Charlie’s line suddenly jerked， and he reeled in and landed a good-size fish. After Singing Bird caught one， they decided they had enough food for the young ravens and started home. Halfway up the embankment to the county road， Singing Bird found a dead woodchuck.

查理的钓线突然拽紧了，他把钓线绕回来，抓到了好大一条鱼。稍后，歌唱鸟也抓到了一条鱼，他们认为这些已经足够小渡鸦们吃了，就起身回家。他们沿着河堤朝着县郡大路走，半路上，歌唱鸟发现了一只死的土拨鼠。

“Either a car or a coyote did this，” she said. “But wow， we have food for days.” They trotted down the side of the road.

“要么是车撞的，要么是丛林狼咬的。”歌唱鸟说，“可是，哇，我们的食物够吃好几天了。”他们沿着路边快步而行。

“Wait a second，” Charlie said and stopped. “I’ve just had a raven thought.”

“等一会儿，”查理说着停下来。“我刚刚有了一个渡鸦的主意。”

“What’s a raven thought？”

“什么是渡鸦的主意？”

“Mysterious.”

“神秘兮兮的主意。”

“Now what？”

“那怎么办？”

“The Ballet of ravens dropped down onto one spot for some raven reason. And some of them haven’t left. I’m going there.”

“那一大群渡鸦降落到一个地方，肯定有渡鸦的理由。而且一些渡鸦还没有离开。我要去那儿。”

“So am I，” said Singing Bird， and they waded back across the stream， pushed through the elderberry bushes， and climbed almost to the pine forest. Blue Sky and Pinecone did not follow them. They were on their way home; and home to the ranch house they went.

“那我也去。”歌唱鸟说，之后他们蹚水过了小溪，钻过接骨木树丛，往高处几乎爬到了松林那里。蓝天和松果没有跟随他们。鸟儿们自行回家。两只鸟直奔牧场大屋的家而去。

A sentinel raven saw Charlie and Singing Bird when they were still a good distance away. He gave no alarm cry but sent his message by flying quietly away. Ten or twelve more ravens got his message and left in silence. Charlie hurried across swatches of pink gentian and blue lupine flowers to the gathering spot. There lay the carcass of a mule deer. A weasel and coyote that had been feeding on the carcass with the ravens ran into the woods. Crows departed. A bald eagle saw them， hopped onto a thermal—a rising body of warm air—and spiraled skyward with it.

查理和歌唱鸟还在很远的地方，一只放哨的渡鸦就发现了他们。