He lay in his bunk pondering upon it.

He tried to mathematically prove to himself that he would not run from a battle.
Previously he had never felt obliged to wrestle too seriously with this question.

In his life he had taken certain things for granted, never challenging his belief in ultimate success, and bothering little about means and roads.

But here he was confronted with a thing of moment.

It had suddenly appeared to him that perhaps in a battle he might run.