Chapter 26 of Eagles of the Sky is here in full — 39 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXVI
Chapter 26 of Eagles of the Sky is here in full — 39 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE FIGHT AT THE WELL. "Gosh!" Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway. Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct. Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
Chapter 26 of Eagles of the Sky is here in full — 39 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
the performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading “Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.”
an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)
From this reading “Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.”
past form of “duck” — to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away
From this reading “Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.”
a short vivid experience
From this reading “Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.”
past form of “hiss” — make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval
From this reading “Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.”
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading “Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.”
instinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)
From this reading “Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.”
an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right)
From this reading “Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.”
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 this reading “Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.”
In this reading “Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
the performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE FIGHT AT THE WELL.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
past form of “duck” — to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
divisible by two
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading THE FIGHT AT THE WELL.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
a short vivid experience
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Gosh!"
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
past form of “hiss” — make a sharp hissing sound, as if to show disapproval
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
of great significance or value
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
instinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right)
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIGHT AT THE WELL.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Jack was not a breath behind him, both acting through mere intuition or instinct.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading THE FIGHT AT THE WELL.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Whether they had been seen was the important question flashing through the mind of each.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Perk hissed this one word even as he ducked down behind the well curbing at sight of the figure in the doorway.
Chapter 26 of Eagles of the Sky by Ambrose Newcomb holds 39 sentences, grouped into 8 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.
Chapter 26 holds 39 sentences of Eagles of the Sky, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 26 of Eagles of the Sky by Ambrose Newcomb exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 39 sentences, grouped into 8 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.
Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 8 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 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.
Common questions about reading Eagles of the Sky by Ambrose Newcomb on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1614 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31426 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #31426, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 134 minutes of reading across 323 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Eagles of the Sky section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 30 chapters of Eagles of the Sky to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Eagles of the Sky, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
