'This fellow doesn't know how to go backward,' said Johnny, 'but if it
prove necessary, we can manage to turn him round.'

'All rightgo ahead.'

At the same moment, the limber Yankee sprung into the wagon, and the
steam man started ahead at a speed which was as fast as was prudent.

However, this delightful means of progress was brought to an
unexpected standstill, by the sudden and abrupt termination of the
valley. It ended completely as though it were an uncompleted canal,
the valley rising so quickly to the level of the prairie, that there
was no advancing any further, nor turning, nor in fact was there any
possible way of extricating themselves from the difficulty, except by
working the steam man around, and withdrawing by the same path that
they had entered by.

'Well, here we are' remarked the boy, as they came to a standstill,
'and what is to be done?'

'Get out of it,' was the reply of Hopkins, who advanced several yards
further, until he came up on the prairie again, so as to make sure of
the exact contour of the ground.

'Did yer ever try to make the thing go up hill?' asked the trapper.

Young Brainerd shook his head. 'Impossible! he would fall over on us,
the minute it was attempted. When I was at work at first making him,
what do you think was the hardest thing for me to do?'