ying everything
he saw and heard a spirit or a wild beast. Oddo did very differently
from this. As usual, he was too busy finding out how everything
happened to feel afraid, as a less inquisitive boy would.

The cake steamed up in the frosty air under his nose, so warm, and
spicy, and rich, that Oddo began to wonder what so very superior a cake
could be like. He had never tasted any cake so rich as this, nor had
any one in the house tasted such: for Nipen would be offended if his
cake was not richer than anybody's else. Oddo wondered more and more
how this would taste, till, before he had crossed the yard, he wondered
no longer. He broke a piece off, and ate it; and then wondered whether
Nipen would mind his cake being just a little smaller than usual. After
a few steps more, the wonder was how far Nipen's charity would go, for
the cake was now a great deal smaller, and Oddo next wondered whether
anybody could stop eating such a cake when it was once tasted. He was
surprised to see, when he came out into the starlight, at the end of the
barn, how small a piece was left. He stood listening whether Nipen was
coming in a gust of wind, and when he heard no breeze stirring, he
looked about for a cloud where Nipen might be. There was no cloud, as
far as he could see. The moon had set, but the stars were so bright as
to throw a faint shadow from Oddo's form upon the snow. There was no
sign of any spirit being angry at present: but Oddo thought Nipen would
certainly be angry at finding so very small a piece of cake. It might
be better to let the ale stand by itself, and Nipen would perhaps
suppose that Madame Erlingsen's stock of groceries had fallen short; at
least, that it was in some way inconvenient to make the cake on the
present occasion. So, putting down his can upon the snow, and holding
the last fragment of the cake between his teeth, he seized a birch pole
which hung down from the gallery, and by its help climbed one of the
posts, and got over the rails into the gallery, whence he could watch
what would happen. To remain on the very spot where Nipen was expected
was a little more than he was equal to; but he thought he could stand in
the gallery, in the shadow of the broad eaves of the barn, and wait for
a little while. He was so very curious to see Nipen, and to learn how
it liked its ale!

There he stood in the shadow, hearing nothing but his own munching;
though there was not much of that: for as he