noon
I picked it up an ' carried it to my room in my apron . Poor little mite -- how it fluttered an ' struggled ! I kep ' it overnight in my spool-box . In the mornin ' I fed it ; by noon the sun come out , an ' I let it out on the window-sill , where I keep my house plants ; just a bit o ' musk -- the cap'n liked musk -- an ' a pot o ' bergamot . Do you know , ma'am , that little thing was that contented by the end of the week that I could leave the windows open an ' nary a wing 's stroke away would it go ? That was in December , ` fore it got to be known that I kep ' a bird in my room . That mild spell we had ` fore Christmas it did fly away one morning , but at sundown there it was back again ; an ' when it came on to snow that night I felt same 's I used to ` tween voyages , when I could hear how the ocean 'd get lashed to a fury , an ' Cap'n Walker 'd be fast asleep safe beside me .