His vigorous strides soon enabled him to gain upon them, and by the time he, in his turn, reached the corner the distance between them was sensibly lessened.
( ( His ( vigorous strides ) ) ( soon ( ( enabled ( him ( to ( gain ( ( ( ( upon them ) , ) and ) ( by ( ( the time ) ( he ( , ( ( in ( his turn ) ) ( , ( reached ( ( the corner ) ( ( ( the distance ) ( between them ) ) ( was ( sensibly lessened ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (PRP$ His) (JJ vigorous) (NNS strides)) (ADVP (RB soon)) (VP (VBD enabled) (S (NP (PRP him)) (VP (TO to) (VP (VB gain) (PP (PP (IN upon) (NP (PRP them))) (, ,) (CC and) (PP (IN by) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN time)) (SBAR (S (NP (PRP he)) (, ,) (PP (IN in) (NP (PRP$ his) (NN turn))) (, ,) (VP (VBD reached) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN corner)) (SBAR (S (NP (NP (DT the) (NN distance)) (PP (IN between) (NP (PRP them)))) (VP (VBD was) (ADJP (RB sensibly) (JJ lessened)))))))))))))))) (. .)))
He was trying to accost them.
( He ( ( was ( trying ( to ( accost them ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (PRP He)) (VP (VBD was) (VP (VBG trying) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB accost) (NP (PRP them))))))) (. .)))