What's grammar done to him to deserve such treatment?
He hasn't even a speaking acquaintance with it." "I 'spose it's because grammar can't hit back.

That's the kind he always picks on," answered Abe.
"You'll pay for this," shouted Alspaugh, striding off after the Sargent of the Guard.
At that moment a little drummer appeared by the flagstaff, and beat a lively rataplan.
"That's for dress-parade," said Kent Edwards, rising.

"We'd better skip right over to quarters and fall in." "Wish their dress-parades were in the brimstone flames," growled Abe Bolton, as he rose to accompany his comrade.

"All they're for is to stand up as a background, to show off a lot of spruce young officers dressed in fancy rigs." "Well," said Kent, lightly, as they walked along, "I kind of like that; don't you?
We make picturesque backgrounds, don't we?
you and I, especially you, the soft, tender, lithe and willowy; and I, the frowning, rugged and adamantine, so to speak.

I think the background business is our best hold." He laughed heartily at his own sarcasm, but Abe was not to be moved by such frivolity, and answered glumly: "O, yes; laugh about it, if you choose.