Chapter 9 of In the Track of the Troops is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of In the Track of the Troops is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required. Let us go." "Where to, sir?" said Lancey. "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep. I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
Chapter 9 of In the Track of the Troops is here in full — 420 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 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.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading “I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.”
in a joyous manner
From this reading “"Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.”
possessive form of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading “"To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.”
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading “"To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.”
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading “"Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.”
performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others
From this reading “"Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.”
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “"To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.”
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading “I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.”
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 "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
later than; following
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
any thing at all
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Let us go."
in a joyous manner
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Let us go."
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
for more time
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
possessive form of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
not any; not one
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others
From this reading "Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer required.
term of address for a man
From this reading "Where to, sir?" said Lancey.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can lie down and sleep.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Where to, sir?" said Lancey.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Let us go."
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and really feel unable for anything.
in or at the place that
From this reading "Where to, sir?" said Lancey.
Chapter 9 of In the Track of the Troops by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne holds 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 9 holds 420 sentences of In the Track of the Troops, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of In the Track of the Troops by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 420 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 9 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 In the Track of the Troops by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4133 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21705 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21705, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 344 minutes of reading across 827 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through In the Track of the Troops section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 10 chapters of In the Track of the Troops 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 In the Track of the Troops, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
