In a twinkling he had the boy astride of his neck with the kettle-drum resting on his head, and then the rattling music began.

Clark followed, pointing onward with his sword.

The half frozen and tottering soldiers sent up a shout that went back to where Captain Bowman was bringing up the rear under orders to shoot every man that straggled or shrank from duty.
Now came a time when not a mouthful of food was left.

A whole day they floundered on, starving, growing fainter at every step, the temperature falling, the ice thickening.

They camped on high land; and next morning they heard Hamilton's distant sunrise gun boom over the water.
"One half-ration for the men," said Clark, looking disconsolately in the direction whence the sound had come.