Ned, dazed for the moment by the shock of the plunge from a height into the water, clung tightly to his back.

He sat erect at first, and then remembering that he must evade the bullets leaned forward with the horse's neck between him and the Mexicans.
More shots were fired, but again he was untouched, and then the horse was feeling with his forefeet in the muddy bank for a hold.

The next instant, with a powerful effort, he pulled himself upon the shore.

The violent shock nearly threw Ned from his back, but the boy seized his mane and hung on.
The Mexicans shouted and fired anew, but Ned, now sitting erect, raced for San Antonio, only a mile away..