Chapter 23 of The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island is here in full — 72 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island is here in full — 72 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
BREAKING CAMP. “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about. We’ve had great luck. We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing. I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
Chapter 23 of The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island is here in full — 72 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/14 · 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.
harass with persistent criticism or carping
From this reading “I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.”
having or covered with or accompanied by blood
From this reading “I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.”
plural of “fox” — alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading “We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.”
cooked by frying in fat
From this reading “I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.”
a sweet yellow liquid produced by bees
From this reading “I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.”
(Old Testament) the second patriarch; son of Abraham and Sarah who was offered by Abraham as a sacrifice to God; father of Jacob and Esau
From this reading ““There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.”
large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male; called “elk” in Europe and “moose” in North America
From this reading “I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.”
not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind
From this reading “We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.”
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.
In this reading “We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.”
In this reading “I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.”
In this reading “I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.”
In this reading ““There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.”
form or compose
In this reading ““There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
harass with persistent criticism or carping
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
having or covered with or accompanied by blood
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the act of breaking something
From this reading BREAKING CAMP.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading BREAKING CAMP.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
plural of “fox” — alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
cooked by frying in fat
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading We’ve had great luck.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We’ve had great luck.
a sweet yellow liquid produced by bees
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
(Old Testament) the second patriarch; son of Abraham and Sarah who was offered by Abraham as a sacrifice to God; father of Jacob and Esau
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
and nothing more
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading We’ve had great luck.
engage in
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male; called “elk” in Europe and “moose” in North America
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
of grey resembling silver
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
a special situation
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading I lay it to the honey that I fried the bait in, the bloody neck of a moose that I dragged along the trail, and the earth I got from Joe Bradish’s fox-pen.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “There are just two things,” said Uncle Isaac, “for us to make up our minds about.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We’ve had great luck.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading We’ve got two silver-gray foxes, which is an uncommon thing.
Chapter 23 of The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island by Elijah Kellogg holds 72 sentences, grouped into 15 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 23 holds 72 sentences of The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island by Elijah Kellogg exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 72 sentences, grouped into 15 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 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 15 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 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.
Common questions about reading The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island by Elijah Kellogg on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3299 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54767 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #54767, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 274 minutes of reading across 660 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island 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 Hard-Scrabble of Elm Island, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
