"Who else has a question to ask ?" And again there was silence, save for the rain and the grinding and pounding on the beach.
Then Gooja Singh made bold, as he usually did when he judged the risk not too great.

He was behind the men, which gave him greater courage; and it suited him well to have to raise his voice, because the men might suppose that to be due to insolence, whereas Ranjoor Singh must ascribe it to necessity.

Well I knew the method of Gooja Singh's reasoning, and I knitted my fists in a frenzy of fear lest he say the wrong word and start trouble.

Yet I need not have worried.

I observed that Ranjoor Singh seemed not disturbed at all, and he knew Gooja Singh as well as I.
"It seems for the time being that we have given the slip to both Turks and Germans," said Gooja Singh; and Ranjoor Singh said, "Aye! For the time being!" "And we truly stand on Asia ?" he asked.
"Aye!" said Ranjoor Singh, "Then why did we not put those Turks ashore, and steam away in their ship toward Gallipoli to join our friends ?" said he.
"Partly because of submarines," said Ranjoor Singh, "and partly because of gun-fire.