Chapter 8 of The Free Lances is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of The Free Lances is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic. Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given. Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken. CHAPTER THIRTY NINE. UP THE MOUNTAIN.
Chapter 8 of The Free Lances is here in full — 407 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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 “aim” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading “Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.”
accompanying
From this reading “Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.”
someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
From this reading “Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.”
an indirect suggestion
From this reading “Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.”
exceedingly bad
From this reading “Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.”
plural of “instinct” — inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading “Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.”
inflected form of “retake” — take back by force, as after a battle
From this reading “Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.”
extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell
From this reading “The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.”
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.
plural of “aim” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
equally
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
accompanying
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
an indirect suggestion
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
exceedingly bad
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
plural of “instinct” — inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading UP THE MOUNTAIN.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
inflected form of “retake” — take back by force, as after a battle
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading UP THE MOUNTAIN.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Equally so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Alike cruel in their instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the fugitive prisoners were not retaken.
Chapter 8 of The Free Lances by Mayne Reid holds 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 8 holds 407 sentences of The Free Lances, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of The Free Lances by Mayne Reid exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 407 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 8 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 Free Lances by Mayne Reid on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4885 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27996 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #27996, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 407 minutes of reading across 977 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Free Lances section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Free Lances 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 Free Lances, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
