一名飞行员发现一只气球，它似乎正朝附近一个皇家空军基地飞去。
A pilot noticed a balloon which seemed to be making for a Royal Air Force station nearby.
他立刻向基地报告了此事，但那里没有人能解释这个谜。
He informed the station at once, but no one there was able to explain the mystery.
控制塔里的军官听到消息后非常愤怒，因为气球对飞机会造成极大的危险。
The officer in the control tower was very angry when he heard the news, because balloons can be a great danger to aircraft.
他说也许有人在监视这个基地，并命令那名飞行员跟踪这个奇怪的物体。
He said that someone might be spying on the station and the pilot was ordered to keep track of the strange object.
飞行员设法围绕气球盘旋了一段时间。
The pilot managed to circle the balloon for some time.
他能辨认出气球下方一个篮子里有三个人，其中一人正举着一副双筒望远镜。
He could make out three men in a basket under it and one of them was holding a pair of binoculars.
气球飞到基地上空时，飞行员看到其中一个人正在拍照。
When the balloon was over the station, the pilot saw one of the men taking photographs.
不久之后，气球开始下降，最终降落在一个飞行场附近。
Soon afterwards, the balloon began to descend and it landed near an airfield.
警察被召来了，但他们无法逮捕任何人，因为篮子里装的是两名国会议员和基地的司令官！
The police were called in, but they could not arrest anyone, for the basket contained two Members of Parliament and the Commanding Officer of the station!
正如司令官后来解释的那样，基地的一半人根本不知道另一半人在做什么！
As the Commanding Officer explained later, one half of the station did not know what the other half was doing!