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The Hilltop Boys on the River
The Hilltop Boys on the River

Chapter XXII · Chapter 22

Chapter 22 of The Hilltop Boys on the River is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.
There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.
Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.
Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.
"Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.
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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 Hilltop Boys on the River

Chapter XXII · Chapter 22

Chapter 22 of The Hilltop Boys on the River is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.
/ˈevriθɪŋ ɪz ˈsetəld ðə bɔɪz left ðə ˈlɪtəl dɪˈveləpɪŋ ruːm ˈæftər ˈpʌtɪŋ aʊt ðə laɪts ənd ˈsiːɪŋ ðæt ɔːl wɑːz seɪf ənd ðæt ðer wɑːz noʊ tʃæns ʌv ˈfaɪər ənd meɪd ðer weɪ tuː ðə ˈmɪdəl ʌv ðə kæmp wer ðer wɑːz æn ˈoʊ.pən speɪs ɪn wɪtʃ ə ˈnʌmbər ʌv ðə bɔɪz hæd ˈɡæðərd tuː əˈmjuːz ðemˈselvz/
Line 2
There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.
Line 3
Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.
/sʌm ʌv ðə mjuːˈzɪʃənz hæd ɔːlˈredi bɪˈɡʌn tuː pleɪ wen ðə θriː bɔɪz ərˈaɪvd ðer ˈæbsəns nɑːt ˈhævɪŋ bɪn ˈnoʊtəst ənd naʊ ˈɑːrθər huː pleɪd ðə ˈbændʒoʊ kɔːld əˈpɑːn ə ˈnʌmbər ʌv ðə bɔɪz tuː dʒɔɪn ɪn ə ˌplænˈteɪʃən ˈmelədi ənd ˈleɪtər ə ˈnʌmbər ʌv ðə oʊld ənd nuː ˈkɑːlɪdʒ sɔːŋz/
Line 4
Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.
Line 5
"Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.

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.

banjo noun US /ˈbændʒoʊ/

a stringed instrument of the guitar family that has long neck and circular body

From this reading “Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.”

developing adjective US /dɪˈveləpɪŋ/

relating to societies in which capital needed to industrialize is in short supply

From this reading “EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.”

guitars noun US /ɡɪˈtɑːrz/

plural of “guitar” — a stringed instrument usually having six strings; played by strumming or plucking

From this reading “There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.”

joining noun US /ˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/

the act of bringing two things into contact (especially for communication)

From this reading “Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.”

musicians noun US /mjuːˈzɪʃənz/

plural of “musician” — someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession)

From this reading “Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.”

plantation noun US /ˌplænˈteɪʃən/

an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)

From this reading “Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.”

singers noun US /ˈsɪŋərz/

plural of “singer” — a person who sings

From this reading “There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.”

surveying noun US /sərˈveɪɪŋ/

the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map

From this reading “Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.”

All words in this reading · 132

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 EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

absencenounUS /ˈæbsəns/

the state of being absent

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

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 EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

amuseverbUS /əˈmjuːz/

occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

ArthurnounUS /ˈɑːrθər/

elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

banjonounUS /ˈbændʒoʊ/

a stringed instrument of the guitar family that has long neck and circular body

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

banjos

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

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading "Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.

Blaisdell

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

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

campnounUS /kæmp/

temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

chancenounUS /tʃæns/

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

chorusnounUS /ˈkɔːrəs/

any utterance produced simultaneously by a group

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

collegenounUS /ˈkɑːlɪdʒ/

the body of faculty and students of a college

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

concertnounUS /ˈkɑːnsərt/

a performance of music by players or singers not involving theatrical staging

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

developingadjectiveUS /dɪˈveləpɪŋ/

relating to societies in which capital needed to industrialize is in short supply

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

EVERYTHINGpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

fairlyadverbUS /ˈferli/

to certain extent or degree

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

fashionnounUS /ˈfæʃən/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

fiftynounUS /ˈfɪfti/

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/

brought together in one place

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

growledverbUS /ɡraʊld/

past form of “growl” — to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds

From this reading "Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.

guitarsnounUS /ɡɪˈtɑːrz/

plural of “guitar” — a stringed instrument usually having six strings; played by strumming or plucking

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

Huh

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

From this reading "Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

instrumentsnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənts/

plural of “instrument” — a device that requires skill for proper use

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

joinverbUS /dʒɔɪn/

become part of; become a member of a group or organization

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

joiningnounUS /ˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/

the act of bringing two things into contact (especially for communication)

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

lightsnounUS /laɪts/

plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading "Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.

mandolins

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

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

melodynounUS /ˈmelədi/

a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

milenounUS /maɪl/

a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

musicaladjectiveUS /ˈmjuːzɪkəl/

characterized by or capable of producing music

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

musiciansnounUS /mjuːˈzɪʃənz/

plural of “musician” — someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession)

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

noticedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəst/

being perceived or observed

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

others

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

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

plantationnounUS /ˌplænˈteɪʃən/

an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

playedadjectiveUS /pleɪd/

(of games) engaged in

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

puttingnounUS /ˈpʌtɪŋ/

hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/

the sound of a bell ringing

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

safeadjectiveUS /seɪf/

free from danger or the risk of harm

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

SETTLEDadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

singersnounUS /ˈsɪŋərz/

plural of “singer” — a person who sings

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

singin

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

From this reading "Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

SomeadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

songsnounUS /sɔːŋz/

plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

spacenounUS /speɪs/

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

stopverbUS /stɑːp/

come to a halt, stop moving

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

surveyingnounUS /sərˈveɪɪŋ/

the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

they're

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

From this reading "Huh! they're singin' up there!" growled the big man.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading EVERYTHING IS SETTLED The boys left the little developing room after putting out the lights and seeing that all was safe and that there was no chance of fire, and made their way to the middle of the camp, where there was an open space in which a number of the boys had gathered to amuse themselves.

whiling

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

From this reading There were several good singers among the boys and a number of them had musical instruments, banjos, guitars and mandolins, so that it was an easy matter to get up a concert at any time, the boys whiling away many an hour in this fashion.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Some of the musicians had already begun to play when the three boys arrived, their absence not having been noticed, and now Arthur, who played the banjo, called upon a number of the boys to join in a plantation melody and later a number of the old and new college songs.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

woodsnounUS /wʊdz/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading Blaisdell had a good voice and he started the songs, the others quickly joining him, till there were a dozen or more and fifty for the chorus, the woods fairly ringing with the melody, which could be heard a mile away by the men who had tried to stop the boys from surveying.

Chapter 22 of The Hilltop Boys on the River by Cyril Burleigh holds 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 22 of The Hilltop Boys on the River contain?

Chapter 22 holds 102 sentences of The Hilltop Boys on the River, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 22 of The Hilltop Boys on the River by Cyril Burleigh exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 sentences, grouped into 21 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 22 of The Hilltop Boys on the River?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 22 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 22 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 Hilltop Boys on the River

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Is this the complete text of The Hilltop Boys on the River?

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Which edition of The Hilltop Boys on the River is used?

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Vocabulary met early in The Hilltop Boys on the River

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Hilltop Boys on the River, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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