He settled himself well upon the top of the tumulus and drew his machete.  The dogs, six in number, coursed among the cypresses, and the leader, foam upon his mouth, leaped straight at Ned.  The boy involuntarily drew up his feet a little, but he was not shaken from the crouching position that was best suited to a blow.  As the hound was in mid-air he swung the machete with all his might and struck straight at the ugly head.  The heavy blade crashed through the skull and the dog fell dead without a sound.  Another which leaped also, but not so far, received a deep cut across the shoulder.  It fell back and retreated with the others among the cypresses, where the unwounded dogs watched with red eyes the formidable figure on the rocks.

But Ned did not remain on the tumulus more than a few minutes longer.  When he sprang down the dogs growled, but he shook the machete until it glittered in the moonlight.  With howls of terror they fled, while he resumed his journey in the other direction.

Near morning he came into country which seemed to him very wild.  The soil was hard and dry, but there was a dense growth of giant cactus, with patches here and there of thorny bushes.  Guarding well against the spikes and thorns he crept into one of the thickets and lay down.  He must rest and sleep and already the touch of rose in the east was heralding the dawn.  Sleep by day and flight by night.  He was satisfied with himself.  He had really succeeded better so far than he had hoped, and, guarded by the spikes and thorns, slumber took him before dawn had spread from east to west.

CHAPTER IV

THE PALM

Ned awoke about noon.  The morning had been cold, but having been wrapped very thoroughly in the great serape, he had remained snug and warm all through his long sleep.  He rose very cautiously, lest the spikes and thorns should get him, and then went to a comparatively open place among the giant cactus stems whence he could see over the hills and valleys.  He saw in the valley nearest him the flat roofs of a small village.  Columns of smoke rose from two or three of the adobe houses, and he heard the faint, mellow voices of men singing in a field.  Women by the side of a small but swift stream were pounding and washing clothes after the primitive fashion.

Looking eastward he saw hills and a small mountain, but all the country in that direction seemed to be extremely arid and repellent.  The bare basalt of volcanic origin showed everywhere, and, even at the distance, he could see many deep quarries in the stone, where races older, doubtless, than Aztecs and Toltecs, had obtained material for building.  It was always Ned’s feeling when in Mexico that he was in an old, old land, not ancient like England or France, but ancient as Egypt and Babylon are ancient.

He had calculated his course very carefully, and he knew that it would lead through this desert, volcanic region, but on the whole he was not sorry.  Mexicans would be scarce in such a place.  He remained a lad of stout heart, confident that he would succeed.