"They've had time to tell their own story.

That may account for our cold reception by the Germans.

He says they're under arrest.

That may be true, or it may be a trick.
It's perfectly obvious Coutlass wanted to start a fight, and I'm dead sure he wasn't taking such a chance as it seemed.

Who wants to look behind the cactus hedge and see whether he has friends in ambush ?" "Drunkard Brown is on the town--on the town--on the town!" roared Coutlass and his friends from not very far away.
"Oh, let me go and have a crack at 'em!" begged Brown.