ank Hazletine had told him he had done it during the
daytime, and it must have been somewhere in this neighborhood. The task
would seem easy if the sun were shining, but if it were shining Fred
Greenwood would not have been permitted to make the attempt.

He was convinced of another thing: the depth of the canyon had been
repeatedly referred to as being a thousand feet, but there were places
where it was less than half that extent, and he remembered a depression
in the earth, almost directly overhead, which must have lessened the
prodigious height found at other points.

Nevertheless, a climb of several hundred feet up the perpendicular side
of a canyon or mountain wall is severe work to the most powerful and
best trained man, and its formidable nature was proved by the fact that
some of the cowmen would not try it by daylight.

Nothing could be clearer than that Motoza had not hesitated to leave his
prisoner alone in the cavern for the reason that he was certain he could
not effect his escape therefrom. The last means the youth would think of
employing was that of climbing the side; therefore, as Fred reasoned,
that was the very means to adopt, and the only one that could possibly
succeed.

"I'll try it!" was his conclusion, after a few minutes' thought.

Before setting out on the unparalleled task he fervently asked the help
of the only One who could extricate him from his peril. Then he summoned
his strength and courage to the tremendous work.

His dread now was that Motoza would put in an appearance before he was
clear of the mouth of the cavern. Had the lad thought of the daring
scheme earlier in the day he would have studied the stupendous stairs
upon which all his hopes now rested, but it was too late to think of
that.

Reaching upward, he grasped one of the projecting points of rock and
drew himself clear of the opening in front of the cavern. Naturally
muscular and active, with all his nerves in superb control, the effort
was trifling. Within less time than would be supposed he had climbed
fully fifty feet without meeting with any difficulty. Then the first
thrill of alarm shot through him as one foot slipped and he narrowly
missed falling.

He found a good place to rest, and immediately adopted a sensible
precaution. Removing both shoes, he tied the strings together and slung
them over his shoulder, with the fastening under his chin. This would
make it rough for his stockinged feet, but it was worth i