"Give him some water," suggested Franz, holding out his full canteen.
Jimmy raised his friend's head and Bob managed to get a little water between the parched lips.
"Good! Good! I wanted water!" murmured the man somewhat indistinctly.
"I've wanted water a long time."
"Do you know us? I'm Jimmy Blazes, and here's Bob, Roger, Iggy and Franz," said Jimmy. "Do you know us! Can you tell us where you've been all this while, and what happened to you!"
"Good water! Good water!" was all the reply that came from poor
Maxwell.
"He's out of his head," said Bob.
"We'd better send a doctor if we can find one, or get him to a hospital," suggested Roger.
"You go see if you can find any stretcher bearers, or a doctor or anyone like that," suggested Jimmy to Franz and Iggy. "We'll stay with him. Or Bob and I will. You'd better go report to the captain where we are, Roger. He might think we've deserted."
Bob and Jimmy, left with Maxwell, made him as comfortable as they could, washing his face and giving him more water to drink. But he answered none of their questions, murmuring only about the cool water. He was in a delirium of fever.
Of course Jimmy did not ask about the missing money. It would have been useless at this time. But, naturally, he wondered if the sergeant knew where it was.