Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Fighting in Cuban Waters
Fighting in Cuban Waters

Chapter XXVI

Chapter 26 of Fighting in Cuban Waters is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Fighting in Cuban Waters
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.
"Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.
"Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.
"They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."
"Didn't praise you?" queried Caleb.
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.

Fighting in Cuban Waters

Chapter XXVI

Chapter 26 of Fighting in Cuban Waters is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.
/ðə bɑːmˈbɑːrdmənt ʌv ðə ˌsæntiˈɑːɡoʊ ˈbætəriz wen ˈwɔːltər rɪˈtɜːrnd tuː hɪz frendz hiː wɑːz ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli sərˈaʊndɪd ənd æskt wʌt hæd ˈhæpənd ɪn ðə ˈkæbən/
Line 2
"Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.
/dɪd ðə ˈkɑːmədɔːr slæp juː ɑːn ðə bæk ənd kɔːl juː ə ˈbʊli bɔɪ ˈkwɪrid siː/
Line 3
"Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.
/wel ˈhɑːrdli ˈænsərd ˈwɔːltər wɪð ə ˈkwaɪət smaɪl/
Line 4
"They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."
Line 5
"Didn't praise you?" queried Caleb.

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.

batteries noun US /ˈbætəriz/

plural of “battery” — group of guns or missile launchers operated together at one place

From this reading “THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.”

bombardment noun US /bɑːmˈbɑːrdmənt/

the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)

From this reading “THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.”

bully noun US /ˈbʊli/

a cruel and brutal fellow

From this reading “"Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.”

commodore noun US /ˈkɑːmədɔːr/

a commissioned naval officer who ranks above a captain and below a rear admiral; the lowest grade of admiral

From this reading “"Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.”

plied verb US /plaɪd/

inflected form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

From this reading “"They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."”

queried verb US /ˈkwɪrid/

inflected form of “query” — pose a question

From this reading “"Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.”

santiago noun US /ˌsæntiˈɑːɡoʊ/

city in the northern Dominican Republic

From this reading “THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.”

slap verb US /slæp/

hit with something flat, like a paddle or the open hand

From this reading “"Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.”

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.

immediately surrounded adverb + adjective

In this reading “THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.”

bully boy verb + noun

In this reading “"Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.”

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

In this reading “THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.”

All words in this reading · 54

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 "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

adventuresnounUS /ædˈventʃərz/

plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading "Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.

askedverbUS /æskt/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

BATTERIESnounUS /ˈbætəriz/

plural of “battery” — group of guns or missile launchers operated together at one place

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

BOMBARDMENTnounUS /bɑːmˈbɑːrdmənt/

the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

bullynounUS /ˈbʊli/

a cruel and brutal fellow

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

cabinnounUS /ˈkæbən/

small room on a ship or boat where people sleep

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

Caleb

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

From this reading "Didn't praise you?" queried Caleb.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

commodorenounUS /ˈkɑːmədɔːr/

a commissioned naval officer who ranks above a captain and below a rear admiral; the lowest grade of admiral

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

Didn't

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

From this reading "Didn't praise you?" queried Caleb.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading "Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

pliedverbUS /plaɪd/

inflected form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

praisenounUS /preɪz/

an expression of approval and commendation

From this reading "Didn't praise you?" queried Caleb.

queriedverbUS /ˈkwɪrid/

inflected form of “query” — pose a question

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

questionsnounUS /ˈkwestʃənz/

plural of “question” — an instance of questioning

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading "Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.

remarkableadjectiveUS /rɪˈmɑːrkəbəl/

unusual or striking

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

SANTIAGOnounUS /ˌsæntiˈɑːɡoʊ/

city in the northern Dominican Republic

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

SinounUS /siː/

a tetravalent nonmetallic element; next to oxygen it is the most abundant element in the earth's crust; occurs in clay and feldspar and granite and quartz and sand; used as a semiconductor in transistors

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

slapverbUS /slæp/

hit with something flat, like a paddle or the open hand

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading "Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

that's

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

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

WalternounUS /ˈwɔːltər/

German conductor (1876-1962)

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(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 "Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

Chapter 26 of Fighting in Cuban Waters by Edward Stratemeyer holds 96 sentences, grouped into 20 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 26 of Fighting in Cuban Waters contain?

Chapter 26 holds 96 sentences of Fighting in Cuban Waters, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of Fighting in Cuban Waters by Edward Stratemeyer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 96 sentences, grouped into 20 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 26 of Fighting in Cuban Waters?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 26 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Fighting in Cuban Waters

Common questions about reading Fighting in Cuban Waters by Edward Stratemeyer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Fighting in Cuban Waters?

Yes. All 3965 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34306 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Fighting in Cuban Waters is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34306, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Fighting in Cuban Waters take to read?

About 330 minutes of reading across 793 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Fighting in Cuban Waters section by section

How to work through Fighting in Cuban Waters section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of Fighting in Cuban Waters 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 Fighting in Cuban Waters

Words and structures a reader meets early in Fighting in Cuban Waters, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fighting in Cuban Waters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Under
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fighting in Cuban Waters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dewey
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fighting in Cuban Waters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Manila
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fighting in Cuban Waters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.