The Trumpet of the Swan

Louis is now quite noticeable due to the slate, chalk, and trumpet he carries around his neck. He finds his trumpet delightful, and on the first day, after much practice, he is finally able to make a noise “a little like hot air escaping from a radiator” (86). On the second day, Louis practices until he can play a clear note. He is determined to learn how to play by the end of the summer. In addition, he has not forgotten that the trumpet has not been paid for and that Serena has recently left to fly north to the Snake River.

Louis’s problems bring Sam Beaver to mind, so he flies to the Bar Nothing Ranch to visit his old friend and ask for some advice. Louis quickly realizes it is not easy to fly with a slate and trumpet, but he is a strong swan and his belongings are important to him. After his arrival at the ranch, he describes his situation to Sam using the slate. Sam immediately understands that Louis has a “money problem” and proposes a solution—a job (88). After discovering that Louis can play some notes on his trumpet, Sam offers to get Louis a bugler job at the summer camp where Sam is a junior counselor.