Chapter 5 of The Blue Balloon is here in full — 176 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter V
Chapter 5 of The Blue Balloon is here in full — 176 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
FIRE-EATING COLONEL. ‘Surrender! You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest. ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly. ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
Chapter 5 of The Blue Balloon is here in full — 176 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/35 · 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.
plural of “bayonet” — a knife that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon
From this reading “You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.”
in a composed and unconcerned manner
From this reading “‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.”
place in a grave or tomb
From this reading “‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.”
a person having kinship with another or others
From this reading “‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.”
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading “‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.”
-ing form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading “You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.”
plural of “spike” — a transient variation in voltage or current
From this reading “‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.”
acceptance of despair
From this reading “‘Surrender!”
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.
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 ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
plural of “bayonet” — a knife that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading FIRE-EATING COLONEL.
in a composed and unconcerned manner
From this reading ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FIRE-EATING COLONEL.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
place in a grave or tomb
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
a person having kinship with another or others
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
-ing form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
plural of “spike” — a transient variation in voltage or current
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
acceptance of despair
From this reading ‘Surrender!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person
From this reading ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest.
Chapter 5 of The Blue Balloon by Reginald Horsley holds 176 sentences, grouped into 36 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 5 holds 176 sentences of The Blue Balloon, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 5 of The Blue Balloon by Reginald Horsley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 176 sentences, grouped into 36 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 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 36 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 5 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 The Blue Balloon by Reginald Horsley on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4832 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #64039 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #64039, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 402 minutes of reading across 967 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Blue Balloon section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Blue Balloon 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 The Blue Balloon, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
