"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 101 - The Green Eagle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

Unnerved—he had never been around a dead or dying man before—Ben dashed back to Patches and
untied his canteen. He forced water between the cracked lips. The old man’s mouth merely filled with
water and ran over. The throat was evidently swollen shut, and Ben used his pencil to make a channel
down which the water could flow.

There was no sign of life in the old man.

Ben stood up and shouted for the old maids, intending to send them for help. But the wind was against
him and they did not hear.

The old man made faint mewing sounds. Ben dropped beside him. "Take it easy," Ben urged.

The faint sounds kept coming from the old man and Ben realized the fellow was saying, "Water," over
and over.

Ben gave him a little more water.

"How long you been thirsty, old-timer?" he asked.

After a while, "Two weeks . . . before I lost count," the old man managed.

"You been without water two weeks?" Ben demanded.

The other said, "Yes." His eyeballs moved, seemingly with greatest difficulty, until they rested on Ben. He
strained for a time with words. "Food gone . . . three weeks," he managed at last.

"For the love of little prairie dogs!" Ben said. He stood up and bellowed for the old maids, but they still
could not hear him. "You’ll be all right now," he assured the old man.

The old man tried to get more words out. Ben got down close to hear.

"Do you . . . know . . . Doc Savage?" the old man was trying to ask.

"D-o-c S-a-v-a-g-e?" Ben spelled it out.

"Yes."

"Never heard of him," Ben said.

The old man slowly turned his face on its side. He made a gurgling noise and some of the water that Ben
had poured into him came out. His knees drew up. He seemed to gather strength. His arms functioned
and he started to lift himself.

"Here, here, you’ll bust a suspender," Ben admonished.

The old man’s voice was suddenly surprisingly clear.
He said, "My saddlebag, get the contents to Mira."

"Sure, sure," Ben said. "I’ll get it to Mira."