he 'd eaten dinner that night with the hamiltons again , replying automatically to their conversation but concerned with his own misery-and the thought of the much greater misery to come when he had to return to new york and tell his father and uncle hal ... ... william had taken leave of the hamiltons next morning , consigning the remains of the deer to them , and was followed down the narrow road by their good wishes and hopes that they would see him again with general washington , when the troops came back to middlebrook to winter .