A very unexpected word was the first he used.
"Simpletons!" said he.
Sahib, our jaws dropped.

Simpletons was the last thing we had thought ourselves.

On the contrary, we thought ourselves astute to have judged his character and to have kept our minds uncorrupted by the German efforts.

Yet we were no longer so sure of ourselves that any man was ready with an answer.
He glanced over his shoulder to left and right.

There were no Germans inside the fence; none near enough to overhear him, even if he raised his voice.