“Don’t try to talk now,” Rex said bending over him. “It’s all right and we’ll have you on your feet in no time.”
“He’s nearly starved to death,” Bob whispered to Jack. “See what you can find. Some condensed milk mixed with water will be all right if you can find it.”
In the back of the room was a small closet, and Jack was delighted to find it well stocked with provisions, including several cans of milk. He quickly opened one of the latter with his knife, and pouring the contents into a dipper, he thinned it with water.
“Drink a little of this,” Bob cautioned. Then turning to Jack he ordered: “You get the fire going and I’ll see if I can find some oatmeal or something to make some gruel of. He’s got to have something a bit more substantial than that condensed milk.”
“But how about those fellows seeing the smoke?” Rex asked.
“We’ll have to take a chance on that. This man will die if we don’t get something inside him, and if they return we’ll have to do the best we can. Anyhow Kernertok’ll give us the word so they can’t take us by surprise.”
An hour later, after the man had taken as much of the gruel as Bob dared to give him, he seemed considerably stronger and the boys began to remember that they had had no breakfast themselves. Thanks to the provisions in the cabin this condition was soon remedied and a goodly portion taken out to Kernertok and Sicum. Stebbins was sleeping quietly as they returned to the cabin.
“What’s the next move?” Jack whispered.
“That’s the big question,” Bob replied. “That man won’t be fit to move for two or three days at the most, and they’ll probably be back before night at the longest.”
“That’s a safe bet at any rate,” Jack agreed. “And it’s another safe bet that they’ll make mince meat of us if we give them the chance.”