TheysatinthemiddleofasmalllakefedbythewatersofBricesCreek.Itwasntlarge,maybeahundredyardsacross,andshewassurprisedathowinvisibleithadbeenjustmomentsbefore.

    Itectacular.Tundraswanandadageeseliterallysurrouhem.Thousandsofthem.Birdsfloatingsoclosetogetherinsomeplacesthatshecouldhewater.Fromadistahegroupsofswanslookedalmostlikeicebergs.

    "Oh,Noah,"shefinallysaidsoftly,"itsbeautiful.

    Theysatinsilenceforalongwhile,watgthebirds.Noahpoiagroupofchicks,retlyhatched,folloackofgeeseheshore,strugglingtokeepup.

    TheairwasfilledwithhonkingandchirpingasNoahmovedthehthewater.Thebirdsighemforthemostpart.Theonlyoneswhoseemedbotheredwerethoseforovewhentheoeapproachedthem.Alliereachedouttotouchtheclosestonesaheirfeathersrufflingunderherfingers.

    NhtoutthebagofbreadhedbroughtearlierandhaoAllie.Shescatteredthebread,favthelittleones,laughingandsmilingastheyswamincircles,lookingforfood.

    Theystayeduntilthunderboomediance-faintbutpowerful-andbothofthemkwastimetoleave.

    Noahledthembacktothecurrentofthecreek,paddlingstrohanhehadearlier.

    Shewasstillamazedbywhatshehadseen."Noah,whataretheydoinghere?"

    "Idontknow.IknowtheswansfromupnorthmigratetoLakeMatamuskeeteverywinter,butIguesstheycameherethistime.Idontknowwhy.Maybetheearlyblizzardhadsomethingtodowithit.Maybetheygotofftraething.Theyllfindtheirwayback,though."

    "Theywontstay?"

    "Idoubtit.Theyredrivenbyinstindthisisnttheirplaeofthege