I come up to where you seed me, but instead of going back I climbed the side to the top." "Gracious, what a task! It must be a thousand feet." "It isn't much less, but the sides of the canyon are so rough that it's just like so many steps.

I've done it often, and ain't the only one.
Bart and Mort tried both ways and like the climb better, though Kansas Jim would never take it.

Don't furgit one thing, younkers.

When you have a job like that afore you it's a good deal easier to climb up than it is to climb down.

If you should find yourself at the bottom of the canyon and hit the right spot, you'll larn that the work is easier going up than you think, but it's too resky going down for any one to try." The boys hoped their friend would tell them why he had entered the gorge, when the act at best was exhausting and accompanied by more or less peril, but he ignored their curiosity, and they did not feel warranted in questioning him.