Chapter 4 of Middy and Ensign is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Middy and Ensign is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days." "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob. "Kris, right through my left shoulder. Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal." "Bother!" cried Bob.
Chapter 4 of Middy and Ensign is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 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.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading “"What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.”
take the trouble to do something; concern oneself
From this reading “"Bother!" cried Bob.”
turn up, loosen, or remove earth
From this reading “"No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."”
-ing form of “flush” — turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame
From this reading “"No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."”
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading “Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."”
a Malayan dagger with a wavy blade
From this reading “"What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.”
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading “"No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."”
a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
From this reading “"What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.”
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 "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
from one side of something to the other
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
take the trouble to do something; concern oneself
From this reading "Bother!" cried Bob.
a person who is in charge
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
turn up, loosen, or remove earth
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
at any time
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
bringing death
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
a boy or man
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
-ing form of “flush” — turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
a Malayan dagger with a wavy blade
From this reading "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading "Kris, right through my left shoulder.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Kris, right through my left shoulder.
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
not any; not one
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.
To recall to mind.
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
precisely, exactly
From this reading "Kris, right through my left shoulder.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading "Kris, right through my left shoulder.
a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
From this reading "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "Kris, right through my left shoulder.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
male cat
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What was it--a spear or a kris?" said Bob.
which person or people
From this reading "No, I'm not," cried Tom Long, flushing up; "and if I ever do come across the chief fellow who gave me such a nasty dig, he'll remember it to the end of his days."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Doctor Bolter says if it had been four inches lower it would have been fatal."
Chapter 4 of Middy and Ensign by George Manville Fenn holds 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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 4 holds 392 sentences of Middy and Ensign, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Middy and Ensign by George Manville Fenn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 79 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 4 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 Middy and Ensign by George Manville Fenn on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6588 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21355 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21355, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 549 minutes of reading across 1318 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Middy and Ensign section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of Middy and Ensign 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 Middy and Ensign, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
