Cy hands Bret a shovel and tells him to dig post holes. But a shovel (which has a flat edge) is not for digging into dirt. A shovel is used to scoop coal (or rocks) off of a flat surface. Instead, a spade (with a pointed edge) is used to dig into the ground. An experienced ranch hand, such as Cy, would have known this and would have handed Bret a spade to dig post holes, NOT a shovel.