“Never mind the shirk,” said Pitts:  “tell us how the men of the right grit made out.”

“Well,” said Davenport, “after Colonel Arnold had arranged his plans, he hurried forwards with sixty men, intending to proceed as soon as possible to the inhabitants on the Chaudiere and send back provisions to the main body.  When we started again, the rain had changed to snow, which fell two inches deep.  Ice formed on the surface of the water through which we were forced to wade and drag the boats.  You may talk about suffering at Valley Forge, but I tell you it was no kind of circumstance to what we men endured.  We were cold, hungry and tired all the time, and yet we couldn’t rest, for fear of starvation in the wilderness.  I always think my living through it all was owing to O’Brien’s care and his trying to keep me in good spirits.  Poor fellow! he met his death at Quebec.  I’ll never forget him.  The man who could forget such service at such a time would be a blot upon the name of humanity.”  Davenport paused, as if indulging mournful memory, and then proceeded.  “Near the source of the Dead River, we had to pass through a string of small lakes, choked with drift-wood and rocks.  So it seemed as if we met greater difficulty at every step of our advance.  At last we reached the four-mile carrying place, from the Dead River to the stream that leads into Lake Megantic.  We took the batteaux out of the water and dragged and carried them over the highlands till we reached the little stream, which conducted us by a very crooked course into Lake Megantic.  I began to think our toils and dangers would soon be over, and of course worked with a light heart.  At the Lake, we found Lieutenant Steel and the exploring party which had been sent forward to explore and clear the path at the portages.  The night after our party entered the Lake, we encamped on the eastern shore, where a large Indian wigwam that appeared as if it had been used for a council, served to shelter us from the cold winds.  Colonel Arnold ordered Hanchet and fifty men to march by land along the shore of Chaudiere River, and he, himself, embarked with Captain Oswald, Lieutenants Steel and Church and thirteen men, determined to proceed as soon as possible to the French inhabitants, and send back provisions to the army.  This was the only plan to save the men from starvation.  You see the Chaudiere is a rough rapid river, the water in some places boiling and foaming over a rocky bottom.  The baggage had to be lashed to the boats.  Arnold’s party fell among the rapids.  Three of the boats were overset, dashed to pieces against the rocks and their contents swallowed up by the waves.  Six men struggled for some time in the water, but were saved.  That accident turned out to be a lucky one, for no sooner had the men dried their clothes and re-embarked, than one of them, who had gone forward, cried out ‘a fall ahead,’ and thus the whole party was saved from destruction.  Soon after we entered the Chaudiere