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But when the war came, and General Washington and his brave men were fighting for the very life of the new nation,
但当战争来临，华盛顿将军和他的勇士为新国家洒热血，
and no one knew what might happen from day to day, such jolly good times seemed almost impossible even to think of.
没人知道每天会发生什么，这种欢乐时光几乎不可能想象。
But fortunately for the boys and girls, the mothers of the village said that they needed more leaves than usual during war times,
但男孩和女孩很幸运，村里面的母亲说战争时期他们需要更多的叶子，
for most of them were baking bread for the soldiers as well as for their own families.
多数是给士兵烤面包，也为自己家人烤面包。
And that's how it happened that one day in late autumn,
事情是这么发生的，那是深秋的一天，
when the leaves were broad and green and shiny from all the scrubbings which they had received during the fall showers,
在秋天落叶时期，他们采集了许多又宽又绿，又闪亮的叶子，
Joseph and Priscilla heard their teacher say, If you all have your lessons perfectly this morning,
约瑟夫和普丽西拉听他们的老师说，如果你们早上好好听课，
you may spend the afternoon gathering leaves in the woods for your mothers.
下午你们可以为你们的妈妈到森林里捡叶子。
Leafing day! whispered the children to each other happily.
叶子节，孩子们互相欢快地耳语着。
Then, when they had clapped and clapped their hands, they all began to study very hard.
随后他们拍了拍手，开始投入到刻苦学习中。
By noon every lesson was learned better than usual. Then, very soon afterwards, every child in the whole village was on his way to the woods.
到了中午，学生学习的课程比平常要好，之后不久，全村的孩子都去了森林。
THE ENGLISH LAY THEIR PLANS
英国人凑备计划
Although the children did not know it, a great many important things were happening that beautiful leafing day.
尽管孩子们不知道，一些很重要的事情在这个美丽的叶子节发生了。
General Washington's headquarters at that time were located a few miles south of the village,
华盛顿将军的总部当时在村子以南几英里处，
and he was waiting there with his small, poorly clothed, and poorly armed troops,
他穿着瘦小破烂的衣服在那里等待，还有装备很差的部队，
hoping to avoid a battle with the English troops until more of his soldiers arrived
他希望躲避与英国一战，等待更多部队的到来。
And on this very day the English, who had a camp several miles north, decided to attack the little American army,
就在这一天，英国人在北边几英里处安营扎寨，决定攻击这些弱小的美国士兵，
take General Washington and his brave men captives, and, if possible, end the war and the new nation!
俘虏华盛顿将军和他的勇士们，如果可能的话结束战争，结束这个新国家！
