Soon they emerged from the street between two colossal carved idols of appalling ugliness, and the square lay open before them. Like a vast mountain arose the huge mound with five successive stages, and up to the truncated summit, from the base, stretched a broad flight of sixty steps. Wide and shallow was this staircase, with huge stone masks scowling on each step. These dæmonic countenances were crowned with twisted serpents, and had protruding tongues symbolical of life and light. "Look like pantomime ogres," thought the irreverent Jack, contemplating these horrors. "I say, Cocom," he said in Spanish, "what are these heads meant to represent?" "They are god stars throwing their light over the earth, Señor. The projecting tongues represent them doing so." "Bueno! I never should have thought putting out one's tongue meant such a lot. Come, Cocom, let us ascend the steps." "One moment, Don Juan!" said Cocom, in a low voice, as Jack put his foot on the lower step, "I have a reason for taking you up here." "To see the opal?" "Yes; and to see something else. Connected with your escape, Señor. We can talk freely in the teocalli; for now it is noon, and no priest is in the temple." "Good! We will have it all to ourselves. But I wonder at them leaving the opal unguarded." "Santissima! It is quite safe, Don Juan! No one would steal the opal. Even if anyone did he could not get out of the town, and if he did get out of the town he would be killed before he reached the coast." "I see! Superstition is a greater safeguard than bolts or bars." "Promise me, Señor, you will not cry out at that which I am going to show you," said the Indian, disregarding Jack's remark. "I don't know what you are going to show me, but I promise you I'll keep silent." "Bueno, Señor Juan! Let us go!" He ascended the steps slowly, followed by Jack, who was much puzzled to know the reason of this warning. Cocom, however, had proved himself to be a true friend, so Duval trusted him implicitly, and was quite satisfied that the Indian did not speak without cause. Up those interminable steps they went, till Jack thought they would never reach the summit, and, being still weak from illness, had to pause three or four times during the ascent. At last they arrived at the top, and Cocom, making Jack sit down to rest himself, went into the temple. During the absence of the old man, his patient amused himself in examining the teocalli, and admiring the splendid view outspread before him.