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Don Gordon's Shooting-Box
Don Gordon's Shooting-Box

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box is here in full — 215 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Don Gordon's Shooting-Box
Context Illustration Reading 1/43 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A NIGHT ATTACK.
Squad, halt!
No. 4.”
It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.
When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.
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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.

Don Gordon's Shooting-Box

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box is here in full — 215 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A NIGHT ATTACK.
/ə naɪt əˈtæk/
Line 2
Squad, halt!
/skwɑːd hɔːlt/
Line 3
No. 4.”
Line 4
It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.
/ɪt wɑːz ˈθɜːrzdeɪ ˌæftərˈnuːn ənd ðə rɪˈliːf wɑːz ˈɡoʊɪŋ ɪts raʊndz/
Line 5
When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket atarms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

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.

halt verb US /hɔːlt/

cause to stop

From this reading ““Squad, halt!”

musket noun US /ˈmʌskət/

a muzzle-loading shoulder gun with a long barrel; formerly used by infantrymen

From this reading “When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.”

port noun US /pɔːrt/

a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country

From this reading “When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.”

relieve verb US /rɪˈliːv/

provide physical relief, as from pain

From this reading “When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.”

rounds noun US /raʊndz/

plural of “round” — a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading “It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.”

sentry noun US /ˈsentri/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading “When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.”

Squad noun US /skwɑːd/

a smallest army unit

From this reading ““Squad, halt!”

Thursday noun US /ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/

the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day

From this reading “It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.”

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.

NIGHT ATTACK noun + noun

In this reading “A NIGHT ATTACK.”

stood by verb + particle

In this reading “When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.”

All words in this reading · 48

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.

4

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

From this reading No. 4.”

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading A NIGHT ATTACK.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

ATTACKnounUS /əˈtæk/

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

From this reading A NIGHT ATTACK.

Bert

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

corporals

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

Gordon

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

haltverbUS /hɔːlt/

cause to stop

From this reading “Squad, halt!

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

holdingnounUS /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/

the act of retaining something

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

listenedverbUS /ˈlɪsənd/

past form of “listen” — hear with intention

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

musketnounUS /ˈmʌskət/

a muzzle-loading shoulder gun with a long barrel; formerly used by infantrymen

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

NIGHTnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading A NIGHT ATTACK.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No. 4.”

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

ordersnounUS /ˈɔːrdərz/

plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

passverbUS /pæs/

go across or through

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

portnounUS /pɔːrt/

a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

receiveverbUS /rəˈsiːv/

get something; come into possession of

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

relieveverbUS /rɪˈliːv/

provide physical relief, as from pain

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

roundsnounUS /raʊndz/

plural of “round” — a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

sentrynounUS /ˈsentri/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

SquadnounUS /skwɑːd/

a smallest army unit

From this reading “Squad, halt!

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

ThursdaynounUS /ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/

the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was Thursday afternoon, and the relief was going its rounds.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading When his number was called Bert Gordon stepped forward, and holding his musket at “arms port,” prepared to receive the orders which the sentry whom he was about to relieve had to pass, while the two corporals stood by and listened.

Chapter 13 of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box by Harry Castlemon holds 215 sentences, grouped into 43 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 13 of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box contain?

Chapter 13 holds 215 sentences of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box by Harry Castlemon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 215 sentences, grouped into 43 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 13 of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Don Gordon's Shooting-Box

Common questions about reading Don Gordon's Shooting-Box by Harry Castlemon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box?

Yes. All 3248 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #53479 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #53479, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Don Gordon's Shooting-Box take to read?

About 270 minutes of reading across 650 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Don Gordon's Shooting-Box section by section

How to work through Don Gordon's Shooting-Box section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Don Gordon's Shooting-Box

Words and structures a reader meets early in Don Gordon's Shooting-Box, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Military
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Academy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Disgusted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Unusual
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Don Gordon's Shooting-Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.