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Brother Against Brother
Brother Against Brother

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of Brother Against Brother is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Oliver Optic • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Brother Against Brother
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.
It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.
"What are we stopping here for, father?
Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.
"Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.
0:00 / 0:00
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Brother Against Brother

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of Brother Against Brother is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.
Line 2
It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.
/ɪt wɑːz stɪl dɑːrk ənd ðeɪ kʊd nɑːt meɪk aʊt ˈeniθɪŋ wen dʒʌst raʊzd frʌm ðer ˈslʌmbər/
Line 3
"What are we stopping here for, father?
/wʌt ɑːr wiː ˈstɑːpɪŋ hiːr fɔːr ˈfɑːðər/
Line 4
Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.
/hæz ˈeniθɪŋ ˈbroʊkən æskt dek dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ ˈmɪstər ˈlaɪən nɪr hɪm/
Line 5
"Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

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.

discovering verb US /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/

-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading “Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
establishment noun US /ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/

the act of forming or establishing something

From this reading “THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Lyon noun US /ˈlaɪən/

a city in east-central France on the Rhone River; a principal producer of silk and rayon

From this reading “Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
planter noun US /ˈplæntər/

the owner or manager of a plantation

From this reading “"Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
roused verb US /raʊzd/

past form of “rouse” — become active

From this reading “It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slumber noun US /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading “It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stopping noun US /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading “"What are we stopping here for, father?”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
voyagers noun US /ˈvɔɪɪdʒərz/

plural of “voyager” — a traveler to a distant land (especially one who travels by sea)

From this reading “THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

roused from verb + particle counted as “rouse from”

In this reading “It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.”

1,875 times in 426,211 chapters
looked about verb + particle counted as “look about”

In this reading “THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.”

18,809 times in 426,211 chapters
make out verb + adjective

detect with the senses

In this reading “It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.”

18,066 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 63

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "What are we stopping here for, father?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
askedverbUS /æskt/

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

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BEDFORD

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

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Pending verification
bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
casesnounUS /ˈkeɪsəz/

plural of “case” — an occurrence of something

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DecknounUS /dek/

any of various platforms built into a vessel

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
discoveringverbUS /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/

-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ESTABLISHMENTnounUS /ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/

the act of forming or establishing something

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading "What are we stopping here for, father?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "What are we stopping here for, father?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
FORTnounUS /fɔːrt/

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gundalow

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

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Pending verification
Hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading "What are we stopping here for, father?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LyonnounUS /ˈlaɪən/

a city in east-central France on the Rhone River; a principal producer of silk and rayon

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading Has anything broken?" asked Deck, discovering Mr. Lyon near him.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pilenounUS /paɪl/

a collection of objects laid on top of each other

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
planternounUS /ˈplæntər/

the owner or manager of a plantation

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rousedverbUS /raʊzd/

past form of “rouse” — become active

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
slumbers

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

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

Pending verification
sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sprangverbUS /spræŋ/

inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stoppingnounUS /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading "What are we stopping here for, father?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
voyagersnounUS /ˈvɔɪɪdʒərz/

plural of “voyager” — a traveler to a distant land (especially one who travels by sea)

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "What are we stopping here for, father?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What are we stopping here for, father?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It was still dark, and they could not make out anything when just roused from their slumber.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT BEDFORD The two young voyagers of the night sprang to their feet on the pile of cases which filled the body of the gundalow, and looked about them.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Nothing but your slumbers, my son," replied the planter.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 15 of Brother Against Brother by Oliver Optic holds 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 15 of Brother Against Brother contain?

Chapter 15 holds 102 sentences of Brother Against Brother, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Brother Against Brother by Oliver Optic exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 15 of Brother Against Brother?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Brother Against Brother

Common questions about reading Brother Against Brother by Oliver Optic on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Brother Against Brother?

Yes. All 4134 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #35206 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Brother Against Brother is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #35206, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Brother Against Brother take to read?

About 344 minutes of reading across 827 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Brother Against Brother

Words and structures a reader meets early in Brother Against Brother, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Text-idx
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Against Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Kyetexts
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Against Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Border
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Against Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Against Brother; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.