“All that in good time,” replied the professor. “The thing to do now is to bring her out of her faint, and get her something to eat. Ned, you make the coffee and Jerry will heat some chicken soup. Hurry now, boys.”
But the lads needed no urging. In a jiffy the camp-stove was going and hot coffee was soon ready. In the meanwhile the professor, by use of some simple remedies he always carried, brought the girl out of her faint. She opened her eyes and asked for a drink.
The hot coffee, followed by a little of the warm soup, brought the color back to her face, and she was able to sit up. She stared at her strange surroundings and looked at the boys and the naturalist.
“Me Maximina,” she said, speaking slowly. “You Ned, Jerry and Mr. Snowgrass?”
“Snodgrass, Snodgrass, my dear young lady,” replied the professor, bowing low. “Professor Uriah Snodgrass, A. M., Ph.D., M. D., F. R. G. S., A. Q. K., all of which is at your service.”
“Bob need you,” said the girl, simply. “He try to come, but he git ketch.”
“Yes, yes! Tell us about him. Where can we find him?” asked Jerry, eagerly.
“Me no spik Inglis good,” the girl replied. “You spik Spanish, señor?”
“Si,” answered the professor.
Thereupon Maximina let forth a torrent of words that nearly overwhelmed the naturalist. Yet he managed to understand what she said.