These big, soft-hearted trappers were all crying now like women. No
other thought occurred to them than that these ghastly remains were
Bob's, for the toboggan and things on it were his.

After a while they tenderly gathered up the human remains and placed
them upon the toboggan. Then they picked up the gun and blood
spattered axe.

"Now here be another axe on th' flat sled," said Dick. "What were Bob
havin' two axes for?"

"'Tis strange," said Ed.

"He must ha' had one cached in here, an' were bringin' un back,"
suggested Bill, and this seemed a satisfactory explanation.

"I'll take some pieces o' th' clothes. His mother'll be wantin'
somethin' that he wore when it happened," said Dick, as he gathered
some of the larger fragments of cloth from the snow.

Then with bowed heads and heavy hearts they silently retraced their
steps to the tilt, hauling the toboggan after them.

At the tilt they halted to arrange their future course of action.

"Now," said Dick, "what's t' be done? 'Twill only give pain th' sooner
t' th' family t' go out an' tell un, an' 'twill do no good. I'm
thinkin' 'tis best t' take th' remains t' th' river tilt an' not go
out with un till we goes home wi' open water."