Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Boy Ranchers on the Trail
The Boy Ranchers on the Trail

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail is here in full — 98 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Boy Ranchers on the Trail
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.
For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.
"Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.
"They wouldn't know we were coming," Bud answered.
"I said we might not be back until to-morrow."
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Boy Ranchers on the Trail

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail is here in full — 98 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.
Line 2
For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.
/fɔːr ðæt ɪt wɑːz mɪˈstɪriəs ðeɪ ɔːl əˈɡriːd ənd ðæt ɪt wɑːz ˈflæʃɪŋ frʌm ðə tɑːp ʌv ðə wɑːtʃ ˈtaʊər ðeɪ hæd bɪlt tuː spaɪ fɔːr ˈrʌsələrz wɑːz əˈnʌðər kənˈkluːʒən/
Line 3
"Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.
Line 4
"They wouldn't know we were coming," Bud answered.
Line 5
"I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

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.

Bud noun US /bʌd/

a partially opened flower

From this reading “FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.”

galloped verb US /ˈɡæləpt/

past form of “gallop” — ride at a galloping pace

From this reading “"Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.”

ponies noun US /ˈpoʊniz/

plural of “pony” — a range horse of the western United States

From this reading “FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.”

raced verb US /reɪst/

past form of “race” — move hurridly

From this reading “FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.”

ranch noun US /ræntʃ/

farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)

From this reading “FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.”

rustlers noun US /ˈrʌsələrz/

plural of “rustler” — someone who steals livestock (especially cattle)

From this reading “For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.”

seemingly adverb US /ˈsiːmɪŋli/

from appearances alone

From this reading “FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.”

signalling verb US /ˈsɪɡnəlɪŋ/

inflected form of “signal” — communicate silently and non-verbally by signals or signs

From this reading “"Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.”

All words in this reading · 73

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.

agreedadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːd/

united by being of the same opinion

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading "They wouldn't know we were coming," Bud answered.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading "I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

Billee

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

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

BudnounUS /bʌd/

a partially opened flower

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/

(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

campnounUS /kæmp/

temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading "They wouldn't know we were coming," Bud answered.

conclusionnounUS /kənˈkluːʒən/

a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

DicknounUS /dɪk/

someone who is a detective

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

Doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/

having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

EYESnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

flashingnounUS /ˈflæʃɪŋ/

a short vivid experience

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

FOURnounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

gallopedverbUS /ˈɡæləpt/

past form of “gallop” — ride at a galloping pace

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

KidverbUS /kɪd/

tell false information to for fun

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading "They wouldn't know we were coming," Bud answered.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading "I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

of an obscure nature

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

NOdeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

Nort

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

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

poniesnounUS /ˈpoʊniz/

plural of “pony” — a range horse of the western United States

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

racedverbUS /reɪst/

past form of “race” — move hurridly

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

ranchnounUS /ræntʃ/

farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

reachverbUS /riːtʃ/

reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

rustlersnounUS /ˈrʌsələrz/

plural of “rustler” — someone who steals livestock (especially cattle)

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

s'pose

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

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/

from appearances alone

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

signallingverbUS /ˈsɪɡnəlɪŋ/

inflected form of “signal” — communicate silently and non-verbally by signals or signs

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

spyverbUS /spaɪ/

catch sight of

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

Thuddingadjective

not clear and resonant; sounding as if striking with or against something relatively soft

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

to-morrow

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

From this reading "I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

towernounUS /ˈtaʊər/

a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading "I said we might not be back until to-morrow."

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

watchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/

look attentively

From this reading For that it was mysterious they all agreed, and that it was flashing from the top of the watch tower they had built to spy for rustlers was another conclusion.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "They wouldn't know we were coming," Bud answered.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading FOUR EYES--NO EYES Thudding along, their ponies seemingly as eager to reach the ranch camp as were the boys themselves, Bud, Nort and Dick raced toward the mysterious light.

wouldn't

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

From this reading "They wouldn't know we were coming," Bud answered.

Yellin

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

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Do you s'pose it can be Old Billee, or Yellin' Kid signalling to us?" asked Nort, as he galloped between Bud and Dick.

Chapter 13 of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail by Willard F. Baker holds 98 sentences, grouped into 20 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 13 of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail contain?

Chapter 13 holds 98 sentences of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail by Willard F. Baker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 98 sentences, grouped into 20 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 13 of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 The Boy Ranchers on the Trail

Common questions about reading The Boy Ranchers on the Trail by Willard F. Baker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail?

Yes. All 2680 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6573 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6573, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Boy Ranchers on the Trail take to read?

About 223 minutes of reading across 536 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Boy Ranchers on the Trail section by section

How to work through The Boy Ranchers on the Trail section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail 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 The Boy Ranchers on the Trail

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Boy Ranchers on the Trail, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

What's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Matter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Asked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Urged
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Boy Ranchers on the Trail; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.