The burros pattered up the trail with little hollow-cracking steps.

And the gorge widened to narrow outlet and the gloom lightened to gray.

At the divide they halted for another rest.

Venters's keen, remembering gaze searched Balancing Rock, and the long incline, and the cracked toppling walls, but failed to note the slightest change.
The dogs led the descent; then came Bess leading her burro; then Venters leading his.

Bess kept her eyes bent downward.