Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series
Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series is here in full — 114 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.
Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.
_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ BEFORE VICKSBURG.
BY H. C. CASTLEMON, "THE GUN-BOAT BOY."
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.
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.

Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series is here in full — 114 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.
Line 2
Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.
Line 3
_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ BEFORE VICKSBURG.
Line 4
BY H. C. CASTLEMON, "THE GUN-BOAT BOY."
Line 5
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.
/wɪð ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

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.

forming verb US /ˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

-ing form of “form” — create (as an entity)

From this reading “Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.”

illustrations noun US /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading “WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.”

mississippi noun US /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/

a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading “_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.”

naturalist noun US /ˈnætʃərələst/

an advocate of the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms

From this reading “_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.”

neat adjective US /niːt/

clean or organized

From this reading “Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.”

per preposition US /pɜːr/

for each

From this reading “Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.”

series noun US /ˈsɪriz/

similar things placed in order or happening one after another

From this reading “_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.”

vicksburg noun US /ˈvɪksbərɡ/

a town in western Mississippi on bluffs above the Mississippi River to the west of Jackson

From this reading “_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.”

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.

per volume preposition + noun

In this reading “Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.”

YOUNG FOLKS adjective + noun

In this reading “Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.”

most excellent adverb + adjective

In this reading “Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.”

IN THE WOODS preposition + article + noun counted as “in … woods”

In this reading “_THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.”

All words in this reading · 38

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.

1.25

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

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

6.25

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

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

BEFOREprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

boxnounUS /bɑːks/

a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

BOYnounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading BY H. C. CASTLEMON, "THE GUN-BOAT BOY."

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading BY H. C. CASTLEMON, "THE GUN-BOAT BOY."

CnounUS /siː/

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading BY H. C. CASTLEMON, "THE GUN-BOAT BOY."

CASTLEMON

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

From this reading BY H. C. CASTLEMON, "THE GUN-BOAT BOY."

excellentadjectiveUS /ˈeksələnt/

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

FOLKSnounUS /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

formingverbUS /ˈfɔːrmɪŋ/

-ing form of “form” — create (as an entity)

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

FRANKadjectiveUS /fræŋk/

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

GUN-BOAT

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

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

HnounUS /eɪtʃ/

a nonmetallic univalent element that is normally a colorless and odorless highly flammable diatomic gas; the simplest and lightest and most abundant element in the universe

From this reading BY H. C. CASTLEMON, "THE GUN-BOAT BOY."

ILLUSTRATIONSnounUS /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃənz/

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

interestingadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing or holding the attention

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

LIBRARYnounUS /ˈlaɪbreriː/

a room where books are kept

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

LOWERverbUS /ˈloʊər/

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

MISSISSIPPInounUS /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/

a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

NATURALISTnounUS /ˈnætʃərələst/

an advocate of the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

neatadjectiveUS /niːt/

clean or organized

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

perprepositionUS /pɜːr/

for each

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

PricenounUS /praɪs/

the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

SERIESnounUS /ˈsɪriz/

similar things placed in order or happening one after another

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

VICKSBURGnounUS /ˈvɪksbərɡ/

a town in western Mississippi on bluffs above the Mississippi River to the west of Jackson

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

volumenounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading Price, $1.25 per volume, or $6.25 per set, in a neat box, forming a most excellent and interesting LIBRARY FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

WOODSnounUS /wʊdz/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

YOUNGadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading _THE GUN-BOAT SERIES._ FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST, FRANK ON A GUN-BOAT, FRANK IN THE WOODS, FRANK BEFORE VICKSBURG, FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

Chapter 1 of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series by Harry Castlemon holds 114 sentences, grouped into 23 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 1 of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series contain?

Chapter 1 holds 114 sentences of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series by Harry Castlemon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 114 sentences, grouped into 23 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 1 of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series

Common questions about reading Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series by Harry Castlemon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series?

Yes. All 2280 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #42099 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #42099, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series take to read?

About 190 minutes of reading across 456 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series section by section

How to work through Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series 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 Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series

Words and structures a reader meets early in Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Gun-boat
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frank
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Frank Before Vicksburg: The Gun-Boat Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.