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The River of Darkness
The River of Darkness

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The River of Darkness is here in full — 93 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The River of Darkness
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE.
In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.
"Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.
"When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."
The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The River of Darkness

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The River of Darkness is here in full — 93 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE.
/ðə ˈdʒɜːrni ɑːn ðə leɪk/
Line 2
In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.
/ɪn ðə diːp ˈsaɪ.ləns ɔːl hɜːrd dɪˈstɪŋktli ðə loʊ ˈstedi dɪp ʌv ə ˈpædəl/
Line 3
"Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.
/biː ˈredi wɪð ə mætʃ ˈwɪspərd ɡaɪ/
Line 4
"When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."
/wen ðə kəˈnuː kʌmz ˈɑːpəzət laɪt ðə tɔːrtʃ ənd aɪ wɪl ˈkʌvər ðə ˈfeloʊ wɪð maɪ ˈraɪfəl/
Line 5
The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

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.

dip verb US /dɪp/

immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

From this reading “In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.”

paddle verb US /ˈpædəl/

propel with a paddle

From this reading “In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.”

plainer adjective US /ˈpleɪnər/

comparative of “plain” — clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading “The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.”

shudder verb US /ˈʃʌdər/

shake, as from cold

From this reading “The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.”

splash verb US /splæʃ/

cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force

From this reading “The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.”

terrific adjective US /tərˈɪfɪk/

very great or intense

From this reading “The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.”

torch noun US /tɔːrtʃ/

a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading “"When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."”

wail verb US /weɪl/

emit long loud cries

From this reading “The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.”

All words in this reading · 66

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 In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

agonynounUS /ˈæɡ.ə.ni/

Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

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 In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/

exceptionally bad or displeasing

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

Beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

canoenounUS /kəˈnuː/

small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

comesnounUS /kʌmz/

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

coververbUS /ˈkʌvər/

provide with a covering or cause to be covered

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

dipverbUS /dɪp/

immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

distinctlyadverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋktli/

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/

past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

fellownounUS /ˈfeloʊ/

a boy or man

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

fingerverbUS /ˈfɪŋɡər/

feel or handle with the fingers

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

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

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

grewverbUS /ɡruː/

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

GuynounUS /ɡaɪ/

an informal term for a youth or man

From this reading "Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.

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 The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

heartrendingadjective

causing or marked by grief or anguish

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

instantlyadverbUS /ˈɪnstəntli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

JOURNEYverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE.

LAKEnounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/

comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

matchverbUS /mætʃ/

be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics

From this reading "Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.

Melton's

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

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

oppositeadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

paddleverbUS /ˈpædəl/

propel with a paddle

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

plaineradjectiveUS /ˈpleɪnər/

comparative of “plain” — clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading "Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.

rifleverbUS /ˈraɪfəl/

steal goods; take as spoils

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

shudderverbUS /ˈʃʌdər/

shake, as from cold

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

splashverbUS /splæʃ/

cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

steadyverbUS /ˈstedi/

make steady

From this reading In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

terrificadjectiveUS /tərˈɪfɪk/

very great or intense

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/

a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

tremblingnounUS /ˈtrembəlɪŋ/

a shaky motion

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

wailverbUS /weɪl/

emit long loud cries

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading "Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Be ready with a match," whispered Guy.

Chapter 26 of The River of Darkness by William Murray Graydon holds 93 sentences, grouped into 19 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 26 of The River of Darkness contain?

Chapter 26 holds 93 sentences of The River of Darkness, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of The River of Darkness by William Murray Graydon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 93 sentences, grouped into 19 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 26 of The River of Darkness?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 26 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The River of Darkness

Common questions about reading The River of Darkness by William Murray Graydon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The River of Darkness?

Yes. All 3841 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24297 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The River of Darkness is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24297, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The River of Darkness take to read?

About 320 minutes of reading across 769 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The River of Darkness section by section

How to work through The River of Darkness section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The River of Darkness to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The River of Darkness

Words and structures a reader meets early in The River of Darkness, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

River
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Darkness
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Under
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Africa
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The River of Darkness; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.