Allan realized that he must not let inaction, thought and fear prey on them, so he commanded immediate burial of the body.
They therefore dug a shallow grave in the baked soil, and, taking good care not to touch the poisoned spear-head, carefully laid their companion to rest. Over the filled-in grave they heaved rocks.
“Does anybody know his name?” asked Allan.
“He was called Relzang,” answered Frumnos. “I knew him well--a metal-worker, of the best.”
“That's so--now I remember,” assented Stern. “What was his totem?”
“A circle, with a bird's head within.”
“Let it be placed here, then.”
Their best stone-cutter roughly hewed the mark in a great boulder, which was set on top of the pile. Then nothing more remaining to do, the exploring party once more pushed forward.
But Allan could sense that now even its diminished strength had greatly lessened. Discouragement and forebodings of certain death were working among the men.
He knew he could not hold them more than a few hours longer at the outside.