He fell and the metal of his canteen rang against the stone.
He sprang to his feet instantly, but the sentinel had taken the alarm and as Ned's sombrero had slipped back he saw the fair face.

He knew that it was the face of no Mexican, and shouting "Gringo!" he fired straight at him.

Luckily, haste and the darkness prevented good aim, although he was at short range.

But Ned felt the swish of the bullet so close to him that every nerve jumped, and he jumped with them.

The first jump took him half way to the pyramid and the next landed him at its base.