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The Gringos A Story Of The Old California
The Gringos A Story Of The Old California

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California is here in full — 133 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Gringos A Story Of The Old California
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.
"I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.
You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.
I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.
I hope you're grateful."
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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 Gringos A Story Of The Old California

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California is here in full — 133 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.
Line 2
"I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.
Line 3
You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.
Line 4
I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.
Line 5
I hope you're grateful."

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.

bite verb US /baɪt/

to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws

From this reading “I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.”

dressing noun US /ˈdresɪŋ/

savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type

From this reading “THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.”

duel noun US /ˈduːəl/

a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor

From this reading “THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.”

lookout noun US /ˈlʊkaʊt/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading “You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.”

supreme adjective US /səˈpriːm/

final or last in your life or progress

From this reading “THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.”

test noun US /test/

trying something to find out about it

From this reading “THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.”

thankful adjective US /ˈθæŋkfəl/

feeling or showing gratitude

From this reading “You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.”

Valencia noun US /vəˈlensiə/

an industrial city in northern Venezuela

From this reading “"I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.”

All words in this reading · 75

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

announcedadjectiveUS /əˈnaʊnst/

declared publicly; made widely known

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

biteverbUS /baɪt/

to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

bullnounUS /bʊl/

uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

Dade

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

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

Diego's

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

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

dressingnounUS /ˈdresɪŋ/

savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

DUELnounUS /ˈduːəl/

a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

eatverbUS /iːt/

take in solid food

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/

past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

faithfuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪθfəl/

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

gratefuladjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtfəl/

feeling or showing gratitude

From this reading I hope you're grateful."

groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

hasn't

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

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading I hope you're grateful."

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

I've

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

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

Injunnoun

(slang) offensive term for Native Americans

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

JacknounUS /dʒæk/

a small worthless amount

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

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 I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

lookoutnounUS /ˈlʊkaʊt/

a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

Pancho

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

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

RIATAS

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

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

ridingnounUS /ˈraɪdɪŋ/

the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

shiningadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/

marked by exceptional merit

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

somebodypronounUS /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

supremeadjectiveUS /səˈpriːm/

final or last in your life or progress

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

Surry

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

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

testnounUS /test/

trying something to find out about it

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

thankfuladjectiveUS /ˈθæŋkfəl/

feeling or showing gratitude

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

there's

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

From this reading You ought to be thankful there's somebody on the lookout as faithful as that Injun.

They're

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

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

ValencianounUS /vəˈlensiə/

an industrial city in northern Venezuela

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading THE DUEL OF RIATAS "They're riding the last bull," announced Dade, coming into the room again where Jack was dressing for the supreme test of the day.

wouldn't

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

From this reading I just discovered he hasn't had a bite to eat since last night, because he wouldn't leave Surry long enough to get anything.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

you're

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

From this reading I hope you're grateful."

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I've got your plan for the ground explained to Valencia and Pancho, and Diego's shining Surry up till you can see your face in him.

Chapter 23 of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California by B. M. Bower holds 133 sentences, grouped into 27 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 23 of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California contain?

Chapter 23 holds 133 sentences of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California by B. M. Bower exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 133 sentences, grouped into 27 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 23 of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Gringos A Story Of The Old California

Common questions about reading The Gringos A Story Of The Old California by B. M. Bower on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California?

Yes. All 3890 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12139 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #12139, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Gringos A Story Of The Old California take to read?

About 324 minutes of reading across 778 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Gringos A Story Of The Old California section by section

How to work through The Gringos A Story Of The Old California section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California 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 Gringos A Story Of The Old California

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Gringos A Story Of The Old California, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Glimpse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Savage
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Normally
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Asleep
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gringos A Story Of The Old California; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.