at the doorway. Ned was quite sure that they were sleeping
and that he and his comrade could steal past them. But Obed turned in
another direction and Ned followed without a word. The man had caught a
glimpse of a second entrance at the opposite side of this hall of
pillars, and the two darted into it.

They found themselves in a passage less than the height of a man, and
only about three feet wide, but Obed led on boldly, and Ned, with equal
boldness, followed. The wall was about five feet thick, and they came
out into a court or patio surrounded by four ruined buildings. The floor
of the patio was cement, upon which their footsteps made no noise, and,
going through the great apertures in one of the ruined buildings, they
stood entirely on the outside of the mass of ancient temples, or
whatever it may have been.

"Ned," whispered Obed, "we ought to go right down on our knees and give
thanks. We've not only escaped from Carossa and his cutthroats, but
we've brought with us two American rifles; good enough for anybody and
two or three hundred rounds of ammunition, the things that we needed
most of all."

"It must have been more than chance," said Ned with emotion. "It must
have been a hand leading us."

"When I proposed to go with them I thought we might have a chance of
some kind or other. Well, Captain Carossa, you meant us evil, but you
did us good. Come, Ned, the faster we get away from these ghosts the
better. Besides, we've got more to carry now."

They had also brought away with them their packs of food, but they did
not mind the additional weight of the weapons, which were worth more to
them than gold or jewels. They listened a minute or two to see if any
alarm had been raised, but no sound came from the Hall of Pillars, and
with light steps and strong hearts they began another march on their
northward journey.

They traveled by the moon and stars, and, as they were not hindered now
by any great tangle of undergrowth, they made many miles before dawn,
although they were ascending steadily. They had come upon the edge of
the great central plateau of Mexico, which runs far into the north and
which includes much of Texas. Before them lay another and great change
in the country. They were now to enter a land of little rain, where
they would find the ragged yucca tree, the agave and the cactus, the
scrubby mesquite bush and clumps of coarse grass. But they had passed
through so much that they did not fear it.