Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
An Amateur Fireman
An Amateur Fireman

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of An Amateur Fireman is here in full — 180 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for An Amateur Fireman
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SUBPOENA.
Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.
When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.
Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.
From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

An Amateur Fireman

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of An Amateur Fireman is here in full — 180 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE SUBPOENA.
/ðə səˈpiːnə/
Line 2
Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.
Line 3
When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.
Line 4
Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.
/ənˈles ðeɪ wɜːr aʊt ɑːn ˈduːti ðɪs pərˈtɪkjələr ˈkʌmpəniː sɪns seθ went tuː wɜːrk æt ˈhedkwɔːrtərz kʊd ˈɔːlweɪz biː faʊnd ɑːn ðə ˈloʊər flɔːr ʌv ðə ˈbɪldɪŋ æt əˈbaʊt sɪks əˈklɑːk ɪn ðə ˈiːvnɪŋ əˈweɪtɪŋ ðə ərˈaɪvəl ʌv ðer kɪd ənd hiːr ˈmæstər ˈbɑːrtlɪt faʊnd ðem/
Line 5
From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Bartlett noun US /ˈbɑːrtlɪt/

United States explorer who accompanied Peary's expedition to the North Pole and who led many other Arctic trips (1875-1946)

From this reading “Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.”

borrowing noun US /ˈbɑːroʊɪŋ/

the appropriation (of ideas or words etc) from another source

From this reading “Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.”

cheery adjective US /ˈtʃɪri/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading “When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.”

Davis noun US /ˈdeɪvəs/

English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)

From this reading “Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.”

linger verb US /ˈlɪŋɡər/

remain present although waning or gradually dying

From this reading “When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.”

roommates noun US /ˈruːmeɪts/

plural of “roommate” — an associate who shares a room with you

From this reading “Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.”

Seth noun US /seθ/

(Old Testament) third son of Adam and Eve; given by God in place of the murdered Abel

From this reading “Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.”

subpoena verb US /səˈpiːnə/

serve or summon with a subpoena

From this reading “THE SUBPOENA.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

awaiting the arrival verb + article + noun counted as “await … arrival”

In this reading “Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.”

borrowing money noun + noun

In this reading “Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.”

excellent terms adjective + noun

In this reading “When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.”

lower floor verb + noun

In this reading “Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.”

set off verb + particle

put in motion or move to act

In this reading “When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.”

about six preposition + noun

In this reading “Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.”

single moment adjective + noun

In this reading “Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.”

at headquarters preposition + noun

In this reading “Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.”

All words in this reading · 112

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

anxietynounUS /æŋˈzaɪəti/

(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

arrivalnounUS /ərˈaɪvəl/

accomplishment of an objective

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

attemptnounUS /əˈtempt/

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/

-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

Barney

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

BartlettnounUS /ˈbɑːrtlɪt/

United States explorer who accompanied Peary's expedition to the North Pole and who led many other Arctic trips (1875-1946)

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

borrowingnounUS /ˈbɑːroʊɪŋ/

the appropriation (of ideas or words etc) from another source

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

cheeryadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪri/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

concerningverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

DavisnounUS /ˈdeɪvəs/

English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

earlieradverbUS /ˈɜːrliər/

earlier in time; previously

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

excellentadjectiveUS /ˈeksələnt/

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/

the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

Fernald

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

good-night

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

headquartersnounUS /ˈhedkwɔːrtərz/

(usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

ImpatientadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃənt/

restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

kidverbUS /kɪd/

tell false information to for fun

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

labornounUS /ˈleɪbər/

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

lingerverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡər/

remain present although waning or gradually dying

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

Lish

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

lowerverbUS /ˈloʊər/

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

MasternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

moneynounUS /ˈmʌni/

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

Ninety-four's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

occurredverbUS /əˈkɜːrd/

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

others

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

particularadjectiveUS /pərˈtɪkjələr/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

pupilnounUS /ˈpjuːpəl/

a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

roommatesnounUS /ˈruːmeɪts/

plural of “roommate” — an associate who shares a room with you

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

SamnounUS /sæm/

a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

SethnounUS /seθ/

(Old Testament) third son of Adam and Eve; given by God in place of the murdered Abel

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

singleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡəl/

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

speedverbUS /spiːd/

move hurridly

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

SUBPOENAverbUS /səˈpiːnə/

serve or summon with a subpoena

From this reading THE SUBPOENA.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

teachernounUS /ˈtiːtʃər/

a person whose occupation is teaching

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

termsnounUS /tɜːrmz/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE SUBPOENA.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

tonenounUS /toʊn/

the quality of a person's voice

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

UnlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

unpleasantadjectiveUS /ənˈplezənt/

offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness

From this reading From the expression on his face all hands understood that something unpleasant had occurred, and 'Lish Davis asked in a tone of anxiety:

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the hours of labor had come to an end, however, he did not linger, and with a cheery "good-night" to Mr. Fernald, for by this time the teacher and his pupil were on excellent terms, he set off at full speed for Ninety-four's house.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Impatient though Seth was to talk with 'Lish Davis and his roommates concerning what had been done by Sam Barney in the matter of borrowing money on the account of others, he made no attempt to leave headquarters a single moment earlier than usual.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Unless they were out on duty, this particular company, since Seth went to work at headquarters, could always be found on the lower floor of the building at about six o'clock in the evening awaiting the arrival of "their kid," and here Master Bartlett found them.

Chapter 14 of An Amateur Fireman by James Otis holds 180 sentences, grouped into 36 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 14 of An Amateur Fireman contain?

Chapter 14 holds 180 sentences of An Amateur Fireman, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of An Amateur Fireman by James Otis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 180 sentences, grouped into 36 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 14 of An Amateur Fireman?

Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 36 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading An Amateur Fireman

Common questions about reading An Amateur Fireman by James Otis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of An Amateur Fireman?

Yes. All 3220 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33242 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of An Amateur Fireman is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33242, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does An Amateur Fireman take to read?

About 268 minutes of reading across 644 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read An Amateur Fireman section by section

How to work through An Amateur Fireman section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of An Amateur Fireman to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in An Amateur Fireman

Words and structures a reader meets early in An Amateur Fireman, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of An Amateur Fireman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tyler
A word that appears in the opening chapter of An Amateur Fireman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fifth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of An Amateur Fireman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ain't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of An Amateur Fireman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.