midday
One of his most favored passages of the Bible was the one in which the spoiling of the child is said to be caused by the small use of the rod . Zeb knew what it meant . He had often felt the strength of his father 's muscles , and he fully realized that if he was spoiled it was not because the rod had been spared . Only three mornings before Zeb had entered the kitchen , which served as dining room as well , and had partaken of his breakfast standing , and at the midday meal he still preferred an upright position instead of the one adopted by the other members of his family . To be accurate and truthful , it was a rare thing for Zeb to be able to sit down with any comfort , for his interviews with his father were very frequent and generally of a very painful nature . He entered the kitchen looking more defiant than his brothers or sister had ever seen him . Zeke did not speak .