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The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales
The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 174 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.
Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.
Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, we’ve not been blown up yet.”
No, not yet,” said I; but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”
Nonsense, man!” said Dick; I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 174 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.
Line 2
Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.
Line 3
Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”
Line 4
No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”
Line 5
Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

All words in this reading · 60

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.

a

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

all

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

an

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

are

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

at

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

be

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

been

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

better

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

blown

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

but

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

came

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

can't

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

conceive

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

confidant

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

deck

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

Dick

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

dig

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

Even

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

extraordinary

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

facetious

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

giving

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

going

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

has

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

he

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

head

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

I

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

idea

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

in

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

incredulous

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

into

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

is

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

It

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

man

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

me

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

No

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

none

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

Nonsense

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

not

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

old

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

on

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

proof

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

put

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

relief

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

ribs

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

said

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

than

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

From this reading Even an incredulous confidant is better than none at all.

that

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

that's

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

the

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

this

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

to

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

up

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

was

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

we

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

From this reading “No, not yet,” said I; “but that’s no proof that we are not going to be.”

we've

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

Well

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

what

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

when

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

From this reading It was a relief to me when Dick came on deck.

yet

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

From this reading “Well, old man,” he said, giving me a facetious dig in the ribs, “we’ve not been blown up yet.”

your

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

From this reading “Nonsense, man!” said Dick; “I can’t conceive what has put this extraordinary idea into your head.

Chapter 14 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle holds 174 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 14 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales contain?

Chapter 14 holds 174 sentences of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 174 sentences, grouped into 35 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 14 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Common questions about reading The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales?

Yes. All 4188 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #294 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #294, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales take to read?

About 349 minutes of reading across 838 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales section by section

How to work through The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales 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 Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Other
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tales
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Following
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.