Attend to his feeding.

And the poor fellow should have some proper bedding, too, a chilly night like this." "A merciful soldier wouldn't eat until he had seen his prisoner fed," tantalized another.
Dick had his cup of coffee at his mouth.
"Prescott, old man," commented fat Smith, "you'll be commended in general orders for distinguished bravery." That was enough, in itself, to make Dick choke, but Smith emphasized his remark by slapping Dick on the back.

An ounce of hot coffee, at least, "went down the wrong way." Choking and gasping for breath, trying to expel the coffee from his windpipe, and all the while obliged to lean well forward so as not to expel any of the coffee over the front of his blouse, Dick thought he never would get his breath again.
"Instead of feeding his prisoner, I believe Mr.Prescott has been eating some of his prisoner," observed Corporal Hasbrouck dryly.
"Mr.Prescott, himself, appears to be full of straw at present." The general laugh that followed didn't make it any easier for the victim of all this nonsense.

In laughing again Dick choked so that he began to turn slightly black.
"Dry up, you hyenas!" ordered Cadet Captain Reynolds, as he rushed to Prescott's relief.

In a few moments the late sentry on number three was breathing easily again.