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t…up condition of the wall made holding to one direction impossible。 Soon I realized I was lost in a labyrinth。 I tried to find my way down again； but the best I could do was to reach the verge of a cliff； from which I could see the canyon。 Then I knew where I was； yet I did not know； so I plodded wearily back。 Many a blind cleft did I ascend in the maze of crags。 I could hardly crawl along； still I kept at it； for the place was conducive to dire thoughts。 A tower of Babel menaced me with tons of loose shale。 A tower that leaned more frightfully than the Tower of Pisa threatened to build my tomb。 Many a lighthouse…shaped crag sent down little scattering rocks in ominous notice。
After toiling in and out of passageways under the shadows of these strangely formed cliffs； and coming again and again to the same point； a blind pocket； I grew desperate。 I named the baffling place Deception Pass； and then ran down a slide。 I knew if I could keep my feet I could beat the avalanche。 More by good luck than management I outran the roaring stones and landed safely。 Then rounding the cliff below； I found myself on a narrow ledge； with a wall to my left； and to the right the tips of pinyon trees level with my feet。
Innocently and wearily I passed round a pillar…like corner of wall； to come face to face with an old lioness and cubs。 I heard the mother snarl； and at the same time her ears went back flat； and she crouched。 The same fire of yellow eyes； the same grim snarling expression so familiar in my mind since Old Tom had leaped at me； faced me here。
My recent vow of extermination was entirely forgotten and one frantic spring carried me over the ledge。
Crash！ I felt the brushing and scratching of branches； and saw a green blur。 I went down straddling limbs and hit the ground with a thump。 Fortunately； I landed mostly on my feet； in sand； and suffered no serious bruise。 But I was stunned； and my right arm was numb for a moment。 When I gathered myself together； instead of being grateful the ledge had not been on the face of Point Sublimefrom which I would most assuredly have leapedI was the angriest man ever let loose in the Grand Canyon。
Of course the cougars were far on their way by that time； and were telling neighbors about the brave hunter's leap for life； so I devoted myself to further efforts to find an outlet。 The niche I had jumped into opened below； as did most of the breaks； and I worked out of it to the base of the rim wall； and tramped a long； long mile before I reached my own trail leading down。 Resting every five steps； I climbed and climbed。 My rifle grew to weigh a ton； my feet were lead； the camera strapped to my shoulder was the world。 Soon climbing meant trapeze worklong reach of arm； and pull of weight； high step of foot； and spring of body。 Where I had slid down with ease； I had to strain and raise myself by sheer muscle。 I wore my left glove to tatters and threw it away to put the right one on my left hand。 I thought many times I could not make another move； I thought my lungs would burst； but I kept on。 When at last I surmounted the rim； I saw Jones； and flopped down beside him； and lay panting； dripping； boiling； with scorched feet； aching limbs and numb chest。
〃I've been here two hours；〃 he said； 〃and I knew things were happening below； but to climb up that slide would kill me。 I am not young any more； and a steep climb like this takes a young heart。 As it was I had enough work。 Look！〃 He called my attention to his trousers。 They had been cut to shreds； and the right trouser leg was missing from the knee down。 His shin was bloody。 〃Moze took a lion along the rim； and I went after him with all my horse could do。 I yelled for the boys； but they didn't come。 Right here it is easy to go down； but below； where Moze started this lion； it was impossible to get over the rim。 The lion lit straight out of the pinyons。 I lost ground because of the thick brush and numerous trees。 Then Moze doesn't bark often enough。 He treed the lion twice。 I could tell by the way he opened up and bayed。 The rascal coon…dog climbed the trees and chased the lion out。 That's what Moze did！ I got to an open space and saw him； and was coming up fine when he went down over a hollow which ran into the canyon。 My horse tripped and fell； turning clear over with me before he threw me into the brush。 I tore my clothes； and got this bruise； but wasn't much hurt。 My horse is pretty lame。〃
I began a recital of my experience； modestly omitting the incident where I bravely faced an old lioness。 Upon consulting my watch； I found I had been almost four hours climbing out。 At that moment； Frank poked a red face over the rim。 He was in shirt sleeves； sweating freely； and wore a frown I had never seen before。 He puffed like a porpoise； and at first could hardly speak。
〃Where wereyouall？〃 he panted。 〃Say！ but mebbe this hasn't been a chase！ Jim and Wallace an' me went tumblin' down after the dogs； each one lookin' out for his perticilar dog； an' darn me if I don't believe his lion； too。 Don took one oozin' down the canyon； with me hot…footin' it after him。 An' somewhere he treed thet lion； right below me； in a box canyon； sort of an offshoot of the second rim； an' I couldn't locate him。 I blamed near killed myself more'n once。 Look at my knuckles！ Barked em slidin' about a mile down a smooth wall。 I thought once the lion had jumped Don； but soon I heard him barkin' again。 All thet time I heard Sounder； an' once I heard the pup。 Jim yelled； an' somebody was shootin'。 But I couldn't find nobody； or make nobody hear me。 Thet canyon is a mighty deceivin' place。 You'd never think so till you go down。 I wouldn't climb up it again for all the lions in Buckskin。 Hello； there comes Jim oozin' up。〃
Jim appeared just over the rim； and when he got up to us； dusty； torn and fagged out； with Don； Tige and Ranger showing signs of collapse； we all blurted out questions。 But Jim took his time。
〃Shore thet canyon is one hell of a place；〃 he began finally。 〃Where was everybody？ Tige and the pup went down with me an' treed a cougar。 Yes； they did； an' I set under a pinyon holdin' the pup； while Tige kept the cougar treed。 I yelled an' yelled。 After about an hour or two； Wallace came poundin' down like a giant。 It was a sure thing we'd get the cougar； an' Wallace was takin' his picture when the blamed cat jumped。 It was embarrassin'； because he wasn't polite about how he jumped。 We scattered some； an' when Wallace got his gun； the cougar was humpin' down the slope； an' he was goin' so fast an' the pinyons was so thick thet Wallace couldn't get a fair shot； an' missed。 Tige an' the pup was so scared by the shots they wouldn't take the trail again。 I heard some one shoot about a million times； an' shore thought the cougar was done for。 Wallace went plungin' down the slope an' I followed。 I couldn't keep up with himhe shore takes long stepsan' I lost him。 I'm reckonin' he went over the second wall。 Then I made tracks for the top。 Boys； the way you can see an' hear things down in thet canyon； an' the way you can't hear an' see things is pretty funny。〃
〃If Wallace went over the second rim wall； will he get back to…day？〃 we all asked。
〃Shore； there's no tellin'。〃
We waited； lounged； and slept for three hours； and were beginning to worry about our comrade when he hove in sight eastward； along the rim。 He walked like a man whose next step would be his last。 When he reached us； he fell flat； and lay breathing heavily for a while。
〃Somebody once mentioned Israel Putnam's ascent of a hill；〃 he said slowly。 〃With all respect to history and a patriot； I wish to say Putnam never saw a hill！〃
〃Ooze for camp；〃 called out Frank。
Five o'clock found us round a bright fire； all casting ravenous eyes at a smoking supper。 The smell of the Persian meat would have made a wolf of a vegetarian。 I devoured four chops； and could not have been counted in the running。 Jim opened a can of maple syrup which he had been saving for a grand occasion； and Frank went him one better with two cans of peaches。 How glorious to be hungryto feel the craving for food； and to be grateful for it； to realize that the best of life lies in the daily needs of existence； and to battle for them！