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The Mystery of the Iron Box
The Mystery of the Iron Box

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Mystery of the Iron Box is here in full — 227 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Bruce Campbell • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Mystery of the Iron Box
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.
At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.
“All aboard!” the conductor was calling.
“All aboard!”
The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Mystery of the Iron Box

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Mystery of the Iron Box is here in full — 227 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.
Line 2
At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.
/æt ɪɡˈzæktli eɪt əˈklɑːk ðeɪ wɔːkt daʊn ðə sterz ˈstɑːpɪŋ æt ðə ˈbɑːtəm tuː meɪk ʃʊr ðeɪ wɜːr stɪl ˈbiːɪŋ ˈfɑːloʊd/
Line 3
“All aboard!” the conductor was calling.
/ɔːl əˈbɔːrd ðə kənˈdʌktər wɑːz ˈkɔːlɪŋ/
Line 4
“All aboard!”
/ɔːl əˈbɔːrd/
Line 5
The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.
/ðə bɔɪz ˈentərd ðə kɑːr ˈnɪrəst ðem ənd bɪˈɡæn tuː wɔːk təˈwɔːrd ðə frʌnt ʌv ðə treɪn/

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.

aboard adverb US /əˈbɔːrd/

on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle

From this reading ““All aboard!” the conductor was calling.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conductor noun US /kənˈdʌktər/

the person who leads a musical group

From this reading ““All aboard!” the conductor was calling.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cornered adjective US /ˈkɔːrnərd/

forced to turn and face attackers

From this reading “CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
depart verb US /dɪˈpɑːrt/

move away from a place into another direction

From this reading “CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nearest adverb US /ˈnɪrəst/

(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance

From this reading “The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
restaurant noun US /ˈrestərɑːnt/

a building where people go to eat

From this reading “CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stairway noun US /ˈsterweɪ/

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading “CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stopping noun US /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading “At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

at the bottom preposition + article + noun counted as “at … bottom”

In this reading “At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.”

21,590 times in 426,211 chapters
make sure verb + adjective

make a point of doing something; act purposefully and intentionally

In this reading “At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.”

11,811 times in 426,211 chapters
four minutes noun + noun

In this reading “CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.”

1,190 times in 426,211 chapters
At seven preposition + noun

In this reading “CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.”

5,219 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 52

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.

aboardadverbUS /əˈbɔːrd/

on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle

From this reading “All aboard!” the conductor was calling.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 “All aboard!” the conductor was calling.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

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

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bottomnounUS /ˈbɑːtəm/

the lower side of anything

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Brentwood

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

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Pending verification
callingnounUS /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading “All aboard!” the conductor was calling.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conductornounUS /kənˈdʌktər/

the person who leads a musical group

From this reading “All aboard!” the conductor was calling.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CORNEREDadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːrnərd/

forced to turn and face attackers

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
departverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrt/

move away from a place into another direction

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dueadjectiveUS /duː/

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
exactlyadverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktli/

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fifty-sevenadjective

being seven more than fifty

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
leadingadjectiveUS /ˈliːdɪŋ/

indicating the most important performer or role

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nearestadverbUS /ˈnɪrəst/

(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
restaurantnounUS /ˈrestərɑːnt/

a building where people go to eat

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sauntered

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

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Pending verification
sevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stairsnounUS /sterz/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stoppingnounUS /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TracknounUS /træk/

a line or route along which something travels or moves

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
walknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading The boys entered the car nearest them and began to walk toward the front of the train.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading CORNERED At seven fifty-seven, four minutes before the Brentwood train was due to depart, the boys left the restaurant and sauntered down to the head of the stairway leading to Track Ten.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading At exactly eight o’clock they walked down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to make sure they were still being followed.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 12 of The Mystery of the Iron Box by Bruce Campbell holds 227 sentences, grouped into 46 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 12 of The Mystery of the Iron Box contain?

Chapter 12 holds 227 sentences of The Mystery of the Iron Box, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Mystery of the Iron Box by Bruce Campbell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 227 sentences, grouped into 46 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 12 of The Mystery of the Iron Box?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Mystery of the Iron Box

Common questions about reading The Mystery of the Iron Box by Bruce Campbell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Mystery of the Iron Box?

Yes. All 4866 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48144 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Mystery of the Iron Box is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48144, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Mystery of the Iron Box take to read?

About 405 minutes of reading across 974 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Mystery of the Iron Box section by section

How to work through The Mystery of the Iron Box section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Mystery of the Iron Box

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Mystery of the Iron Box, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Draft
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery of the Iron Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Loud-speaker
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery of the Iron Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bellow
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery of the Iron Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Answering
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery of the Iron Box; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.