Audiobook Dictation: “Off on the plain they heard…”

Off on the plain they heard a rich tenor voice raised in the song of the cowman.

遠處的平原上，他們聽見一個渾厚的男高音唱起了牛仔之歌。

"Little black bull came down the hillside, Down the hillside, down the hillside, Little black bull came down the hillside, Long time ago."

「小黑牛走下山坡，走下山坡，走下山坡，小黑牛走下山坡，在很久很久以前。」

"I don't call that much of a song," sniffed Chunky contemptuously after a moment of silence on the part of the group.

「我可不覺得那算什麼好歌，」大夥沉默了片刻後，胖墩輕蔑地哼了一聲。

"Even if I can't sing, I can beat that."

「就算我不會唱歌，也能比那唱得好。」

"Better not try it out on the range," smiled the foreman.

「最好別在牧場上試，」工頭笑著說。

"Not on the range?

「不能在牧場上？

Why not?" demanded the boy.

為什麼不行？」男孩追問道。

"Bob thinks it might stampede the herd," spoke up Big-foot Sanders.

「鮑勃是怕你把牛群嚇得亂跑，」大腳桑德斯插嘴道。

A loud laugh followed at Chunky's expense.

大家哄堂大笑，拿胖墩開涮。

"When you get to be half as good a man on cows as your friend the Pinto, here, you'll be a full grown man," added Big-foot.

「等你對付牛的本事有你這位朋友花斑仔一半好，你就算真正長大成人了，」大腳補充道。