It was on a hill, quite a distance outside the town, and was not often visited by any one.

The old adobe had long ago lost its tile roof, some of the walls had fallen, its former Spanish inhabitants had long since disappeared, and quick-motioned, small lizards now and then ran over the thick, ruined walls that stood, dark and crumbling, against the light-brown of the wild oats on the hill.
Jo climbed on top of one of the higher adobe walls.

It still retained its Spanish thickness, being about five feet through, although crumbling at the sides and somewhat uncertain as to uprightness.
"Must have taken a lot of clay to make it," thought Jo.
Just then a little lizard, that had been sunning itself in a niche in the adobe wall, started, disturbed by Jo's proximity, and ran swiftly over to another part of the wall.

Jo was anxious to see where the creature went.

The boy jumped over a broken place in the wall, and walked on its top, regardless of the fact that the adobe was trembling.
"Guess it's gone where I can't see it," said Jo to himself.