He experimented with many schemes, but threw them aside one by one as flimsy.

He was quick to see vulnerable places in them all.
Furthermore, he was much afraid that some arrow of scorn might lay him mentally low before he could raise his protecting tale.
He imagined the whole regiment saying: "Where's Henry Fleming?
He run, didn't 'e?
Oh, my!" He recalled various persons who would be quite sure to leave him no peace about it.

They would doubtless question him with sneers, and laugh at his stammering hesitation.

In the next engagement they would try to keep watch of him to discover when he would run.
Wherever he went in camp, he would encounter insolent and lingeringly cruel stares.

As he imagined himself passing near a crowd of comrades, he could hear one say, "There he goes!" Then, as if the heads were moved by one muscle, all the faces were turned toward him with wide, derisive grins.