rolled ourselves up in our blankets near the fires, and had a sound sleep. The next day we marched as far as Long Island, and camped there that night. At sunrise one of our Indians brought word that a large herd of deer was on the lake near the west side. [Sidenote: A HERD OF DEER] McKinstry, Martin, Amos, and I got leave to go after them with some other Rangers and Indians. Amos started with us too. "This is f-fun, Ben. A whole herd of d-deer waiting to be knocked over. Oh, my feet!" He limped along, and the sweat stood out on his face. "It's no use, Ben. I can't do it. I call that t-tough luck--to be cheated out of the best chance for hunting I ever had. Good-by." He felt as bad over it as a boy of twelve would to lose Thanksgiving dinner. We divided into two parties. A half a dozen Indians walked up the lake beyond the deer, so as to drive them toward us; and the rest of us went to the west side of the lake and up into the woods, till we were hidden from the lake. We walked along on a path that was near the shore of the lake, till we were opposite the deer, and the Indians were already in a line on the further side of them. "Now, boys," said McKinstry, "spread out, so that they can't run to the shore, and in this going we ought to get them all." We went down on the ice and drove them toward the Indians and then formed a circle around them. As we had rackets on, and the snow was deep, we could outrun the deer, and we killed the whole herd--twelve in all. Most of us shot our deer, but the Indians ran alongside of them and killed their deer with their hunting-knives. "No more salt beef for us for a week or so," said McKinstry. "I've been longing for a bit of venison." We cut up our deer, and making some rude sleds out of bark, placed our venison on them, and soon overtook the rest of our party, for they moved slowly. Rogers had sent word to Fort Edward that many of the men were frost-bitten and unable to walk; and one hundred men with a number of Indian sleds were sent to us and met us on the lake. Amos got on one of these sleds, and we marched back to Fort Edward. CHAPTER XV CAMP DISCIPLINE--AMHERST'S ANGELS--A BRUSH WITH THE FRENCH, AND THE LOSS OF CAPTAIN JACOB In the spring the provincial troops began to meet at Albany. Some of our officers had been recruiting during the winter, and they returned with their men.