Silver-nose remembered her mother's warning now, when it was too late; she
tried to get out of her prison, but in vain; the sides of the box were too
strong, and there was not so much as a single crack for a peep-hole. After
she had been shut up some time, the lid was raised a little, and a dark
hand put in some bright, shining hard grains for her to eat. This was
Indian corn, and it was excellent food; but Silvy was a long, long time
before she would eat any of this sweet corn, she was so vexed at being
caught and shut up in prison; besides, she was very much afraid that the
Indians were going to eat her. After some days, she began to get used to
her captive state; the little squaw used to feed her, and one day took her
out of the box, and put her into a nice light cage, where there was soft
green moss to lie on, a little bark dish with clear water, and abundance of
food. The cage was hung up on the bough of a tree, near the wigwam, to
swing to and fro as the wind waved the tree. Here Silvy could see the birds
flying to and fro, and listen to their cheerful songs. The Indian women and
children had always a kind look, or a word to say to her; and her little
mistress was so kind to her, that Silvy could not help loving her. She was
very grateful for her care; for when she was sick and sulky, the little
squaw gave her bits of maple-sugar and parched rice out of her hand. At
last Silvy grew tame, and would suffer herself to be taken out of her
house, to sit on her mistress's shoulder, or in her lap; and though she
sometimes ran away and hid herself, out of fun, she would not have gone far
from the tent of the good Indians, on any account. Sometimes she saw the
red squirrels running about in the forest, but they never came very near
her; but she used to watch ail day long for her brother Nimble-foot, or
sister Velvet; but they were now far away from her, and no doubt thought
that she had been killed by the red squirrel, or eaten up by a fox or
racoon.

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