The seven great birds stayed aloft about half anhour, then returned to the pond, the cob still in thelead.
七只大一鸟在天上飞了大约半小时，然后便回到了池塘，领队的还是雄天鹅。
They all had a drink to celebrate the successfulflight.
他们都喝了点水，以此来庆祝这次成功的飞翔。
Next day they were up early.
第二天他们起得很早。
It was a beautiful fall morning, with mist rising fromthe pond and the trees shining in all colors.
这是一个美丽的秋天早晨，雾气笼在池塘的上空，树木泛着缤纷的辉光。
Toward the end of the afternoon, as the sun sank low in the sky, the swans took off from thepond and began their journey to Montana.
薄暮时分，当太一陽一低垂到天际的时候，天鹅们从池塘里起飞，开始了他们去蒙大拿的旅程。
"This way!" cried the cob. He swung to his left and straightened out on a southerly course.
“往这边飞!” 雄天鹅大叫。他转向左边，笔直地朝南飞去。
The others followed, trumpeting as they went.
大家都吹号般地叫着，跟在他的后面。
As they passed over the camp where Sam Bea一ver was, Sam heard them and ran out.
当他们飞过萨姆所在的营地时，萨姆听到了他们，跑了出来。
He stood watching as they grew smaller and smaller in the distance and finally disappeared.
他站在那里看着，直到他们变得越来越小最终消失在远方为止。
"What was it?" asked his father, when Sam returned indoors.
“那是什么?”当萨姆回到门口时，他的父亲问。
"Swans," replied Sam. "They're headed south."
“天鹅，”萨姆回答，“他们往南去了。”
"We'd better do the same," said Mr. Bea一ver. "I think Shorty will be here tomorrow to take usout."
“我们最好也这么做，”比弗先生说，“我想矬子明天要来接我们走了。”
Mr. Bea一ver lay down on his bunk.
比弗先生在他的床上躺下来。
"What kind of swans were they?" he asked.
“他们是什么品种的天鹅?”他问。
"Trumpeters," said Sam.
“号手天鹅。”萨姆说。
"That's funny," said Mr. Bea一ver.
“真希奇，”比弗先生说，
"I thought Trumpeter Swans had quit migrating. I thought they spent the whole year on theRed Rock Lakes, where they are protected."
“我以为号手天鹅早都搬走了呢。我想他们一整年都该呆在红石湖才对，在那里他们是受保护的。”
"Most of 'em do," replied Sam. "But not all of 'em."
“他们多数都是如此，”萨姆回答，“但不全是这样。”
It was bedtime. Sam got out his diary. This is what he wrote:
到睡觉的时候了。萨姆拿出他的日记本。他是这么写的：
I heard the swans tonight.
今晚我听到了天鹅叫。
They are headed south.
他们都往南飞去了。
It must be wonderful to fly at night.
在夜里飞翔的感觉一定很奇妙。
I wonder whether I'll ever see one of them again.
我不知道以后是否还能再见到他们中的一个。
How does a bird know how to get from where he is to where he wants to be?
一只鸟儿怎么知道如何从他所在的地方飞到他想去的地方呢?