Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Riverman
The Riverman

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Riverman is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Riverman
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.
They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.
But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”
Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.
Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.
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 Riverman

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Riverman is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.
/dɪd ˌɪnˈtend tuː ʃɪp baɪ reɪl sed hiː/
Line 2
They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.
Line 3
But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”
/bʌt wiː kæn seɪv ɔːl kaɪndz ʌv ˈmʌni baɪ ˈwɔːtər ənd ðeɪ ɔːt tuː skɪp ˈoʊvər ðer ɪn twelv tuː fɪfˈtiːn ˈaʊərz/
Line 4
Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.
Line 5
Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

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.

alongside adverb US /əˈlɔːŋˈsaɪd/

side by side

From this reading “Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.”

belated adjective US /bɪˈleɪtɪd/

after the expected or usual time; delayed

From this reading “Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.”

lumber noun US /ˈlʌmbər/

the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material

From this reading “Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.”

rail noun US /reɪl/

a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports

From this reading ““Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.”

selected adjective US /səˈlektɪd/

chosen in preference to another

From this reading “Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.”

skip verb US /skɪp/

bypass

From this reading “But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.””

uppers noun US /ˈʌpərz/

plural of “upper” — the higher of two berths

From this reading ““They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.”

vessels noun US /ˈvesəlz/

plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates

From this reading “Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.”

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.

AccordinglyadverbUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋli/

(sentence connectors) because of the reason given

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

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 “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

alongsideadverbUS /əˈlɔːŋˈsaɪd/

side by side

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

belatedadjectiveUS /bɪˈleɪtɪd/

after the expected or usual time; delayed

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

cuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/

the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

departedadjectiveUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪd/

well in the past; former

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

fastadverbUS /fæst/

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

fifteennounUS /fɪfˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

holdsnounUS /hoʊldz/

plural of “hold” — the act of grasping

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

intendverbUS /ˌɪnˈtend/

have in mind as a purpose

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

kindsnounUS /kaɪndz/

plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

lumbernounUS /ˈlʌmbər/

the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

millverbUS /mɪl/

move about in a confused manner

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

moneynounUS /ˈmʌni/

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

Orde

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

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

payverbUS /peɪ/

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

railnounUS /reɪl/

a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/

chosen in preference to another

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

shipverbUS /ʃɪp/

transport commercially

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

skipverbUS /skɪp/

bypass

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

snownounUS /snoʊ/

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

startverbUS /stɑːrt/

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

They're

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

From this reading “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Did intend to ship by rail,” said he.

twelvenounUS /twelv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

uppersnounUS /ˈʌpərz/

plural of “upper” — the higher of two berths

From this reading “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

vesselsnounUS /ˈvesəlz/

plural of “vessel” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

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 But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading But we can save all kinds of money by water, and they ought to skip over there in twelve to fifteen hours.”

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

wharves

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

From this reading Accordingly, the three vessels were laid alongside the wharves at the mill, and as fast as possible the selected lumber was passed into their holds.

woodsnounUS /wʊdz/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading Orde departed for the woods to start the cutting as soon as the first belated snow should fall.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “They're all 'uppers,' so it would pay all right.

Chapter 27 of The Riverman by Stewart Edward White holds 205 sentences, grouped into 41 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 27 of The Riverman contain?

Chapter 27 holds 205 sentences of The Riverman, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 27 of The Riverman by Stewart Edward White exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 205 sentences, grouped into 41 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 27 of The Riverman?

Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 41 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 27 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 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 Riverman

Common questions about reading The Riverman by Stewart Edward White on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Riverman?

Yes. All 7499 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1099 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Riverman is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1099, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Riverman take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1500 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Riverman section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Riverman 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 Riverman

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

Place
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Riverman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
River
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Riverman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Above
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Riverman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Terminating
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Riverman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.