He heard around him the talk and murmur of the men, and the sounds of new preparations.

He heard the recruits telling one another that they had repulsed four Mexican attacks, and that they could repulse four more.

Yet the amount of talking was not great.

The fighting had been too severe and continuous to encourage volubility.

Most of them reloaded in silence and waited.
Ned felt that his weakness had passed, opened his eyes, and sat up again.