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Last of all, as the village lay halfway between the armies, the English planned to capture that first
最后，因為這個村莊坐落在部隊駐扎的中間，英國人計劃先拿下這里，
and thus prevent the inhabitants from sending word to Washington about their plans.
從而阻止居民將他們的計劃透露給華盛頓。
And so, not long after the leaf-gatherers went gayly toward the woods,
所以在撿葉子的孩子們歡快地向森林走去不久，
the English soldiers marched into the little village from the other direction and quickly made prisoners of all the people they could find!
英國士兵從另外一個方向進入村莊，并快速俘虜了他們可以找到的所有人。
If they thought it was queer that the village had no children in it, they said nothing about it.
如果他們認為這個村莊一個孩子都沒有很奇怪的話，但他們什么都沒說。
General Washington knew nothing about the plans of the English,
華盛頓將軍完全不知道英國人的計劃，
and the enemy might easily have succeeded in capturing him if a brave boy and girl, Joseph and Priscilla Harris,
敵人或許很輕易地就逮捕了他，如果不是勇敢的約瑟夫男孩和普麗西拉女孩，
had not found out their plans in time and carried the news to the General.
他們及時發現了他們的計劃，并將信息帶給了將軍。
All afternoon Joseph and Priscilla had a delightful time with the other children, cutting great branches from the trees,
整個下午約瑟夫和普麗西拉和其他孩子度過了愉快時光，從樹木上砍伐茂密的樹枝，
trimming them down, and tying them in bundles which could be carried in their arms, or balanced on their heads,
將葉子剪去，捆綁成可以放在胳臂下或是平穩放在頭頂，
or fastened on their backs, or tied on somewhere. And when at last they were ready to go home and were walking down the road,
或可以捆綁在后背或是系在什么地方的形狀，當他們準備回家，走在小路上時，
you could hardly believe they were children unless you saw their bright eyes peeping out through the leaves.
你很難相信他們是一些孩子，除非你看到葉子中透出了他們明亮的眼睛。
They looked exactly like some new kind of dwarf tree out taking an airing,
他們像極了一種在戶外散步的矮喬木。
perhaps, before the winter winds robbed them of their pretty green dresses.
或許那是在東風吹走他們美麗的綠外衣之前。
About sunset the other children said good-by and hurried home. Of course, they were immediately shut up with their mothers by the English soldiers.
大約日落時分，其他孩子道了別并往家走，當然，當他們看到自己的母親和英國士兵一起時頓時被封住了口。
But Joseph and Priscilla loitered along until it was quite late,
但約瑟夫和普麗西拉一直溜溜達達到很晚。
for they knew that their mother had left that morning to make a visit in another town and would not be home for several days.
他們知道媽媽一大早就去了其它城鎮，幾天之內不會回來。
