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King Spruce, A Novel
King Spruce, A Novel

Chapter XI

Chapter 11 of King Spruce, A Novel is here in full — 247 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for King Spruce, A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/49 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.
So 'tis: men hold tight!
Pray for mornin' light!
Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"
--Ha'nt of Pamola.
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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.

King Spruce, A Novel

Chapter XI

Chapter 11 of King Spruce, A Novel is here in full — 247 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.
Line 2
So 'tis: men hold tight!
/soʊ tɪz men hoʊld taɪt/
Line 3
Pray for mornin' light!
Line 4
Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"
Line 5
--Ha'nt of Pamola.

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.

caves noun US /keɪvz/

plural of “cave” — a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading “Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"”

devils noun US /ˈdevəlz/

plural of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading “"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.”

hell's noun US /helz/

possessive form of “hell” — any place of pain and turmoil

From this reading “Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"”

ladder noun US /ˈlædər/

steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down

From this reading “"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.”

lane's noun US /leɪnz/

possessive form of “lane” — a narrow way or road

From this reading “"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.”

sheets noun US /ʃiːts/

plural of “sheet” — any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading “"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.”

shooting noun US /ˈʃuːtɪŋ/

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading “"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.”

soiree noun US /swɑːˈreɪ/

a party of people assembled in the evening (usually at a private house)

From this reading “"LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.”

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.

hold tight verb + adjective

hold firmly, usually with one's hands

In this reading “So 'tis: men hold tight!”

Pray for verb + particle

In this reading “Pray for mornin' light!”

All words in this reading · 41

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.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

cavesnounUS /keɪvz/

plural of “cave” — a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

devilsnounUS /ˈdevəlz/

plural of “devil” — (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

emptyverbUS /ˈempti/

make void or empty of contents

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

flamenounUS /fleɪm/

A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Pray for mornin' light!

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

gamenounUS /ɡeɪm/

a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

Ha'nt

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

From this reading --Ha'nt of Pamola.

hell'snounUS /helz/

possessive form of “hell” — any place of pain and turmoil

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading So 'tis: men hold tight!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

Katahdin

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

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

Katahdin's

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

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

LADDERnounUS /ˈlædər/

steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

LANE'SnounUS /leɪnz/

possessive form of “lane” — a narrow way or road

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading Pray for mornin' light!

looseadjectiveUS /luːs/

not compact or dense in structure or arrangement

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading So 'tis: men hold tight!

mornin

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

From this reading Pray for mornin' light!

mountainsnounUS /ˈmaʊntənz/

plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

Pamola

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

From this reading --Ha'nt of Pamola.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

PrayverbUS /preɪ/

address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer

From this reading Pray for mornin' light!

reg'lar

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

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

sheetsnounUS /ʃiːts/

plural of “sheet” — any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

shootingnounUS /ˈʃuːtɪŋ/

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So 'tis: men hold tight!

SOIREEnounUS /swɑːˈreɪ/

a party of people assembled in the evening (usually at a private house)

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/

closely constrained or constricted or constricting

From this reading So 'tis: men hold tight!

tisnounUS /tɪz/

plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

From this reading So 'tis: men hold tight!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "LADDER" LANE'S SOIREE "And down from off the mountains in the shooting sheets of flame The devils of Katahdin come to play their reg'lar game.

to-night

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

From this reading Katahdin's caves are empty and hell's broke loose to-night!"

Chapter 11 of King Spruce, A Novel by Holman Day holds 247 sentences, grouped into 50 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 11 of King Spruce, A Novel contain?

Chapter 11 holds 247 sentences of King Spruce, A Novel, unabridged, divided into 50 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of King Spruce, A Novel by Holman Day exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 247 sentences, grouped into 50 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 11 of King Spruce, A Novel?

Work through the 50 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 50 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 11 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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 King Spruce, A Novel

Common questions about reading King Spruce, A Novel by Holman Day on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of King Spruce, A Novel?

Yes. All 7037 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34948 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of King Spruce, A Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34948, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does King Spruce, A Novel take to read?

About 586 minutes of reading across 1408 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read King Spruce, A Novel section by section

How to work through King Spruce, A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of King Spruce, A Novel 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 King Spruce, A Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in King Spruce, A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Squire
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Spruce, A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Maine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Spruce, A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ktaadn
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Spruce, A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Spruce, A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.