“What trail?” asked Jimmy with a terrified face.
“To Fort Good Hope to fetch the parson,” said Loseis in surprise.
“It is ondred-feefty mile,” faltered Jimmy.
“What of it? Two days to go and two to come. You can drive three spare horses before you. I don’t care if you kill them all.”
“I not man enough for that,” said Jimmy shaking his head.
“Well six days to go and come then. I’d go myself, but I know you two wouldn’t stay here alone.”
Jimmy’s and Mary-Lou’s frightened faces testified eloquently to that. Jimmy shook his head. “No good! No good!” he said. “It is summer time now. He no keep six days.”
Loseis groaned aloud. In her desperate helplessness she looked like a little girl. “How can I bury him without a parson!” she cried.
“You have the parson’s little book,” said Jimmy. “You can say the prayers from that. It is just as good.”
Loseis turned her back on them, that they might not see her childish, twisted face. “Very well,” she said in a strangled voice; “I will be the parson.”