Now confidence swelled again in his heart.

He had escaped all their bullets so far, and he was still gaining.

He would escape all the others and he would continue to gain.
He saw just ahead of him one of the clumps of trees that dotted the plain, but, although it might give momentary protection from the bullets he was afraid to gallop into it, lest he be swept from his horse's back by the boughs or bushes.

But his direct course would run close to the left side of it, and once more he sought to urge Old Jack to greater speed.
The horse was still running without a jar.

Ned could not feel a single rough movement in the perfect machinery beneath him.