soon out of the old owl's reach.

"What shall we do for supper to-night?" said Silver-nose, looking very
pitifully at Nimble-foot; whom they looked upon as the head of the family.

"We shall not want for a good supper and breakfast too, or I am very much
mistaken. Do you see that red squirrel yonder, climbing the hemlock-tree?
Well, my dears, he has a fine store of good things in that beech-tree. I
watched him run down with a nut in his teeth. Let us wait patiently, and
we shall see him come again for another; and as soon as he has done his
meal, we will go and take ours."

The red squirrel ran to and fro several times, each time carrying off a nut
to his nest in the hemlock; after a while, he came no more. As soon as he
was out of sight Nimble led the way, and found the hoard. The beech was
quite hollow in the heart, and they went down through a hole in the branch,
and found a store of hazel-nuts, with acorns, hickory-nuts, butter-nuts,
and beech-mast, all packed quite close and dry. They soon made a great hole
in the red squirrel's store of provisions, and were just choosing some nuts
to carry off with them, when they were disturbed by a scratching against
the bark of the tree. Nimble, who was always the first to take care of
himself, gave the alarm, and he and Velvet-paw, being nearest to the hole,
got off safely; but poor Silvy had the ill luck to sneeze, and before she
had time to hide herself the angry red squirrel sprang upon her, and gave
her such a terrible cuffing and scratching, that Silvy cried out for mercy.
As to Nimble-foot and Velvet-paw, they paid no heed to her cries for help;
they ran away, and left her to bear the blame of all their misdeeds, as
well as her own. Thieves are always cowards, and are sure to forsake one
another when danger is nigh.