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Billy Mink
Billy Mink

Chapter VII · Bobby and Billy Put Their Heads Together

Chapter VII of Billy Mink, “Bobby and Billy Put Their Heads Together,” is here in full — 41 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Billy Mink
Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.
_Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!”
Bobby Coon stopped.
He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.
He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.
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.

Billy Mink

Chapter VII · Bobby and Billy Put Their Heads Together

Chapter VII of Billy Mink, “Bobby and Billy Put Their Heads Together,” is here in full — 41 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.
/oʊ ɪf wiː bʌt ˈɔːlweɪz nuː wʌt tuː duː ɔːr nɑːt tuː duː/
Line 2
_Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!”
/ˈbɪli mɪŋk wen ˈbɪli mɪŋk kraɪd stɑːp/
Line 3
Bobby Coon stopped.
/ˈbɑːbi kuːn stɑːpt/
Line 4
He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.
/hiː stɑːpt wɪð wʌn pɔː ˈlɪftəd ənd dʒʌst ˈredi tuː pʊt ɪt daʊn ɪn ðə ˈmɪdəl ʌv ðə ˈlɪtəl ˈoʊpənɪŋ ɪn ðæt fens wɪtʃ hæd soʊ ˈpʌzəld hɪm/
Line 5
He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.
/hiː tɜːrnd hɪz hed tuː lʊk bæk æt ˈbɪli mɪŋk/

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.

Billy noun US /ˈbɪli/

a short stout club used primarily by policemen

From this reading “_Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!””

Bobby noun US /ˈbɑːbi/

an informal term for a British policeman

From this reading “Bobby Coon stopped.”

Coon noun US /kuːn/

an eccentric or undignified rustic

From this reading “Bobby Coon stopped.”

fence verb US /fens/

enclose with a fence

From this reading “He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.”

Mink noun US /mɪŋk/

the expensive fur of a mink

From this reading “_Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!””

opening noun US /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading “He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.”

paw verb US /pɔː/

scrape with the paws

From this reading “He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.”

puzzled adjective US /ˈpʌzəld/

filled with bewilderment

From this reading “He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.”

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.

in the middle preposition + article + noun counted as “in … middle”

In this reading “He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.”

look back verb + particle

look towards one's back

In this reading “He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.”

All words in this reading · 49

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.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.

BillynounUS /ˈbɪli/

a short stout club used primarily by policemen

From this reading _Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!”

BobbynounUS /ˈbɑːbi/

an informal term for a British policeman

From this reading Bobby Coon stopped.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

CoonnounUS /kuːn/

an eccentric or undignified rustic

From this reading Bobby Coon stopped.

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading _Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!”

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

fenceverbUS /fens/

enclose with a fence

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

MinknounUS /mɪŋk/

the expensive fur of a mink

From this reading _Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!”

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

pawverbUS /pɔː/

scrape with the paws

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

puzzledadjectiveUS /ˈpʌzəld/

filled with bewilderment

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

StopverbUS /stɑːp/

come to a halt, stop moving

From this reading _Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!”

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading Bobby Coon stopped.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading He turned his head to look back at Billy Mink.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Oh, if we but always knew What to do or not to do.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading _Billy Mink._ When Billy Mink cried “Stop!”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He stopped with one paw lifted and just ready to put it down in the middle of the little opening in that fence which had so puzzled him.

Chapter 7 of Billy Mink by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 41 sentences, grouped into 9 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 7 of Billy Mink contain?

Chapter 7 holds 41 sentences of Billy Mink, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of Billy Mink by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 41 sentences, grouped into 9 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 7 of Billy Mink?

Work through the 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 9 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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 Billy Mink

Common questions about reading Billy Mink by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Billy Mink?

Yes. All 1407 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #65308 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Billy Mink is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #65308, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Billy Mink take to read?

About 117 minutes of reading across 282 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Billy Mink section by section

How to work through Billy Mink section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of Billy Mink 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 Billy Mink

Words and structures a reader meets early in Billy Mink, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Billy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Mink; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Becomes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Mink; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Suspicious
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Mink; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stranger
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Billy Mink; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.