Closer than it could be, then. Good. And Raju is close, too, to uncovering enough of the man to at least have a hope at freeing his arms, if not to pull him out. It's a good time for it, if Francis' voice is sounding that way, and Raju moves to what he can tell now are the shoulders, and maybe the head there. His fingers are starting to go numb, a little; he keeps working. "Good. I should have your arm free in a moment but keep talking, so I know you're still awake. Tell me about your icebox. You're certain it really was warm in here and you weren't just dreaming, or ill?"

Not that Raju isn't prepared to believe it, with a little more explanation. But Francis had seemed indignant enough about it a moment ago; maybe this will give him something like a second wind now.