Chapter 1 of Messenger No. 48 is here in full — 119 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Messenger No. 48 is here in full — 119 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
_Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?" "Jethro Lewis." "How old are you?" "I don't know." "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
Chapter 1 of Messenger No. 48 is here in full — 119 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/23 · 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 cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
From this reading “"Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."”
United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)
From this reading “"Jethro Lewis."”
a person who carries a message
From this reading “_Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"”
apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)
From this reading “_Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"”
a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat
From this reading “_Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"”
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading “_Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"”
elected vice president and became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died (1790-1862)
From this reading “_Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"”
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading “_Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "How old are you?"
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
a youthful male person
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I don't know."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How old are you?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I don't know."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Jethro Lewis."
the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I don't know."
United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)
From this reading "Jethro Lewis."
a person who carries a message
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
not any; not one
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "How old are you?"
above and across; more than
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
express in words
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
marked by absence of sound
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
elected vice president and became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died (1790-1862)
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Judging from the size I shouldn't say you were over ten."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "How old are you?"
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Author of "Telegraph Tom's Venture," "Messenger No. 48", "Toby Tyler," "The Boy Captain," "Silent Peter," etc., etc._ "What's your name?"
Chapter 1 of Messenger No. 48 by James Otis holds 119 sentences, grouped into 24 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 1 holds 119 sentences of Messenger No. 48, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Messenger No. 48 by James Otis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 119 sentences, grouped into 24 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 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 24 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 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.
Common questions about reading Messenger No. 48 by James Otis on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3155 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #23627 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #23627, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 262 minutes of reading across 631 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Messenger No. 48 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 32 chapters of Messenger No. 48 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 Messenger No. 48, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
