It has already been shown how narrowly they missed doing so.
The familiarity of the cowman with the canyon averted the mistake made by his young friend.

He ascended it with scarcely any hesitation, although in the dense gloom his vision was almost useless.

It was because of that that he well-nigh stepped upon the crouching figure without suspecting it.

Reaching the stone where Jack had been overwhelmed by failure, the cowman paused for a minute and peered round in the gloom.

Not until he had glanced upward and studied the projecting crags over his head as outlined against the starlit sky was he absolutely sure of his location.