Then Genesee turned in the saddle.
"Just to give you all a little proof of how big a fool a man can be without being a 'permanent' in a lunatic asylum."
And then he turned his attention again to the men digging up the loose earth. They had not far to go; small care had been taken to make the grave deep.
"Take care there with your knives," said Genesee as one shoulder was bared to sight. "Lift him out. Here—give him to me."
"What in——"
"Give him to me!" he repeated. "I've given your damned fool lives back to forty of you, and all I'm asking for it is that Kootenai's dead body."
Stuart stooped and lifted the chill, dark thing, and other hands were quick to help. The frozen soil was brushed like dust from the frozen face, and then, heavy—heavy, it was laid in the arms of the man waiting for it.
He scanned from the young face to the moccasined feet swiftly, and then turned his eyes to the others.
"Where's his blanket?" he demanded; and a man who wore it pushed forward and threw it over the figure.
"Denny took it," he said in extenuation, "and when Denny went under, I took it."