The Pyramid of the Moon rose almost directly before him, its truncated mass spotted with foliage.  Ned could see that its top was flat and instantly he took a bold resolution.  He made his way to the base of the pyramid and began to climb slowly and with great care, always keeping hidden in the vegetation.  He was certain that no Mexican would follow where he was going.  They were on other business, and their incurious minds bothered little about a city that was dead and gone for them.

Up he went steadily over uneven terraces, and from below he heard the chatter of the soldiers.  A third fire had been lighted much nearer the pyramid, and pausing a moment he looked down.  Twenty or thirty soldiers were scattered about this fire.  Their muskets were stacked and they were taking their ease.  Discipline was relaxed.  One man was strumming a mandolin already, and two or three began to sing.  But Ned saw sentinels walking among the tumuli and along the Calle de los Muertos which led from the Citadel to the southern front of the Pyramid of the Moon.  He was very glad now that he had sought this lofty refuge, and he renewed his climb.

As he drew himself upon another terrace he saw before him a dark opening into the very mass of the pyramid, which was built either of brick or of stone, he could not tell which.  He thought once of creeping in and of hiding there, but after taking a couple of steps into the dark he drew back.  He was afraid of plunging into some well and he continued the ascent.  He was now about sixty or seventy feet up, but he was not yet half way to the top of the pyramid.

He was so slow and cautious that it took more than a half hour to reach the crest, where he found himself upon a platform about twenty feet square.  It was an irregular surface with much vegetation growing from the crevices, and here Ned felt quite safe.  Near him and sixty feet above him rose the crest of the Pyramid of the Sun.  Beyond were ranges of mountains silvery in the moonlight.  He walked to the edge of the pyramid and looked down.  Four or five fires were burning now, and the single mandolin had grown to four.  Several guitars were being plucked vigorously also, and the sound of the instruments joined with that of the singing voices was very musical and pleasant.  These Mexicans seemed to be full of good nature, and so they were, with fire, food and music in plenty, but now that he had been their prisoner Ned never forgot how that dormant and Spanish strain of cruelty in their natures could flame high under the influence of passion.  The dungeons of Spanish Mexico and of the new Mexico hid many dark stories, and he believed that he had read what lay behind the smiling mask of Santa Anna’s face.  He would suffer everything to keep out of Mexican hands.

He crept away from the edge of the pyramid, and chose a place near its center for his lofty camp.  There was much vegetation growing out of the ancient masonry, and he had a fear of scorpions and of more dangerous reptiles, perhaps, but he thrashed up the grass and weeds well with his machete.  Then he sat down and ate his supper.  Fortunately he had drunk copiously at a brook before reaching the ruined city and he did not suffer from thirst.