midday
He felt the man 's eyes upon him in everything he did , and it robbed him of his confidence . He silently tested things , and saw everything in a new light ; it was best not to make a noise , if you were always walking in the sight of God . He did not go on cracking his cattle-whip , but meditated a little on whether he should burn that too . But a little before midday Rud appeared , and the whole incident was forgotten . Rud was smoking a bit of cane that he had cut off the piece his mother used for cleaning the stove-pipes , and Pelle bartered some of his dinner for a few pulls at it . First they seated themselves astride the bullock Cupid , which was lying chewing the cud . It went on calmly chewing with closed eyes , until Rud put the glowing cane to the root of its tail , when it rose hastily , both boys rolling over its head .