Chapter 26 of The Last of the Flatboats is here in full — 75 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXVI
Chapter 26 of The Last of the Flatboats is here in full — 75 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty. He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little. Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.” “What do you mean?” asked Ed. “Why, the river we’ve reached.
Chapter 26 of The Last of the Flatboats is here in full — 75 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/15 · 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.
goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
From this reading “He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.”
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading “THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.”
showing warm and heartfelt friendliness
From this reading “He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.”
leave undone or leave out
From this reading “THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.”
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading “He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.”
imagine to be the case or true or probable
From this reading “Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.””
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading “THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.”
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading “THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.”
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 “He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.”
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
In this reading “THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.”
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 THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What do you mean?” asked Ed.
goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “What do you mean?” asked Ed.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
impotence resulting from a man's inability to have or maintain an erection of his penis
From this reading “What do you mean?” asked Ed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
showing warm and heartfelt friendliness
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “What do you mean?” asked Ed.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
leave undone or leave out
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
on one occasion
From this reading Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.”
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading “Why, the river we’ve reached.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading “Why, the river we’ve reached.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.”
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.”
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
imagine to be the case or true or probable
From this reading Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.”
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once he said, suddenly:-- “I suspect it’s the Tallahatchie.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
precisely as stated
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why, the river we’ve reached.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What do you mean?” asked Ed.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Why, the river we’ve reached.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He ate a hearty supper with the boys, during which he talked very little.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading THE CREW AND THEIR CAPTAIN Utterly worn out as he was, it was not a part of Phil’s purpose--it was not in his nature, indeed--to neglect any duty.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What do you mean?” asked Ed.
Chapter 26 of The Last of the Flatboats by George Cary Eggleston holds 75 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 26 holds 75 sentences of The Last of the Flatboats, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 26 of The Last of the Flatboats by George Cary Eggleston exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 75 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 26 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 Last of the Flatboats by George Cary Eggleston on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3771 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44922 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #44922, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 314 minutes of reading across 755 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Last of the Flatboats section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 38 chapters of The Last of the Flatboats 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 Last of the Flatboats, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
