Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Buffalo Bill's ruse
Buffalo Bill's ruse

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Buffalo Bill's ruse is here in full — 91 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Buffalo Bill's ruse
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FLIGHT OF THE FUGITIVES.
On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.
At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.
Now and then low chuckles sounded.
“Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!
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.

Buffalo Bill's ruse

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Buffalo Bill's ruse is here in full — 91 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FLIGHT OF THE FUGITIVES.
/ðə flaɪt ʌv ðə ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪvz/
Line 2
On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.
Line 3
At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.
/æt ˈɪntərvəlz frʌm ðɪs ˈspektər ʌv ˈfaɪər keɪm ʃrɪl ənd pəˈkjuːljər ˈwɪsəlz ənd haɪ ˈkweɪvərɪŋ kraɪz/
Line 4
Now and then low chuckles sounded.
/naʊ ənd ðen loʊ ˈtʃʌkəlz ˈsaʊndɪd/
Line 5
“Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

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.

chuckles noun US /ˈtʃʌkəlz/

plural of “chuckle” — a soft partly suppressed laugh

From this reading “Now and then low chuckles sounded.”

inter verb US /ˌɪnˈtɜːr/

place in a grave or tomb

From this reading ““Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!”

outlined adjective US /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/

showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary

From this reading “On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.”

quavering adjective US /ˈkweɪvərɪŋ/

(of the voice) quivering as from weakness or fear

From this reading “At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.”

reds noun US /redz/

plural of “red” — red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading ““Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!”

same's noun US /seɪmz/

possessive form of “same” — a member of an indigenous nomadic people living in northern Scandinavia and herding reindeer

specter noun US /ˈspektər/

a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading “At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.”

whistles noun US /ˈwɪsəlz/

plural of “whistle” — the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

From this reading “At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.”

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.

At intervals preposition + noun counted as “at interval”

In this reading “At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.”

through the darkness preposition + article + noun counted as “through … darkness”

In this reading “On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.”

low chuckles adjective + noun counted as “low chuckle”

In this reading “Now and then low chuckles sounded.”

low hill adjective + noun

In this reading “On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.”

On the top preposition + article + noun counted as “on … top”

In this reading “On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.”

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

chucklesnounUS /ˈtʃʌkəlz/

plural of “chuckle” — a soft partly suppressed laugh

From this reading Now and then low chuckles sounded.

criesnounUS /kraɪz/

plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

didn't

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

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

fitsnounUS /fɪts/

plural of “fit” — a display of bad temper

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

FLIGHTnounUS /flaɪt/

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading THE FLIGHT OF THE FUGITIVES.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

FUGITIVESnounUS /ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪvz/

plural of “fugitive” — someone who flees from an uncongenial situation

From this reading THE FLIGHT OF THE FUGITIVES.

gruesomelyadverb

in a gruesome manner

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

interverbUS /ˌɪnˈtɜːr/

place in a grave or tomb

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

intervalsnounUS /ˈɪntərvəlz/

plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

Nebby

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

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now and then low chuckles sounded.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE FLIGHT OF THE FUGITIVES.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

outlinedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/

showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

peculiaradjectiveUS /pəˈkjuːljər/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

quaveringadjectiveUS /ˈkweɪvərɪŋ/

(of the voice) quivering as from weakness or fear

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

redsnounUS /redz/

plural of “red” — red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

same'snounUS /seɪmz/

possessive form of “same” — a member of an indigenous nomadic people living in northern Scandinavia and herding reindeer

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

shoneverbUS /ʃoʊn/

inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/

having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

skeer

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

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

skeletonnounUS /ˈskelətən/

something reduced to its minimal form

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

soundedverbUS /ˈsaʊndɪd/

past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way

From this reading Now and then low chuckles sounded.

specternounUS /ˈspektər/

a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FLIGHT OF THE FUGITIVES.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Now and then low chuckles sounded.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading On the top of a low hill a skeleton form outlined in fire shone gruesomely through the darkness.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “Nebby, I hope we didn’t skeer our friends inter fits, same’s we did them reds!

whistlesnounUS /ˈwɪsəlz/

plural of “whistle” — the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

From this reading At intervals from this specter of fire came shrill and peculiar whistles, and high, quavering cries.

Chapter 12 of Buffalo Bill's ruse by Prentiss Ingraham holds 91 sentences, grouped into 19 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 12 of Buffalo Bill's ruse contain?

Chapter 12 holds 91 sentences of Buffalo Bill's ruse, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Buffalo Bill's ruse by Prentiss Ingraham exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 91 sentences, grouped into 19 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 12 of Buffalo Bill's ruse?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Buffalo Bill's ruse

Common questions about reading Buffalo Bill's ruse by Prentiss Ingraham on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Buffalo Bill's ruse?

Yes. All 4765 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #64664 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Buffalo Bill's ruse is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #64664, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Buffalo Bill's ruse take to read?

About 397 minutes of reading across 953 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Buffalo Bill's ruse section by section

How to work through Buffalo Bill's ruse section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Buffalo Bill's ruse 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 Buffalo Bill's ruse

Words and structures a reader meets early in Buffalo Bill's ruse, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buffalo Bill's ruse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Celebrated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buffalo Bill's ruse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Buffalo
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buffalo Bill's ruse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stories
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Buffalo Bill's ruse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.