Chapter 1 of The mystery of the Sea-Lark is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The mystery of the Sea-Lark is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden. “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.” “Cap’n” Crumbie nodded in satisfaction. “Only one missing,” he replied. “And why?
Chapter 1 of The mystery of the Sea-Lark is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/34 · 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.
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading “CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.”
occurring by chance
From this reading “CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.”
not able to be found
From this reading ““Only one missing,” he replied.”
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading ““Cap’n” Crumbie nodded in satisfaction.”
the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
From this reading ““Cap’n” Crumbie nodded in satisfaction.”
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading “CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.”
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading “CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.”
the day immediately before today
From this reading ““I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.””
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 “CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.”
bring forth, usually something desirable
In this reading “CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.”
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 CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “And why?
plural of “boat” — a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Only one missing,” he replied.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Cap’n” Crumbie nodded in satisfaction.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
a small worthless amount
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
occurring by chance
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
not able to be found
From this reading “Only one missing,” he replied.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading “Cap’n” Crumbie nodded in satisfaction.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “Only one missing,” he replied.
and nothing more
From this reading “Only one missing,” he replied.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “Only one missing,” he replied.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
From this reading “Cap’n” Crumbie nodded in satisfaction.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
a special situation
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
at the time that
From this reading CAP’N CRUMBIE IS SURPRISED “A lucky thing so few of the boats were out when the storm came up!” said Jack Holden.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “And why?
the day immediately before today
From this reading “I guess they’d have had a pretty hard time of it yesterday.”
Chapter 1 of The mystery of the Sea-Lark by Ralph Henry Barbour holds 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 1 holds 170 sentences of The mystery of the Sea-Lark, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The mystery of the Sea-Lark by Ralph Henry Barbour exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 170 sentences, grouped into 34 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 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 34 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 1 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 mystery of the Sea-Lark by Ralph Henry Barbour on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3830 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #72751 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #72751, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 319 minutes of reading across 766 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The mystery of the Sea-Lark section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of The mystery of the Sea-Lark 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 mystery of the Sea-Lark, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
