The glow of satisfaction faded from Alspaugh's horizon, and a cloud
overcast it.
"Here, you fellers," he said angrily, "why don't ye git up an'
saloot? Don't ye know your business yit?"
"What business, Jake?" asked Kent Edwards, absently, paying most
attention to a toad which had hopped out form the cover of a budock
leaf, in search of insects for his supper.
Alspaugh's face grew blacker. "The business of paying proper
respect to your officers."
"It hasn't occured to me that I am neglecting anything in that
line," said Kent, languidly, shifting over to recline upon his
left elbow, and with his right hand gathering up a little gravel
to flip at the toad; "but maybe you are better acquainted with our
business than we are."
Abe contributed to the dialogue a scornful laugh, indicative of a most
heartless disbelief in his superior officer's superior intellectuality.
The dark cloud burst in storm: "Don't you know," said Alspaugh,
angry in every fiber, "that the reggerlations say that 'when an
enlisted man sees an officer approach, he will rise and saloot,
and remain standin' and gazin' in a respectful manner until the
officer passes five paces beyond him?' Say, don't you know that?"
Kent Edwards flipped a bit of gravel with such good aim that it
struck the toad fairly on the head, who blinked his bright eyes in
surprise, and hopped back to his covert.
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