Moreover, he had studied the Stairs, which led behind the shoulder of the crag to the summit.

One could get up, if one was thin enough to squeeze through a gap between two rocks, but nerve and agility would be required.
"But you must climb pretty well, if you meant to get up the Stairs," he said.
"I know the Carnarvon range, but only go there now and then, and one needs some training to keep pace with people born among the fells who walk like mountain goats." Had she said a mountain deer, Festing would have approved, for he had noted Helen's easy balance and fearless grace as she crossed the ragged blocks of stone.

Then a rumble of distant thunder rolled among the crags and Miss Jardine resumed: "We ought to fix upon the best way down." "The best is a rather elastic term," Helen rejoined.

"The easiest would be to go back by the way we came." "It's much too far." "The shortest is up the crag by the Stairs or the gully on the other side.

The regular track takes us down near the bottom of the next dale, and then back over the top." "That's unthinkable," Miss Jardine declared.
"Well," said Helen thoughtfully, "there's a short line down the scree and across the shoulder of the fell below, but it's steep and rough.
There are some small crags, too, but they're not much of an obstacle when they're dry." They set off and Festing noticed Helen's confidence on the scree.